Will USCIS reject my I-539?

Requests more time in your current nonimmigrant status, or a change to a different nonimmigrant status, without leaving the U.S. USCIS returns rejected packages unprocessed — and the $470 paper filing fee is generally non-refundable. Answer 12 quick yes/no questions about your completed I-539 and see where your rejection risk is.

All 12 checks in the Form I-539 rejection quiz

Every question maps to a documented USCIS filing problem for Form I-539 — pulled from the form's own instructions and USCIS guidance: the current 08/28/24 edition requirement, each signature block, blank-field rules, date format and consistency, the exact filing fee, and the specific problems those instructions name for I-539. Here is the full list; open any one to see what USCIS does about it.

1. Did you confirm the edition date printed at the bottom of every page of your I-539 is 08/28/24 — the current edition on uscis.gov?

   Form edition risk

   The current edition of Form I-539 is 08/28/24. The date is printed at the bottom of every page and every page you file must come from that same edition; USCIS rejects filings made on a superseded edition. USCIS is not accepting the 09/15/26 edition. A court order of Sept. 14, 2026 postponed the rule that introduced it (Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, et al., v. DHS, 26-cv-13799, D. Mass.), and USCIS continues to accept the edition shown above.

2. Has the applicant signed and dated Part 5 by hand — not typed, not stamped?

   Signature risk

   Part 5 — Applicant: Contact information, certification, and signature — sign and date. Stamped/typewritten names not acceptable. As of the 07/10/2026 signature rule, an invalid signature can be DENIED (filing fee kept, no chance to cure), not merely rejected. A typed name, a cursive or script font, or a digital/e-signature image (e.g., DocuSign) is invalid on a paper filing; only a handwritten ink signature, or a scan/photocopy/fax of one, counts. E-signatures are valid only when captured in a USCIS online account during online filing.

3. Is Part 1 (Items 4) — Current U.S. mailing address — fully completed?

   Blank / incomplete fields risk

   Form I-539, Part 1, Items 4: Current U.S. mailing address — REQUIRED (safe address allowed where applicable).

4. Do the dates on your form match your supporting documents exactly — especially i-94 expiration vs filing date and requested extension dates?

   Date & consistency risk

   The date fields that most often cause problems on I-539: I-94 expiration vs filing date — Filing after status expiry is the classic fatal I-539 error. Requested extension dates — Must be consistent with the category limits and passport validity.

5. Have you confirmed your exact I-539 filing fee ($420 online / $470 paper for the general category) against the current USCIS G-1055 schedule for YOUR filing category?

   Filing fee risk

   I-539 costs $420 online / $470 paper — General filing. Taken from USCIS Form G-1055, fee-schedule edition 10/07/26. The wrong amount gets the package returned, and filing fees are generally non-refundable.

6. Have you ruled out this known I-539 filing problem: “Filing after the I-94/authorized stay has already expired”?

   Eligibility & category risk

   Named in the Form I-539 instructions or USCIS's published guidance — some problems like this get a package rejected, others a Request for Evidence.

7. Have you ruled out this known I-539 filing problem: “Missing evidence of current status (I-94, I-797)”?

   Missing evidence risk

   Named in the Form I-539 instructions or USCIS's published guidance — some problems like this get a package rejected, others a Request for Evidence.

8. Have you ruled out this known I-539 filing problem: “No valid U.S. mailing address in Part 1 Item 4”?

   Blank / incomplete fields risk

   Named in the Form I-539 instructions or USCIS's published guidance — some problems like this get a package rejected, others a Request for Evidence.

9. If you used an interpreter, did they complete, sign, and date Part 6? (Answer Yes if this doesn't apply to you.)

   Signature risk

   Part 6 — Interpreter (if used): Interpreter completes, signs, and dates. Only a handwritten ink signature — or a scan, photocopy, or fax of one — is valid on a paper filing. A typed name, a cursive or script font, a stamp, or e-signature software output (such as DocuSign) is not; an electronic signature counts only when it is captured through a USCIS online account during online filing.

10. If someone else prepared your form, did they complete, sign, and date Part 7? (Answer Yes if this doesn't apply to you.)

    Signature risk

    Part 7 — Preparer (if other than applicant): Preparer completes and signs. Only a handwritten ink signature — or a scan, photocopy, or fax of one — is valid on a paper filing. A typed name, a cursive or script font, a stamp, or e-signature software output (such as DocuSign) is not; an electronic signature counts only when it is captured through a USCIS online account during online filing.

11. Have you answered every question on the form, writing "N/A" or "None" instead of leaving any required field blank?

    Blank / incomplete fields risk

    Leaving a required field blank instead of writing "N/A" or "None" is one of the most common reasons USCIS returns a package unprocessed.

12. Is every date on your I-539 written in mm/dd/yyyy format?

    Date & consistency risk

    USCIS expects dates on Form I-539 in mm/dd/yyyy format. A day-first date (common outside the U.S.) reads as a different date to an intake officer.

Your answers stay in your browser. The result names the risk areas flagged by your answers — to see the specific problems on your actual form, upload it to FormGuard: the issue count is free, and $39 unlocks the full line-by-line report on your completed I-539. (A scanned PDF longer than 3 pages skips the free preview and goes straight to the paid report.)

Form I-539 rejection — frequently asked questions

Will USCIS reject my I-539 for a missing signature?

Yes — and it can be worse than a rejection. An unsigned I-539, or one signed with a typed name, a cursive or script font, a stamp, or e-signature software output such as DocuSign, is not validly signed; only a handwritten ink signature — or a scan, photocopy, or fax of one — counts on a paper filing, and an electronic signature counts only when captured through a USCIS online account during online filing. Under the DHS signature rule effective 07/10/2026, an invalid signature on a paper filing can be denied outright: USCIS keeps the filing fee and there is no opportunity to cure. I-539 has 5 signature blocks to verify before you file.

Will USCIS reject my I-539 if I use an old edition?

Yes. USCIS accepts only the current edition of I-539 — dated 08/28/24, printed at the bottom of every page — and rejects superseded editions. Download a fresh copy from uscis.gov right before you file.

Does USCIS refund the filing fee if my I-539 is rejected?

Generally no. USCIS returns the package unprocessed and keeps no place in line, and the $470 paper filing fee is generally non-refundable — you fix the error, pay again, and lose weeks or months. That is why checking before you file matters.

How accurate is this I-539 rejection quiz?

The quiz flags which RISK AREAS need attention based on your own answers about the most common USCIS filing problems for I-539 — it cannot see your actual form. For a line-by-line review of your completed I-539 against these requirements, upload it to FormGuard: it reads the form itself and shows you the issue count free, and $39 unlocks the full report. A scanned PDF longer than 3 pages skips the free preview and goes straight to the paid report.

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