On July 25, 2022, USCIS announced that it will continue accepting copies of original signatures on all forms and documents. This makes permanent the temporary signature policy that USCIS announced in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  This impacts H-2A and H-2A users, and anyone who submits forms to USCIS.

USCIS will accept copies of original signatures on all benefit forms and documents, even if the form instructions require an original handwritten (“wet”) signature. This means that you can submit a scanned, faxed, photocopied, or similarly reproduced copy of a document to USCIS as long as the copy is of an original document containing an original handwritten signature. You must keep the original document with the wet signature and provide it to USCIS if requested. This exception only applies to signatures. You must follow all other form instructions when completing a form.

This is a welcome policy change, as many H-2A stakeholders, including Western Growers H-2A Services, have repeatedly expressed concern that requiring wet signatures on forms was both unnecessary and inefficient.

For more information about Western Growers H-2A Services, please contact Jason Resnick.