USCIS to Continue Accepting Signature Authorizations

On May 26, 2010, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Alejandro N. Mayorkas announced that the agency will not implement a policy memorandum that would have eliminated the use of signature authorizations or powers of attorney for immigration filings.

Director Mayorkas stated that USCIS intends to study the issues surrounding use of signature authorizations and powers of attorney and engage in a more expansive policy review process before making a final decision on this issue, noting the agency’s ongoing efforts to combat fraud. USCIS plans to publish interim guidance in the near future addressing the parameters of signature authorization including when use of a signature stamp is permissible.

This welcome change of heart follows a USCIS statement during a stakeholder teleconference in February 2010 that the agency would soon announce that it would no longer accept signature authorizations or powers of attorney.

As clients of Seyfarth Shaw are aware, signature authorization is one of the components of our SeyfarthLean approach to service delivery. Signature authorizations and powers of attorney allow us, with client consent, to accelerate the filing process, reduce processing times and eliminate most overnight courier costs.

For more information, please contact the Seyfarth immigration attorney with whom you work, or any immigration attorney on our web site.