Check your Form G-28 for errors before you file

Puts an attorney or DOJ-accredited representative on the record for a specific matter before USCIS, ICE, or CBP, and records the client’s consent to that representation and to the release of their records. A single blank field or wrong-edition page gets the whole package returned, and since 07/10/2026 an invalid signature can be denied outright — and G-28 carries no USCIS fee of its own, so what a rejection costs is the delay on everything it was filed with. Here is exactly what to verify on your completed G-28 before it goes to USCIS.

How do I check my G-28 for errors?

1. Confirm you have the current edition

USCIS accepts more than one edition of G-28 right now — 09/17/18 and 05/23/18. Any other edition is an automatic rejection. The date is printed at the bottom of every page, and all pages must come from the SAME edition even though two are acceptable. Download a fresh copy from uscis.gov right before you file.

USCIS accepts BOTH the 09/17/18 and the 05/23/18 editions of Form G-28, despite the 05/31/2021 expiration date printed on the form. USCIS has said a new edition is coming but has not published a date or a cutoff.

2. Verify every signature block

Unsigned or wrongly-signed forms are rejected — or, under the signature rule effective July 10, 2026, denied outright with the filing fee kept and no chance to fix it. A typed name, a cursive or script font, a stamp, or a digital e-signature (such as DocuSign) is not a valid signature on a paper filing; only a handwritten ink signature — or a scan, photocopy, or fax of one — is accepted. An electronic signature counts only when it is captured through a USCIS online account during online filing. G-28 has 4 signature blocks to check:

3. Make sure no required section is incomplete

Leaving required fields blank (instead of writing “N/A” or “None”) is one of USCIS's most common rejection reasons. On G-28, pay special attention to:

• Part 1, Items 2.a – 2.c., 3.a – 3.h., 4: The representative’s full name, address, and daytime telephone number
• Part 2, Items 1.a – 1.d: FOR ATTORNEYS — the licensing authority for every jurisdiction you are admitted in, the bar number(s), the "am / am not subject to any order" selection in 1.c., and the law firm or organization name. USCIS states in the instructions that it will REJECT a G-28 submitted without this block
• Part 2, Items 2.a – 2.c: FOR ACCREDITED REPRESENTATIVES — the box in 2.a., the name of the DOJ-recognized organization, and the date of accreditation. Same explicit rejection rule as the attorney block
• Part 2, Items 4.a – 4.b: A law student or law graduate must select 4.a., give their name in 4.b., and sign the supervising representative’s same G-28 at Part 5 Item 2.a.
• Part 3, Items 1.a / 2.a / 3.a: Exactly ONE agency box — USCIS, ICE, or CBP. Selecting more than one is not a valid appearance
• Part 3, Items 1.b: If the USCIS box is selected: the form numbers filed with this G-28, or the specific matter the appearance is entered in
• Part 3, Items 5: Client type — one box only (applicant, petitioner, requestor, beneficiary/derivative, or respondent)
• Part 3, Items 6.a – 6.c / 7.a – 7.b: The client’s full name exactly as it appears on the related immigration form — or, for an entity, the entity name and the title of its authorized signatory

4. Check every date — format and consistency

Dates must be written mm/dd/yyyy and must agree with your supporting documents and any other forms in the package. The date fields that most often cause problems on G-28:

• Part 4 Item 2.b. and Part 5 Item 1.b. — the two signature dates — Both signatures are required; a blank date next to a present signature is the defect USCIS says it sees most often on this form.
• Part 2 Item 2.c. — date of accreditation — Only an accredited representative fills this in, and it must be the DOJ accreditation date, not the date the form is signed.

5. Re-check the known G-28 filing problems

From USCIS's own instructions and guidance, these are the specific problems to rule out on G-28. Some get a filing rejected at intake; others surface later as a Request for Evidence or a denial:

• Not signed, or missing one of the two required signatures — the client’s (Part 4) and the representative’s (Part 5). USCIS names this as the most common mistake it sees on Form G-28 (a typed, script-font, stamped, or digital/e-signature is invalid where an ink signature is required; as of 07/10/2026 this is a denial with the fee kept, not merely a rejection)
• Part 2 Item Numbers 1.a. – 1.d. (attorney) or 2.a. – 2.c. (accredited representative) left incomplete — the instructions state USCIS will reject the form
• A stamped or typewritten name used in place of a handwritten signature (a photocopy, fax, or scan of the original ink signature IS accepted)
• The client’s name not written exactly as it appears on the related immigration form
• More than one agency box selected in Part 3, or the USCIS box selected with no form numbers or matter listed in Item 1.b.
• Highlighter, correction fluid, or a greyed-out area anywhere on the form
• One G-28 filed for several representatives — each attorney or accredited representative appearing in the matter must file their own

Related

Form G-28 error check — frequently asked questions

How do I check my Form G-28 for errors before filing?

Work through the checklist on this page: confirm you have the current 09/17/18 edition, verify every signature block is signed and dated by the right person, make sure no required field is blank (write "N/A" or "None" instead), check every date is in mm/dd/yyyy format and consistent across your documents, and re-read the known problems below. Or upload your completed G-28 to FormGuard and get an automated line-by-line error report in about a minute for $39.

What problems most often hold up a Form G-28 filing?

Not signed, or missing one of the two required signatures — the client’s (Part 4) and the representative’s (Part 5). USCIS names this as the most common mistake it sees on Form G-28 (a typed, script-font, stamped, or digital/e-signature is invalid where an ink signature is required; as of 07/10/2026 this is a denial with the fee kept, not merely a rejection); Part 2 Item Numbers 1.a. – 1.d. (attorney) or 2.a. – 2.c. (accredited representative) left incomplete — the instructions state USCIS will reject the form; A stamped or typewritten name used in place of a handwritten signature (a photocopy, fax, or scan of the original ink signature IS accepted); The client’s name not written exactly as it appears on the related immigration form; More than one agency box selected in Part 3, or the USCIS box selected with no form numbers or matter listed in Item 1.b.

Which edition of Form G-28 is current?

The current edition of Form G-28 is dated 09/17/18. USCIS rejects forms filed on a superseded edition, so download a fresh copy from uscis.gov right before you file and confirm the edition date printed at the bottom of every page matches.

What happens if my G-28 is rejected?

USCIS returns the entire package unprocessed — and because G-28 travels with other forms, everything filed alongside it comes back too. You correct the error and refile the whole package, losing weeks or months. That is why a careful pre-filing check is the cheapest step in the whole process.