U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) ended on March 23, 2023 the COVID-19 flexibilities it had established for responses to Requests for Evidence (RFEs) and other similar response-based notices and requests, and filing date requirements for filing Form I-290B, Notice of Appeal or Motion. "You must respond to any notices or requests from USCIS dated after March 23 by the deadlines listed in the notice or request." USCIS announced this end date in its last extension of the flexibilities dated January 24, 2023.
USCIS Announces End of COVID-Related Flexibilities
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced that certain flexibilities it first announced in March 2020, to address the COVID-19 pandemic will end on March 23, 2023. USCIS previously notified the public in its Jan. 24, 2023, announcement that barring any changes presented by the pandemic, the extension of these flexibilities announced on Jan. 24 would be the last.
You must respond to any notices or requests from USCIS dated after March 23 by the deadlines listed in the notice or request. This includes:
- Requests for Evidence;
- Continuations to Request Evidence (N-14);
- Notices of Intent to Deny;
- Notices of Intent to Revoke;
- Notices of Intent to Rescind;
- Notices of Intent to Terminate regional centers;
- Notices of Intent to Withdraw Temporary Protected Status; and
- Motions to Reopen an N-400 Pursuant to 8 CFR 335.5, Receipt of Derogatory Information After Grant.
Additionally, if you wish to file Form I-290B, Notice of Appeal or Motion, or Form N-336, Request for a Hearing on a Decision in Naturalization Proceedings (Under Section 336 of the INA), regarding a decision dated after March 23, 2023, you must comply with the deadlines in the form instructions.
USCIS retains discretion to provide certain flexibilities on a case-by-case basis upon request, for applicants or petitioners affected by an emergency or unforeseen circumstance, such as natural catastrophes (hurricanes, wildfires, severe weather, etc.), national emergencies (public health emergencies), or severe illness (including COVID). Please see the Immigration Relief in Emergencies or Unforeseen Circumstances webpage for more information about remaining case-by-case flexibilities
As a reminder, the flexibilities regarding reproduced signatures first announced on March 20, 2020, became policy as announced on July 25, 2022.
>Last Reviewed/Updated: 03/23/2023
History of USCIS notices on this flexibility:
- Notice date: January 24, 2023
- Notice date: October 24, 2022
- Notice date: July 25, 2022
- Notice date: March 30, 2022
- Notice date: December 30, 2021
- Notice date: September 24, 2021
- Notice date: June 24, 2021
- Notice date: March 24, 2021
- Notice date: January 28, 2021
- Notice date: September 11, 2020
- Notice date: July 01, 2020
- Notice date: May 01, 2020
- Notice date: March 30, 2020
- USCIS Announces Flexibility for Requests for Evidence, Notices of Intent to Deny March 27, 2020