Green card applicants, international students and other visa seekers are facing an important week as several immigration changes are set to take effect in the US.
The developments include new immigration forms becoming mandatory on September 15 and September 18, a revised public-charge framework for certain green card applicants, and the expected release of the October Visa Bulletin ahead of the start of fiscal year 2027 on October 1.
The first major change takes effect on September 15, when the Department of Homeland Security begins implementing a new framework governing admission periods for certain F, J and I nonimmigrants.
At the same time, US Citizenship and Immigration Services will require new editions of Form I-539, used by eligible nonimmigrants to extend or change status, and Form I-765, used to apply for employment authorization.
USCIS has said older editions will not be accepted after September 15, with no grace period.
The changes follow a DHS rule replacing the long-standing “duration of status” system for F students, J exchange visitors and I foreign media representatives with fixed periods of admission ending on a specific date.
Under the previous system, many F-1 students were admitted for the duration of their status rather than receiving an I-94 with a fixed expiry date. Under the new framework, covered nonimmigrants will generally receive a specified period of admission and will need to seek an extension if additional time is required.
Applicants filing Form I-539 or Form I-765 on or after September 15 should therefore make sure they are using the new editions dated September 15, 2026.
Another important change takes effect on September 18, when USCIS begins requiring a new edition of Form I-485, which is used by eligible immigrants applying for lawful permanent residence through adjustment of status.
USCIS has said older versions will be rejected if they are postmarked or electronically submitted on or after September 18.
The revised form changes some of the information applicants must provide, but the form update itself does not change the basic legal eligibility requirements for adjustment of status.
Applicants preparing I-485 filings should therefore check the latest USCIS instructions and applicable filing fees before submitting their applications.
A new DHS public-charge framework is also scheduled to take effect on September 18.
The rule rescinds the 2022 public-charge regulations and gives immigration officers broader discretion to assess whether an applicant is likely to become a public charge under US immigration law.
The regulation applies to applications for admission made on or after September 18 and to adjustment-of-status applications postmarked or electronically submitted on or after that date.
Under the new approach, officers may consider the totality of an applicant’s circumstances, including age, health, family situation, financial resources, education, skills and the receipt of certain public benefits.
However, receiving a public benefit does not automatically make an applicant inadmissible. The determination remains an individual assessment under US immigration law.
Immigration attorneys say the biggest concern is the wider discretion given to officers reviewing applications.
Stephanie Lewin, a partner at Waypoint Immigration USA, told Newsweek that applicants should expect greater scrutiny and may need to provide more evidence showing that they are unlikely to become a public charge.
Attorney Poonam Gupta of Summit Legal PLLC also noted that questions remain over how benefits received by US citizen children, such as Medicaid or SNAP, could indirectly affect a parent’s application under the broader household assessment.
The State Department is also expected to release the October Visa Bulletin in the coming days.
The October bulletin is especially important because it is the first of fiscal year 2027, when annual immigrant visa allocations reset and new visa numbers become available for employment-based and family-sponsored categories.
The bulletin will set priority-date cutoffs for immigrant visa categories. USCIS will separately announce whether adjustment-of-status applicants may use the Dates for Filing chart or the Final Action Dates chart for that month.
For many green card applicants, international students and visa holders, this week could therefore bring important changes to both filing procedures and immigration planning.
