DHS final rule updates alien registration evidence—effective June 29, 2026

DHS/USCIS issued a final rule effective June 29, 2026 that updates how “alien registration” forms work and which documents qualify as “evidence of registration” under 8 CFR Part 264. The change mainly affects noncitizens with an alien-registration obligation, plus families and legal-service providers who help manage the documentation workflow.

The rule follows an interim final rule issued March 12, 2025 and responds to public comments—now refining the regulatory lists of prescribed forms and what USCIS will treat as acceptable proof of registration.

What the final rule changed (in plain English)

• Updates to the “registration form” list in 8 CFR 264.1(a). DHS removes certain outdated prescribed forms and revises form titles/classes in the regulation.
• Updates to what counts as “evidence of registration” in 8 CFR 264.1(b). DHS adjusts the table that determines which records/documents qualify as evidence— including updates involving Form I–94 categories and border-crossing card references.
• How USCIS delivers evidence after biometrics. The rule explains that USCIS sends evidence of registration through the person’s myUSCIS account as soon as the person provides biometrics (when biometrics are required). If biometrics are not required, USCIS sends evidence after assessing whether the person must register.

Who is affected

If you (or a family member you’re helping) must follow the alien registration framework reflected in 8 CFR Part 264, the key practical issue is whether the documentation/evidence you have matches what USCIS treats as acceptable under the updated regulatory tables.

Employers generally aren’t the ones filing the registration paperwork, but the change can still matter operationally for legal-service providers and others coordinating documentation steps—because the “what counts” categories are what USCIS will be looking for when evidence is requested or verified.

Practical compliance takeaway: verify the evidence category, not just the form name

• Confirm the right 8 CFR 264.1(a) pathway. Use the rule’s updated prescribed-form list for the specific registration route that applies.
• Confirm what USCIS treats as evidence under 8 CFR 264.1(b.) The evidence category matters for what proof is acceptable.
• Plan for timing after biometrics. If biometrics are required, evidence is sent through myUSCIS once biometrics are provided; if biometrics aren’t required, timing follows USCIS’s assessment.

What to watch next

This final rule is already effective June 29, 2026, but DHS also kept a comment window open for additional potential changes discussed in the rule. The Federal Register sets the comment deadline as August 28, 2026.

For the controlling legal text and the exact regulatory changes, read the Federal Register final rule (and the public-inspection copy) and review USCIS’s plain-language “Alien Registration Requirement” guidance.

Sources

• Federal Register (GovInfo): “Alien Registration Form and Evidence of Registration” (Final rule) — published June 29, 2026, effective June 29, 2026
• Federal Register Public Inspection: “Alien Registration Form and Evidence of Registration” (Final rule) PDF
• USCIS: Alien Registration Requirement (plain-language guidance)
• DOJ EOIR: Virtual Law Library (Federal Register notices index)