USCIS seeks comments on electronic filing waiver form
USCIS accepts comments on its electronic-filing hardship waiver information collection through 30 November; the notice is not a blanket mandate.
What the official source reports
US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a 30-day information-collection notice on 30 October 2026 for Form I-936, a request for a waiver of an electronic-filing requirement. Comments on the collection are accepted through 30 November 2026. The notice does not itself require every immigration form to be filed online.
How the rules or arrangements work
The notice relates to a framework created by a separate interim final rule effective 11 August 2026. Under that rule, USCIS may designate certain benefit requests for mandatory electronic filing, subject to the rule’s conditions and advance notice. A person for whom such a requirement would cause undue hardship may request an individual waiver; the agency decides whether to grant it. Whether any particular form is currently designated, and the applicable instructions, must be checked with USCIS before filing.
Legal context and limits
The notice says USCIS will assess relevant evidence, including geographic and socioeconomic circumstances and access to public technology. It says lack of a personal internet connection should be explained alongside the inability to use alternatives; unfamiliarity with the online system or the absence of an account will generally not be sufficient on its own. An applicant should identify the relevant benefit form, preserve evidence of the specific difficulty and check current filing instructions and fees. A waiver request is not itself approval, and submitting paper without the required authorization can create filing risks.
Practical next steps
The public may comment through the federal rulemaking portal under docket USCIS-2026-0463. The notice says submissions must identify the agency, docket and OMB control number 1615-NEW, and must be in English or accompanied by an English translation. It warns that comments and personal details may become public. The comment deadline concerns this information collection; it does not extend an individual's immigration deadline. For a US application, seek an appropriately authorised US immigration professional. For a separate Georgian immigration question, contact Advokato.
Legal check date
Sources and law checked on 31 October 2026. Later developments are not reflected automatically. Application depends on the facts.
Sources and legal references
NoticeThis publication is for general information and is not individual legal advice.