USCIS Form I-539 & I-765 Editions Change September 15, 2026 | No Grace Period

USCIS has confirmed that revised editions of Form I-539 and Form I-765 will take effect on September 15, 2026. Both new forms will carry the edition date 09/15/26 and will replace the current 08/28/24 edition of Form I-539 and the 08/21/25 edition of Form I-765.

The revised forms are being introduced to implement the Department of Homeland Security's new rule establishing fixed admission periods for certain F, J, and I nonimmigrants, replacing the previous Duration of Status framework. The affected groups include academic students, exchange visitors, and foreign media representatives.

There is no grace period for the form editions. Before September 15, 2026, applicants must use the currently accepted editions, and filing the 09/15/26 editions early can result in rejection. On or after September 15, only the new 09/15/26 editions will be accepted, while the older editions will be rejected.

For paper filings, the postmark date determines which form edition applies. For electronic filings, the submission date determines the applicable edition. USCIS has also published preview copies of the new forms and their instructions so applicants can prepare before the change.

Separately, a U.S. District Court in Maryland stayed a USCIS Policy Alert issued on August 29, 2025, on August 3, 2026. This appears to involve the broader fixed-admission-period policy area, but it is a separate development from the September 15 form-edition change. Its relationship to the form deadline remains unclear and should be monitored through official USCIS updates.