The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will implement new editions of two key forms for immigrants this Tuesday: the I-539, used to extend or change nonimmigrant status, and the I-765, which allows for the application of employment authorization.
According to the official USCIS alert, both forms will be updated to the edition dated 09/15/26, and the previous versions will be rejected immediately.
The federal agency warned that there will be no grace period. Any application submitted on paper or online using a previous edition—the 08/28/24 version of the I-539 or the 08/21/25 version of the I-765—will be returned if it is postmarked or sent digitally after September 15. The new forms also cannot be used before that date, as they would be rejected as well.
The change responds to a final rule from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published on July 17 in the Federal Register, which eliminates the "Duration of Status" (D/S) admission system for F-1 visa students and J-1 visa exchange visitors.
This change in the I-539 form will primarily affect students. Now USCIS will only grant them visa time that coincides with their studies. They must be very attentive to request extensions when necessary.
In the case of the I-765 form, commonly used to apply for employment, it will have a new edition and will not have a grace period either. It is important to keep a detailed review of all documents.
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The impact of these changes is not limited to the I-539 and I-765
In addition to the I-539 and I-765, USCIS will update the I-485 form in September, used to apply for adjustment of status or a permanent resident card. A new edition will also be released, which will take effect on September 18, replacing the version dated 01/20/25.
The agency published preliminary versions of the new forms and instructions so that applicants could prepare in advance.
This update to the forms is part of a series of changes that USCIS has implemented throughout 2026. The agencytightened the evidence requirements for applications in August. In addition, USCISexpanded the public charge criteria that same month.
In July, the Trump administration tightened interviews for status adjustment. That same month, it also enacted a regulation on signatures in documents and announced the mandatory online submission for certain procedures.
USCIS recommends verifying the correct edition of the form before submitting any application, as using an outdated version will result in automatic rejection with no possibility of later correction.
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