The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced a new interim rule that will significantly impact how signatures are managed on immigration applications, including H-1B petitions and Green Card filings. Set to take effect on July 10, 2026, this rule empowers the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to reject or deny applications if signature-related issues arise during processing, even if the application was initially accepted. This change means that applicants could lose their filing fees and will have to refile their applications if their signatures are found to be invalid. While the requirement for valid signatures is not new, the DHS aims to enforce this rule more consistently, as previous practices were unclear to applicants. Under the new guidelines, USCIS will accept handwritten signatures, scanned copies, faxed versions, and specific electronic signatures. However, it will not accept copy-paste signatures, digitally generated signatures, or signatures made by anyone other than the applicant or petitioner. The interim rule is currently open for public comments before its implementation.