Filing Guidance

This page contains filing locations, checklists and other resources to help you understand our forms and filing requirements. To find a complete list of our forms, visit the All Forms page.

Each form has a webpage with important information about how to complete the form and where to file it. If you not file your form with the correct office or with the correct fee, you will experience processing delays.

Please do NOT mail your application or petition to the “HQPDI” address on any form—that address is for submitting comments on the form itself.

Direct Filing Addresses by Form Type

Some forms have a separate webpage that tell you where to file your form, including:

We strongly encourage you to read the instructions for the form you are submitting before you complete and submit the form.

In some circumstances, the form webpage will say that requirements for that form have changed, but the form’s instructions have not yet been revised. This warning will be shown in the Special Instructions section of the form landing page. Please make sure you follow those special instructions.

Many of our form pages have a checklist that will help ensure you submit all of the required documentation with your form. However, these checklists do not replace the official form instructions.

Photographic Requirements

You may have to submit photographs with your form. You can find the specifications for photographs in the form instructions.

Filing Tips:

You can read our Form Filing Tips webpage for general information on how to submit your form.

FBI Privacy Notice

USCIS may use your biometrics to obtain the criminal history records of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), for identity verification, to determine eligibility, to create immigration documents (for example, Permanent Resident Card, Employment Authorization Document), or any purpose authorized by the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended and any other applicable statute. You may obtain a copy of your own FBI record using the procedures outlined at 28 CFR 16.30-16.34. For more information, please visit: www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/more-fbi-services-and-information/compact-council/guiding-principles-noncriminal-justice-applicants-privacy-rights.

For information regarding how the FBI will use your fingerprints, please visit www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/more-fbi-services-and-information/compact-council/privacy-act-statement.

We provide free fillable forms through our website in PDF format, which means you can type your answers directly on the form instead of printing a blank form and writing your answers by hand.

For the best results, we suggest you download the PDF to your computer and complete the form using the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader rather than completing the PDF through your web browser. You can download Adobe Acrobat Reader for free from the Adobe website.

Download Instructions

After opening the form in your web browser:

In Microsoft Edge, click the Save icon (second from the right) in the ribbon at the top of the page, or press Ctrl (or Command ) and S on your keyboard. After saving the form to your computer, click on the form icon to reopen it in Adobe Acrobat Reader.
In Google Chrome or Firefox, click the Download icon (second from the right) in the ribbon at the top of the page or press Ctrl (or Command) and S on your keyboard. After saving the form to your computer, click on the form icon to reopen it in Adobe Acrobat Reader.
- The Chrome extension might be on if, when using Google Chrome, you see this error message: “An error occurred. An error was encountered while processing the file. Some features might not work.”

You can remove or disable the Chrome extension by following these steps:
1.   Open Chrome;
2.   Click the ellipsis in the right corner;
3.   Click Settings;
4.   Select “Extensions”; and
5.   Remove or turn off the Chrome extension on the “Adobe Acrobat: PDF edit, convert, sign tools” tab.

In Safari, open the form, hover your mouse toward the bottom-center of the screen to bring up the gray icon, and click the Download icon on the right corner of the gray icon, or press Command and S on your Mac keyboard. After saving the form to your computer, click on the form icon to reopen it in Adobe Acrobat Reader.

If you are required to sign the form , you must print the document and write your signature by hand before submitting your form. We will not accept a stamped or typewritten name in place of a signature.

Warning: Many non-USCIS websites also offer immigration forms for downloading. These sites may also ask you to pay for immigration forms (which are available for free on our website) and may not have the correct form version. In some circumstances, your case may be delayed or rejected if you use an outdated form. You can find the latest version any USCIS form on our Forms page.

Certain forms relating to visas, passports and travel are not available on this site. If you are looking for “DS” forms relating to visas and passports, check the Department of State website. If you are looking for information on Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record, check the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website.

Before You File

After You File

Last Reviewed/Updated:

01/18/2023