Typically, a green card (permanent resident card) must bear a beneficiary’s signature. This signature is captured at the beneficiary’s biometrics appointment and electronically transferred onto the card. However, USCIS released a statement last week explaining that not all green cards must bear the holder’s signature.
When a green card holder is physically unable to provide a signature or is a child below the age of consent, the government may waive the signature requirement. In such a case, the green card will state “Signature Waived” on the front or back of the card where a signature would normally be located.
The government has been waiving the signature requirement since February 2015 for certain individuals. In particular, the requirement has been waived for individuals making their first entry into the U.S. as a lawful permanent resident after obtaining an immigrant visa abroad from a U.S. embassy or consulate.
This new trend is somewhat of a departure from the existing rules in place for signing USCIS forms. Specifically, USCIS allows parents and legal guardians to sign for children under age 14. Legal guardians may also sign on behalf of individuals who are incompetent to sign. In these instances, the filing must include evidence of parentage or legal guardianship if not otherwise required for the immigration benefit being sought.
Berardi Immigration Law regularly prepares immigrant petitions for clients with great success. If you have questions about the green card process, we encourage you to call our office today to schedule a consult with one of our attorneys.
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