US Citizenship and Immigration Services will introduce new editions of two key immigration forms on September 15, 2026, and applicants will have no grace period to continue using the older versions.
USCIS said it will publish revised editions of Form I-539, used to apply to extend or change nonimmigrant status, and Form I-765, used to apply for employment authorization. Both new editions will carry a September 15, 2026, edition date.
The changes are designed to align the forms with a recently published final rule establishing fixed periods of admission and procedures for extensions of stay for certain nonimmigrant academic students, exchange visitors and representatives of foreign information media.
Old I-539 and I-765 forms to face rejection
USCIS said there will be no transition or grace period for the revised forms.
For Form I-539, the agency will accept the August 28, 2024 edition if it is postmarked or electronically submitted before September 15. From September 15 onward, USCIS will reject that older edition. Only the new September 15, 2026 edition will be accepted for filings submitted on or after that date.
The same deadline applies to Form I-765. USCIS will accept the August 21, 2025 edition if it is postmarked or electronically submitted before September 15. Applications using that version on or after September 15 will be rejected, with only the new September 15, 2026 edition accepted from that date.
USCIS has released preview versions of both revised forms and their instructions ahead of the change. However, the agency has warned applicants not to file the September 15 editions before September 15.
What Indian students and workers should know
The change could be important for Indian nationals in the US who use either form, particularly students, exchange visitors and other nonimmigrants seeking to extend or change their status.
Form I-539 is used by eligible nonimmigrants seeking an extension or change of status, while Form I-765 is used by foreign nationals seeking an Employment Authorization Document, commonly known as an EAD.
For Indian students and other applicants preparing a filing, the key issue is the edition date on the form. Using an outdated version after September 15 could result in the application being rejected.
Applicants should also be careful not to use the new forms prematurely. USCIS said the September 15, 2026 editions should not be filed before September 15, and the agency will accept them only when they are postmarked or electronically submitted on or after that date.
September 15 deadline: What applicants need to do
The key deadline for applicants is September 15, 2026.
Anyone filing Form I-539 before that date can use the August 28, 2024 edition. Those filing on or after September 15 must use the September 15, 2026 edition.
For Form I-765, applicants can use the August 21, 2025 edition before the deadline. From September 15, only the September 15, 2026 edition will be accepted.
Indian applicants preparing an I-539 or I-765 filing should therefore check the form edition date immediately before submitting their application. USCIS has made clear that there will be no grace period for outdated forms, making the September 15 switch particularly important for applicants whose status extension or employment authorization filings are being prepared around the deadline.