New Editions of USCIS Forms in 2026: Key Dates for I-485, I-765, I-539, and Other Applications
Updated: 5 days ago
USCIS has updated several important immigration forms. The changes affect applications for permanent residence, employment authorization, extensions or changes of status, financial sponsorship, and employment-based petitions.
In some cases, USCIS provides a transition period during which both the old and new editions of a form may be used. In other cases, there is no transition period: after the specified date, USCIS will reject filings submitted on an outdated edition.
For this reason, before submitting any filing, it is important to check not only the form number but also the edition date (Edition Date).
Below are the key updates.
I-485 — Application for Permanent Residence Through Adjustment of Status
Form I-485 (Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status) is used to apply for lawful permanent resident status, or a green card, through Adjustment of Status from within the United States.
On September 4, 2026, USCIS published a new edition of the form. Until September 18, 2026, USCIS accepts two editions of Form I-485:
January 20, 2025;
September 4, 2026.
However, beginning September 18, 2026, USCIS will introduce another edition. This update is connected to new rules concerning the Public Charge Ground of Inadmissibility.
Beginning September 18, 2026, USCIS:
will no longer accept the January 20, 2025 edition;
will no longer accept the September 4, 2026 edition;
will accept only the September 18, 2026 edition.
There is no transition period.
This means that if Form I-485 is postmarked or filed electronically on or after September 18, 2026, the September 18, 2026 edition must be used. Important: USCIS will accept the September 18, 2026 edition only beginning on September 18, 2026.
USCIS is also updating the related I-485 documents — Supplement A and Supplement J.
I-539 — Extension or Change of Nonimmigrant Status
Form I-539 (Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status) is used to request an extension of stay or a change to certain nonimmigrant statuses in the United States.
Until September 15, 2026, USCIS accepts the August 28, 2024 edition.
Beginning September 15, 2026, a new edition will take effect: September 15, 2026.
The new edition is related to rules establishing fixed periods of admission and extension procedures for certain students, exchange visitors, and representatives of foreign media.
USCIS expressly states that there will be no transition period.
Accordingly:
if Form I-539 is postmarked or filed electronically before September 15, 2026, the August 28, 2024 edition may be used;
if the application is filed on or after September 15, 2026, the September 15, 2026 edition must be used;
the August 28, 2024 edition will be rejected after that date.
USCIS is also publishing a new edition of Form I-539A, dated September 15, 2026.
I-765 — Application for Employment Authorization
Form I-765 (Application for Employment Authorization) is used to apply for employment authorization in the United States and, where applicable, an Employment Authorization Document (EAD).
Until September 15, 2026, USCIS accepts the August 21, 2025 edition.
Beginning September 15, 2026, a new edition will take effect: September 15, 2026.
There is no transition period.
This means:
the August 21, 2025 edition is accepted if the application is postmarked or filed electronically before September 15, 2026;
if the application is filed on or after September 15, 2026, the September 15, 2026 edition must be used;
the August 21, 2025 edition will be rejected after that date.
The changes to Form I-765, like those to Form I-539, are connected to new rules affecting certain students, exchange visitors, and representatives of foreign media.
I-864 — Financial Sponsorship
Form I-864 (Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the INA) is used in certain immigration cases to demonstrate that the intending immigrant has sufficient financial sponsorship.
On August 31, 2026, USCIS published a new edition dated August 24, 2026.
The following related forms were also updated:
USCIS is providing a 30-day transition period.
Until October 1, 2026, applicants may use either the new August 24, 2026 edition or the prior October 17, 2024 edition.
Beginning October 1, 2026, USCIS will accept only the August 24, 2026 edition.
There is an important exception to note. USCIS specifically states that if an outdated edition of Form I-864 is submitted with Form I-485 after October 1, 2026, the I-485 will not automatically be rejected solely for that reason. Instead, USCIS will apply its rules concerning missing or insufficient initial evidence.
The new edition of Form I-864 also includes consent allowing USCIS to request information from one or more consumer reporting agencies.
Sponsors should therefore review the new form and its requirements carefully before signing and submitting it.
I-129 — Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker
Form I-129 (Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker) is used by U.S. employers to file petitions in various nonimmigrant employment classifications, including H-1B, L-1, O-1, P, R-1, and other categories.
On September 9, 2026, USCIS published a new edition of Form I-129.
USCIS has provided a transition period.
Until November 9, 2026, either of the following editions may be used:
February 27, 2026;
September 9, 2026.
Beginning November 9, 2026, USCIS will accept only the September 9, 2026 edition.
If a petition using the February 27, 2026 edition is postmarked or filed electronically on or after November 9, 2026, USCIS will reject it.
The update is related to the final rule concerning the 9-11 Response and Biometric Entry-Exit Fee for H-1B and L-1 visas, which took effect on September 9, 2026.
I-131 — Travel and Reentry Documents
Form I-131 (Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records) is used to request various travel, parole, and reentry documents.
Depending on the circumstances, these may include:
Advance Parole;
Reentry Permit;
Refugee Travel Document.
This form is not among the new September updates listed by USCIS on its Forms Updates page.
Therefore, unlike Forms I-485, I-539, I-765, I-864, and I-129, USCIS has not announced a separate September 2026 transition to a new edition of Form I-131. Applicants should still verify the current edition directly on the USCIS form page before filing.
I-130 — Family-Based Immigrant Petition
Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative) is used by U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents to petition for certain qualifying family members.
The current edition of the form is: April 1, 2024.
Form I-130 is also not among the new September updates listed on the USCIS Forms Updates page.
As of now, USCIS has not announced a September 2026 transition to a new edition of Form I-130.
I-589 — Application for Asylum
Among USCIS’s recent updates is Form I-589 (Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal).
A new edition was published on July 28, 2026: July 28, 2026.
Until August 28, 2026, USCIS also accepted the January 20, 2025 edition.
Beginning August 28, 2026, USCIS accepts only the July 28, 2026 edition.
Why the Form Edition Date Matters
USCIS regularly updates immigration forms, while the form number itself may remain unchanged. For example, a filing may still be called Form I-485, but USCIS may issue a new edition and establish a specific date after which prior versions will no longer be accepted.
The edition date appears at the bottom of each page of the form.
When preparing a paper filing, USCIS recommends confirming that:
the edition date and page numbers are visible;
all pages belong to the same edition;
pages from different editions are not mixed within the same filing.
USCIS warns that a filing may be rejected if pages are missing or if pages from different editions are combined.
It is also important to review the filing rules for each individual form. In some cases, USCIS relies on the postmark or electronic filing date and provides no transition period. In other cases, an older edition may continue to be accepted for several weeks or months.
For that reason, before every filing, applicants should check the current form page on the official USCIS website, even if the documents were prepared only recently.
This is especially important in September 2026, as several key immigration forms are changing within a short period of time.
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