USCIS is removing weekend and holiday extensions starting October 23.
Online submissions no longer receive next-business-day deadline extensions.
Age-based eligibility requirements will no longer get extra time.
Applicants who are applying for American visas and green cards need to be more cautious and careful with filing dates from October 23 onwards, after the new US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) rules have removed the extra time that was previously allowed for deadlines that used to fall on weekends or federal holidays.
This rule change affects applicants who must meet certain age limits, as well as H-1B visa holders whose work permits are about to run out.
While some paper applications can still be submitted on the next business day if a deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, USCIS will treat online applications and age-based requirements differently, according to Business Standard.
Earlier, USCIS on September 23, 2026, announced the change in a policy titled ‘Definition of Day for Purposes of Filing Deadlines’. The revised rules will come into effect on October 23. The new rules will replace the more flexible approach that was introduced in 2023.
What are the changes under the new USCIS rules?
The new rules treat basic countdown deadlines differently from age or eligibility deadlines. For standard deadlines, like an application due within a set number of days if the last day falls on a weekend or federal holiday, paper applications will still be accepted as on time if USCIS gets them by the end of the next business day.
Online applications do not get this extra time. Because online forms are submitted instantly, you must send them in by the exact deadline date even if it falls on a weekend or holiday.
For example, if your paper application is due on a Sunday and Monday is a federal holiday, USCIS will consider it on time if they receive it by Tuesday. But this extra time only applies to paper forms.
This makes the difference between paper and online filing very important. Applicants should never assume that an online application gets the same weekend or holiday extensions as a paper one.
Key Changes For Applicants Reaching 21
Under the new rule, you no longer get extra time if your application deadline is tied to your age or specific eligibility requirements. Deadlines based on your age, like turning 21, will no longer get an extra day.
For example, a young person applying for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status must apply before they turn 21. If their 21st birthday falls on a weekend or a holiday, USCIS will no longer extend the deadline to the next business day. Under the old 2023 rule, applying on the next business day was allowed, but that extra time is now officially gone.
