International
oi-Gaurav Sharma
Indian students, skilled workers and other foreign nationals who wish to stay or change their status in the US will have to deal with a major form change from September 15, 2026.
USCIS has announced updates to two of the most common applications used during the immigration process, Form I-539 and Form I-765, and warned that no grace period would be granted for those still using the old forms after the deadline.
Starting September 15, 2026, USCIS requires updated versions of Form I-539 and Form I-765 for extending/changing nonimmigrant status and obtaining work permits; using older forms after the deadline will lead to denial, affecting students and skilled workers.
For anybody with a pending US visa or immigration application, this development could prove critical, as submitting the wrong form could result in immediate denial of the petition.
I-539 is the form for certain nonimmigrants to extend or change their status in the US. The current version of the form is dated August 28, 2024. Starting on September 15, applicants should use the new version of the form, dated September 15, 2026.
The form needed to apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD), also known as a work permit, called I-765, will see a similar transition from the version dated August 21, 2025 to the one dated September 15, 2026.
This change primarily affects Indian nationals, due to the country’s immigration and work visa policies. F-1 students who apply for Optional Practical Training or other forms of employment authorization via EAD will encounter the new I-765 form. This document is also required for students wishing to convert their status to another, as well as to extend the duration of their stay. I-539 form in turn will be necessary for H-1B1 skilled workers and other nonimmigrant visa holders trying to change or extend their status.
Therefore, anybody wishing to submit an application should familiarize themselves with the exact date of submission of their own application, and make sure to use the correct forms.
The most important date to remember is September 15. For any application for an immigration benefit, petitions using the new forms will be accepted, but not before the deadline. For USCIS, this means only the forms dated on or after September 15, 2026 will be accepted.
At the same time, it is advised that applicants do not try to use the new forms before the deadline. Prior to the deadline, USCIS has made sample copies of the documents available for preview. Applicants are encouraged to become familiar with the new forms and make sure that they understand the changes beforehand. However, doing so before September 15, 2026, will be considered an unauthorized use of federal government information.
For anybody with a pending petition concerning a US visa or immigration application, double-checking the form before its submission could prevent many headaches from the application being denied due to an administrative error.
