Return of Original Documents
[G-884, Request for the Return of Original Documents]
IMPORTANT: Information on this site may be outdated. For up-to-date instructions and filing fees check always with the USCIS site:
http://www.uscis.gov/forms
Purpose of Form :
To request the return of original documents submitted to establish eligibility for an immigration benefit.
Number of Pages :
1
Edition Date :
11/07/06
Where to File :
If your case is pending, submit your Form G-884 to the USCIS district, suboffice, or service center that is currently processing your case.
If a final decision has been issued, submit the Form G-884 to the USCIS office or service center that took the last action on your case.
Filing Fee :
$0.00
Special Instructions :
See the related link “Where Do I File” for which Service Center has jurisdiction over your area.
Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
OMB No. 1615-0100; Expires 08/31/08
G-884, Request for the Return of Original Documents
Instructions
Please read the instructions carefully. If you do not follow the instructions, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) may have to return your petition, which may delay final action. If you need more space to complete the answer, use a separate sheet(s) of paper. Write your name and Alien Registration Number (A#), if you have one, at the top of each sheet and indicate the number of the item relating to your answer.
Use Form G-884 to request the return of original documents submitted to establish eligibility for an immigration or citizenship benefit.
You need to give us:
- A completed and signed Form G-884; and
- Supporting documentation.
To file this request, see Step 2 for specific instructions.
When Should I Use Form G-884?
You should use Form G-884 if you submitted original documents to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) with a petition, application or request, and you are now seeking to have those documents returned to you.
Furnishing the information requested on the form and submitting the required supporting documents will assist USCIS to locate and return the documents requested.
How Do I File Form G-884?
You only need to submit one Form G-884 if you are requesting multiple documents contained in a single USCIS file. However, if the requested documentation is in more than one USCIS file, you must submit separate requests. (Example: If you wish to obtain your mother’s birth certificate and your parent’s marriage certificate, both of which are in the USCIS file that pertains to her, submit one Form G-884 with your mother’s information.)
Follow the steps below to complete your request: Step 1 – Fill out the Form G-884. Step 2 – Submit your G-884.
Notice: USCIS wants to make sure that you are eligible to receive the requested documents. To do this we may ask for more evidence, interview you and/or conduct an inquiry. If you misrepresent facts or otherwise engage in fraud, USCIS will take appropriate action. This means we will not only deny your request, you may lose current and future immigration benefits. You may also face penalties, including criminal and/or civil prosecutions leading to fines and/or imprisonment.
Step 1. Fill Out the Form G-884.
Use black ink. Type or print clearly using capital letters. If an item does not apply to you, write “N/A.” If the answer is none, write “NONE.”
This form is divided into Parts 1 through 3. The following information should help you fill out the form.
Part 1. Information About You.
(Person requesting original documents.)
Family Name (Last name) – Give your legal name. If you have two last names, include both and use a hypen (-) between the names, if appropriate.
Mailing Address – Give your mailing address, if different from your home address.
Telephone Number – Give a telephone number with the area code where you can be reached during the day.
A Number – This is your Alien Registration Number (A#). If you do not have an A#, or do not know it, leave this blank.
Information, Documents or Records Requested – Name or describe the original documents you wish returned. Be as specific as possible. (Example: marriage certificate of John Q. and Mary A. Public.)
Part 2. Data for Identification of Personal Record.
Failure to provide the following information may make it very difficult for USCIS to locate the relating record.
Family Name (Last name) – Give the subject’s legal name. If there are two last names, include both and use a hyphen (-) between the names, if appropriate.
A Number – This is the subject’s Alien Registration Number (A Number). If the subject does not have an A # or you do not know it, leave this blank.
Other Names Used – Include the subject’s maiden name, nickname or alias.
Date of Birth – Use eight numbers to show the date of birth. (Example: May 1, 1979, should be written 05/01/1979.)
Country of Birth – Give the name of the country where the subject was born. Include the city, state or province, and country.
Entry Into the United States – Give the requested information about the subject’s naturalization, if applicable.
U.S. Citizenship Information – Use eight numbers to show the date of birth. (Example: May 1, 1979, should be written 05/01/1979.)
Part 3. Signature.
You, the requestor, must sign and date the form. If you do not sign the form, the request will be returned as incomplete.
Step 2. Submit Your Form G-884.
You must include the following items:
Your signed and completed Form G-884. (Form G-884 must be notarized if submitted by mail.)
Filing fee. There is no filing fee for a Form G-884.
Evidence. Attach copies, showing the front and back of the documents you need to support your request. The copies must be exact photocopies of unaltered original documents. Original documents may be requested by USCIS at a later date.
Before consideration can be given to your request, two forms of identification must be submitted. Examples of acceptable forms of identification are:
- Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card;
- Driver’s license;
- State-issued identification document;
- Employment authorization document;
- Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship;
- U. S. or foreign passport.
If you are requesting an original document(s) from a USCIS file other than relating to you, submit proof of the relationship between you and the subject. In cases where the subject is either deceased or incapacitated, you must provide evidence of a power of attorney or that you are the executor of the subject’s estate.
Translation. If you send us a document in a foreign language, it must have a full English translation that the translator has certified as complete and correct. The translator must also certify that he or she is competent to translate the foreign language into English.
Submit Your Form G-884. If your case is pending, submit your Form G-884 to the USCIS district or suboffice or service center currently processing your case. If a final decision has been issued, submit the Form G-884 to the USCIS office or service center that took the last action on your case.
Processing Information.
Our goal at USCIS is to process all requests fairly. The processing time will vary, depending on the specific circumstances of each case. We may reject an incomplete request. We may deny your request if you do not give us the required information or do not go to a scheduled interview.
Address Changes.
If you change your address, you must fill out and give us a Form AR-11, Alien ‘s Change of Address Card, and mail it to the address listed on Form AR-11.
USCIS Forms and Information.
To request USCIS forms, call our toll-free forms line at 1-800-870-3676. You may also get USCIS forms and information about immigration laws and regulations by calling our National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283 or visiting the USCIS internet website at www.uscis.gov.
Use InfoPass for Appointments.
As an alternative to waiting in line for assistance at your local USCIS office, you can now schedule an appointment through our internet-based system, InfoPass. To access the system, visit our website at www.uscis.gov. Use the InfoPass appointment scheduler and follow the screen prompts to set up your appointment. InfoPass generates an electronic appointment notice that appears on the screen. Print the notice and take it with you to your appointment. The notice gives the date and time of your appointment, along with the address of the USCIS office.
Privacy Act Notice.
USCIS will use the information on Form G-884 to determine eligibility to receive the requested original documents. We may provide information on your request to other government agencies.
Paperwork Reduction Act Notice.
An agency may not conduct or sponsor an information collection and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number.
We try to create forms and instructions that are accurate, can be easily understood and that impose the least possible burden on you to provide us with information. Often this is difficult because some immigration laws are very complex.
The estimate average time to complete and file this request is as follows: (1) five minutes to learn about the law and form; (2) five minutes to complete the form; (3) five minutes to assemble and file the request; for a total estimated average of 15 minutes per request.
If you have any comments regarding the accuracy of this estimate, or suggestion for making this form simpler, write to U.S.Citizenship and Immigration Services, Regulatory Management Division, 111 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Room 3008, Washington, DC 20529, OMB No. 1615-0100. Do not mail your completed form to this address.