DistantNews
Support us
🇦🇷 Argentina /Elections & Politics

Official and confirmed: USCIS will reject work permit and status-extension filings that use the old format

From Clarín · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Official statement New plan
  • USCIS will require new versions of Forms I-765 and I-539 beginning September 15 and will reject older editions without a grace period.
  • The changes affect employment authorization applicants, including asylum seekers, refugees, DACA recipients and first-time or renewal applicants.
  • New stay rules also limit F-1 and J-1 admissions to four years, give F-1 students 30 days to leave after their programs, and reduce foreign journalists’ I-status period to 240 days.

Starting September 15, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will accept only revised versions of Forms I-539 and I-765 for the applications covered by the new rules. Earlier editions, issued in 2024 and 2025, will no longer be valid.

will publish revised editions of Form I-539 and also Form I-765 (Application for Employment Authorization, used by journalists and other workers) on September 15.

· USCISThe agency announced when the revised forms will take effect.

USCIS said there will be no grace period. It has published preliminary versions of both forms and their instructions, while advising applicants not to submit them before September 15. The agency will accept the new editions only if they are postmarked or filed electronically on or after that date.

Form I-765 is used to request employment authorization. The affected groups include asylum applicants in category C08, refugees, certain people with parole or other protected statuses, DACA beneficiaries, and people applying for an employment authorization document for the first time or renewing one.

Because there is no grace period, USCIS is providing preliminary versions of Form I-539 and Form I-765 with their respective instructions.

· USCISThe agency explained why it released preliminary forms before the effective date.

Form I-539 changes will affect F-1 and F-2 students, M-1 students and their M-2 dependents, J-1 and J-2 exchange visitors, and journalists with I status. Under measures linked to President Donald Trump that take effect September 15, F-1 and J-1 visas will have a maximum duration of four years. Foreign journalists with I visas will be limited to 240 days.

if they are postmarked or submitted electronically on or after that day

· USCISThe agency specified when it will accept the new editions.

F-1 students previously could remain for the duration of their programs without a fixed end date. After completing a program, they will have 30 days to prepare to leave, instead of the current 60 days, unless they file Form I-539 to request an extension. USCIS also lists several visa categories that do not need Form I-539 to request a change or extension of status, including E-1, E-2, H, L, O, P, Q, R and TN categories. The agency urged applicants to read the filing instructions carefully before submitting a request.

carefully review the instructions for filing Form I-539 before submitting it to ensure that you are filing your request for an extension or change of status

· USCISThe agency advised applicants to check the requirements before filing.
About this summary

Originally published by Clarín in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

More Stories

From Our Blog