The reasons USCIS names most plainly are the wrong or a mixed form edition, a missing or improper signature, unanswered items, and the wrong fee. Each appears on USCIS’s own filing-tips page.[1] All four can be checked at your kitchen table before the envelope is sealed.
A rejection is different from a denial. A rejected package comes back without a decision on the merits, usually because something about the filing itself was wrong. That makes rejections frustrating, and also preventable. The causes below come from USCIS pages, not from forums.
011. The edition
Every USCIS form carries an edition date at the bottom of each page. USCIS says: “Only use the current form edition when you are downloading and completing a form.”[1] It also checks that the pages belong together: “If any of the form’s pages are missing or are completed with a different edition of the form, we may reject your application.”[1]
The “current” edition is not always the newest file. On the I-765 page, USCIS currently explains that, pursuant to a Sept. 14, 2026 court order, it “continues to accept the 08/28/24 edition of Form I-539 and 08/21/25 edition of Form I-765 and is not accepting the 09/15/26 edition of Forms I-539 and I-765.”[2] Read the edition statement on the form’s own uscis.gov page on the day you file.
022. The signature
“Remember to sign your form in the space provided for your signature. We will reject or deny any improperly signed form.”[1] “Improperly” has a specific meaning: the Policy Manual rejects a “Typed name on signature line” and a “Signature created by a typewriter, word processor, software program, stamp, auto-pen, or similar device”.[3] The I-765 instructions add: “USCIS will not accept a stamped or typewritten name in place of any signature on this application.”[4] See Does USCIS accept electronic signatures?
033. Blank items
“Complete the entire form, unless the form directs you to skip 1 or more items. If you do not complete all parts of the form, we may reject your submission for missing information.”[1] When a question does not apply, the form instructions explain what to enter instead of leaving it empty, so read the instructions for your form before you decide a box can stay blank.
044. The fee
“Pay the correct fees. We will reject forms submitted with incorrect or incomplete fees.”[1] Fees change: the I-765 page currently warns that new inflation-adjusted fees take effect Oct. 16, 2026, and that “Any request postmarked on or after Oct. 16, 2026 without the proper filing fee will be rejected.”[2] If you file several forms together, the tips page explains that one combined payment can put the whole package at risk when one application in it is defective.[1]
05Also on USCIS’s list
- Mixing channels. “If you print out an online form and mail it to the lockbox, we will reject it.”[1]
- The wrong address. “If you mail your benefit request to the wrong filing location, we may reject it as improperly filed and return it to you to re-file.”[1]
- Unreadable entries. “If you hand write your answers, use black ink. For typewritten responses, use font Courier New, size 10, bold.”[1]
- Corrections. “If you need to correct a mistake, start over with a new form. Do not use highlighters, correction fluid, or correction tape.”[1]
Three of the four big causes are visible on paper: the edition date in the footer, ink in every signature box, and an answer in every item. Check them page by page before the fee.
Our reading of [1]
06A pre-mail checklist
- Every page shows the same edition date, and it is the one the form’s uscis.gov page says USCIS accepts today.[1][2]
- Every signature box is signed by hand by the right person.[3]
- Every item is answered or skipped only where the form tells you to skip it.[1]
- The fee matches the form’s current fee and the payment is for this package.[1]
- The address is the filing location listed for your form and category.[1]
This guide quotes USCIS’s published guidance. It is not legal advice. pdfnex is not affiliated with USCIS or any government agency.