Knowing Your USCIS Forms

By USCitizen April 29th, 2010

There are USCIS forms for just about every service you want. Whether you want to change your address or apply for citizenship, there is a USCIS form you must fill out first. USCIS forms do several things:

1) They inform the USCIS of your intentions. USCIS forms let the USCIS know what you intend to do. If you want to apply for citizenship, for example, the correct form lets the USCIS know that this is what you wish to do.

2) They establish good communication between you and the USCIS so that the USCIS has the information it needs to help you. The USCIS needs current information about you in order to help you. Some USCIS forms are designed to help you provide the USCIS with the important information the agency needs. For example, the Change of Address form (form AR-11) lets the USCIS know when your address changes so that the agency can still contact you.

3) They allow you to petition for different status. Some USCIS immigration forms allow you to apply for permanent residency status, for a visa, or for citizenship status. Each status offers its own obligations, rights, and privileges.

4) They give you a way of providing needed information to the USCIS. All immigration forms allow you to provide all the information and documentation you need to allow the USCIS to make an informed decision about your application. This is a much more effective solution than having to plead your every request before immigration agents or attorneys. Immigration forms therefore save time and effort.

5) They standardize information so that the USCIS can process your requests – and millions of others – with minimal delays. USCIS forms are designed to make it easy for the agency to process and evaluate many requests accurately. For this reason, filling out the wrong forms or making errors on your forms can cause an application to be rejected. Knowing your USCIS forms allows you to fill out the right forms correctly, increasing your chances of success.

Knowing your USCIS forms is essential. The USCIS website has a comprehensive list of all USCIS forms available. You can download these forms directly from the website and read more about various forms you may need so that you can determine which forms you must fill out. According to the USCIS, the most-requested forms include:

1) Form I-9, or Employment Eligibility Verification.

2) I-130, or Petition for Alien Relative.

3) I-485, or Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status.

4) I-765, or Application for Employment Authorization.

5) N-400, or Application for Naturalization.

6) I-864, or Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the Act.

7) I-90, or Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card.