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Policy Manual
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Book outline for Policy Manual
  • Policy Manual
    • Search
    • Updates
    • Table of Contents
    • Volume 1 - General Policies and Procedures
    • Volume 2 - Nonimmigrants
    • Volume 3 - Humanitarian Protection and Parole
    • Volume 4 - Refugees and Asylees
    • Volume 5 - Adoptions
    • Volume 6 - Immigrants
    • Volume 7 - Adjustment of Status
    • Volume 8 - Admissibility
    • Volume 9 - Waivers and Other Forms of Relief
    • Volume 10 - Employment Authorization
    • Volume 11 - Travel and Identity Documents
      • Part A - Secure Identity Documents Policies and Procedures
        • Chapter 1 - Purpose and Background
        • Chapter 2 - USCIS-Issued Secure Identity Documents
        • Chapter 3 - Reissuance of Secure Identity Documents
      • Part B - Permanent Resident Cards
      • Part C - Reentry Permits
      • Part D - Refugee Travel Documents
      • Part E - Advance Parole Documents
      • Part F - Arrival-Departure Records
    • Volume 12 - Citizenship and Naturalization
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  3. Volume 11 - Travel and Identity Documents
  4. Part A - Secure Identity Documents Policies and Procedures
  5. Chapter 1 - Purpose and Background

Chapter 1 - Purpose and Background

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  • Guidance
  • Resources (8)
  • Appendices (0)
  • Updates (5)
  • History (0)

A. Purpose

USCIS issues a variety of documents that establish identity and immigration status in the United States. These include, but are not limited to, Employment Authorization Documents, travel documents, Permanent Resident Cards, and naturalization and citizenship certificates.

B. Background

In 1946, the U.S. government began issuing different types of registration documents based on an noncitizen’s status in the United States. The Identification Card for the Use of Resident Citizen in the United States (Form I-179; later known as Form I-197) was introduced in 1960 to provide naturalized U.S. citizens living along the Mexican border with identification to facilitate border crossings between the United States and Mexico. Legacy Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) guidance provided that the identification card could only be issued in certain districts of the Southwest United States. The card was issued until February 1973. [1] 

Lawful permanent resident (LPR) cards were first issued as Form I-151. Between 1952 and 1977, legacy INS issued 17 different re-designs of the card. In 1977, the Permanent Resident Card (PRC) (Form I-551) replaced Form I-151 as evidence of LPR status. In 1989, legacy INS introduced a new version of the PRC with a 10-year validity period. [2] 

USCIS currently issues a number of documents for travel and identity purposes. These secure identity documents often serve multiple purposes; they may also be used as proof of a noncitizen’s immigration status, employment authorization, and as travel authorization. [3] 

USCIS has also increased the security, integrity, and efficiency of secure identity document delivery, and maintains better tracking and accuracy of delivery. Various USCIS initiatives work to confirm that secure identity documents are delivered to the right address and person, an important step in the delivery of sensitive documents, which may be subject to abuse. [4] 

C. Legal Authorities

  • 8 CFR 103.2 - Submission and adjudication of benefit requests

  • 8 CFR 103.8 - Service of decisions and other notices

  • 8 CFR 103.16 - Collection, use and storage of biometric information 

Footnotes


[^ 1] Although Forms I-179 and I-197 are no longer issued by USCIS, valid existing cards continue to be acceptable documentation of U.S. citizenship. See 8 CFR 235.10.

[^ 2] Except for conditional permanent residents, who are issued Forms I-551 with an expiration date of 2 years, after the date on which the person became a conditional permanent resident.

[^ 3] For more information, see USCIS to Issue Employment Authorization and Advance Parole Card for Adjustment of Status Applicants: Questions and Answers

[^ 4] USCIS previously was unable to confirm the status of the delivery of secure identity documents, the accuracy of the delivery address, or who signed for the document. This left USCIS vulnerable to persons seeking to obtain sensitive immigration documents by theft or other illicit means. Advances in USCIS’ delivery of sensitive documents have significantly reduced this risk. 

Resources

Legal Authorities

8 CFR 103.16 - Collection, use and storage of biometric information

8 CFR 103.2 - Submission and adjudication of benefit requests

8 CFR 103.8 - Service of decisions and other notices

Forms

I-131, Application for Travel Document

I-131A, Application for Travel Document (Carrier Documentation)

I-765, Application for Employment Authorization

I-912, Request for Fee Waiver

N-565, Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document

Appendices

No appendices available at this time.

Updates

Technical Update - Replacing the Term “Alien”

May 11, 2021

This technical update replaces all instances of the term “alien” with “noncitizen” or other appropriate terms throughout the Policy Manual where possible, as used to refer to a person who meets the definition provided in INA 101(a)(3) [“any person not a citizen or national of the United States”].

Affected Sections

1 USCIS-PM - Volume 1 - General Policies and Procedures

2 USCIS-PM - Volume 2 - Nonimmigrants

6 USCIS-PM - Volume 6 - Immigrants

7 USCIS-PM - Volume 7 - Adjustment of Status

8 USCIS-PM - Volume 8 - Admissibility

9 USCIS-PM - Volume 9 - Waivers and Other Forms of Relief

10 USCIS-PM - Volume 10 - Employment Authorization

11 USCIS-PM - Volume 11 - Travel and Identity Documents

12 USCIS-PM - Volume 12 - Citizenship and Naturalization

POLICY ALERT - Fee Schedule and Changes to Certain Other Immigration Benefit Request Requirements Final Rule

September 02, 2020

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is revising its policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to align with the Fee Schedule and Changes to Certain Other Immigration Benefit Request Requirements Final Rule, published in the Federal Register on August 3, 2020. This guidance becomes effective October 2, 2020. For information regarding implementation, see Appendix: 2020 Fee Rule Litigation Summary.

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Affected Sections

1 USCIS-PM A - Part A - Public Services

1 USCIS-PM B - Part B - Submission of Benefit Requests

2 USCIS-PM - Volume 2 - Nonimmigrants

7 USCIS-PM A - Part A - Adjustment of Status Policies and Procedures

7 USCIS-PM F - Part F - Special Immigrant-Based (EB-4) Adjustment

7 USCIS-PM M - Part M - Asylee Adjustment

11 USCIS-PM A - Part A - Secure Identity Documents Policies and Procedures

Technical Update - Moving the Adjudicator’s Field Manual Content into the USCIS Policy Manual

May 21, 2020

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is updating and incorporating relevant Adjudicator’s Field Manual (AFM) content into the USCIS Policy Manual. As that process is ongoing, USCIS has moved any remaining AFM content to its corresponding USCIS Policy Manual Part, in PDF format, until relevant AFM content has been properly incorporated into the USCIS Policy Manual. To the extent that a provision in the USCIS Policy Manual conflicts with remaining AFM content or Policy Memoranda, the updated information in the USCIS Policy Manual prevails. To find remaining AFM content, see the crosswalk (PDF, 331.55 KB) between the AFM and the Policy Manual.

Affected Sections

1 USCIS-PM - Volume 1 - General Policies and Procedures

2 USCIS-PM - Volume 2 - Nonimmigrants

3 USCIS-PM - Volume 3 - Humanitarian Protection and Parole

4 USCIS-PM - Volume 4 - Refugees and Asylees

5 USCIS-PM - Volume 5 - Adoptions

6 USCIS-PM - Volume 6 - Immigrants

7 USCIS-PM - Volume 7 - Adjustment of Status

8 USCIS-PM - Volume 8 - Admissibility

9 USCIS-PM - Volume 9 - Waivers and Other Forms of Relief

11 USCIS-PM - Volume 11 - Travel and Identity Documents

12 USCIS-PM - Volume 12 - Citizenship and Naturalization

Technical Update - Replacing the Term “Foreign National”

October 08, 2019

This technical update replaces all instances of the term “foreign national” with “alien” throughout the Policy Manual as used to refer to a person who meets the definition provided in INA 101(a)(3) [“any person not a citizen or national of the United States”].

Affected Sections

1 USCIS-PM - Volume 1 - General Policies and Procedures

2 USCIS-PM - Volume 2 - Nonimmigrants

6 USCIS-PM - Volume 6 - Immigrants

7 USCIS-PM - Volume 7 - Adjustment of Status

8 USCIS-PM - Volume 8 - Admissibility

9 USCIS-PM - Volume 9 - Waivers and Other Forms of Relief

10 USCIS-PM - Volume 10 - Employment Authorization

11 USCIS-PM - Volume 11 - Travel and Identity Documents

12 USCIS-PM - Volume 12 - Citizenship and Naturalization

POLICY ALERT - Policies and Procedures for Secure Identity Documents

January 16, 2019

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is issuing policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to address the general policies and procedures related to secure documents.

Read More
Affected Sections

11 USCIS-PM A - Part A - Secure Identity Documents Policies and Procedures

Version History

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