U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) confirmed via an X (formerly Twitter) post early on 8 October that it will “soon require” online filing for many of its most-used immigration forms, shifting the agency decisively away from paper processing. In follow-up guidance, USCIS said it will expand two existing e-filing pathways—a guided step-by-step web form and a straight PDF upload—and then phase out paper submission for forms that already have an electronic version. The agency did not publish a formal Federal Register notice but insiders tell practitioners that the first tranche, expected in December, will include Form I-539 (change/extension of status) and Form I-131 (travel document), with employment-based I-140s and I-485s to follow in early 2027. Applicants will still be able to mail original civil documents when specifically requested, but receipts, biometrics notices and Requests for Evidence will be delivered through the on-line portal by default. USCIS says the change will accelerate case processing, cut data-entry backlogs and strengthen fraud and identity-management screening. Digital submissions allow fraud-detection algorithms to cross-reference information in real time against watch-lists, Social Security records and CBP arrival data. The move also supports USCIS’ goal—set out in its FY 2025 strategic plan—of having 95 percent of immigration benefits adjudicated electronically by the end of FY 2028. For employers the shift means corporate counsel will need to create and maintain attorney-representative accounts for every sponsored worker; large mobility programs may have to integrate HRIS and document-management systems with the USCIS portal to avoid manual uploads. Foreign nationals who previously relied on paper copies mailed to their home country will need stable internet access, which could complicate filings from regions with poor connectivity. Practically, mobility managers should audit active and upcoming applications, confirm which forms already have an e-filing option, budget for potential IT integration and update employee check-lists. USCIS said it will provide a 60-day grace period for paper filings once each form becomes mandatory online, after which paper submissions will be rejected and returned.
Source: Hindustan Times
