USCIS Tightens Green Card Deadline Rules for Applicants

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a significant change regarding the calculation of filing deadlines for green card applicants and foreign workers. Issued on September 23, 2026, Policy Alert PA-2026-15 clarifies that the regulatory definition of "day" will apply only when deadlines are explicitly defined in terms of days by statute, regulation, or form instructions.

This change means that deadlines based on personal eligibility criteria, such as birthdays, will no longer receive the same weekend or holiday extension rules. Previously, under a 2023 policy, applicants could submit filings by the next working day if their deadline fell on a weekend or holiday.

The updated rules, effective for paper-based filings received on or after October 23, 2026, will require applicants to ensure their paperwork is submitted before their birthday if it falls on a weekend. USCIS cited a 2025 US Supreme Court ruling, Monsalvo Velasquez v.

Bondi, to justify this change.