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(d) Signatures. All electronically filed documents that require a signature must have an original,
handwritten ink signature, an encrypted digital signature, or an electronic signature. A user who is
logged in and electronically filing through ECAS may also use a conformed signature wherever
their personal signature is required. CONFORMED SIGNATURE EXAMPLE: /S/ John Doe.
However, any application that is submitted must further comply with the applicable application’s
signature instructions. For example, if an application specifically requires a handwritten ink
signature, then those instructions control.
(e) Filing Deadlines. All filings must meet applicable filing deadlines, subject to any system
outage issues as described below.
(i) Planned Outages. For planned system outages, parties must electronically file
documents during system availability within the applicable filing deadline or paper file
documents within the applicable filing deadline. EOIR will issue public communications
for planned system outages ahead of the scheduled outage. Any planned system outage
announced five or fewer business days prior to the start of the outage will be treated as an
unplanned outage. If a party is paper filing a document due to a planned system outage, the
party should reference the outage in their filing.
(ii) Unplanned Outages. If EOIR’s electronic filing application is unavailable due to an
unplanned system outage on the last day for filing in a specific case, then the filing deadline
will be extended to the first day that the electronic filing application becomes accessible
that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or federally recognized legal holiday. EOIR maintains sole
discretion to determine whether an unplanned outage occurred. EOIR will maintain an
online log of EOIR ECAS Outages that will be publicly available.
(f) Filing Process. Users may only file supporting documents, such as applications, briefs, or
evidence, after the charging document or bond redetermination request has been filed, accepted
and docketed by EOIR, and EOIR court staff or BIA staff have created the eROP for the case.
Once the user successfully uploads the document to EOIR, the document enters an intake queue
for the court or the BIA, which acts as a virtual “filing window.” The court or the BIA reviews the
document and either accepts the document into the official eROP or rejects the document.
(g) Timing of Filings. An electronic filing that is accepted by an immigration court or the BIA will
be deemed filed on the date it was successfully uploaded. See 8 C.F.R. § 1001.1(dd). A successful
upload means the document was uploaded through the Case Portal or DHS Portal without error.
Documents are automatically watermarked and date stamped upon successful upload. To be
considered timely, documents must be successfully uploaded before midnight on the filing
deadline date in the time zone of the court location or the BIA. A filing that is rejected by an
immigration court or the BIA will not be deemed filed on the date it was uploaded.
(h) Accepted Filings. After the court or the BIA reviews the document and accepts it, the document
is placed in the official eROP. The user will receive an email confirming official acceptance into
the eROP.