March 2023: USCIS Announces End of COVID-Related Flexibilities

Update Applicable to:
All employers.

What happened and what are the details?
On March 23, 2023, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced that certain flexibilities it first announced in March 2020 to address the COVID-19 pandemic would end on March 23, 2023. USCIS previously notified the public in its January 24, 2023, announcement that barring any changes presented by the pandemic, the extension of these flexibilities announced on January 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, suppose 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 the 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 were first announced on March 20, 2020, and became policy on July 25, 2022.

For more information, please see the links below:

USCIS Newsroom Alert