Scanned/Reproduced Signatures Made a Permanent Policy
USCIS first allowed scanned, faxed, or photocopied reproductions of an original handwritten signature on benefit forms and documents starting March 21, 2020, as a COVID-19 flexibility (a purely electronic signature like DocuSign didn't qualify).
Published
2022-07-25
Summary
USCIS first allowed scanned, faxed, or photocopied reproductions of an original handwritten signature on benefit forms and documents starting March 21, 2020, as a COVID-19 flexibility (a purely electronic signature like DocuSign didn't qualify). On July 25, 2022, USCIS made this reproduced-signature flexibility permanent policy rather than letting it expire with the pandemic emergency. The filer must still keep the original signed document, since USCIS can request it at any time.
Current status
This remains the current policy — a reproduced signature on an original handwritten signature is acceptable indefinitely, not just during a declared emergency. This is a separate, narrower thing than other COVID-era flexibilities (like extra response time for RFEs) that USCIS ended March 23, 2023 — a case's own filing shouldn't be assumed to have gotten both just because one is mentioned.
Source: USCIS: USCIS Extends COVID-19-Related Flexibilities
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