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Most people find the process of preparing their immigration law case very difficult and at best stressful. To help make the situation a little less stressful, I have created a basic checklist of immigration-related documents that any experienced immigration law attorney will ask you when starting your immigration case. This checklist of basic documents should also be used by individuals filing their own immigration case.
For immigrants or those hoping to immigrate to the US:
1. Your passport including current non-expired passport and any old passport, if possible keep the old passport when renewing. If you have to provide your old passport to be issued a new one, keep a copy of the expired passport, including the biographical page and any stamped pages confirming your travel, in case you need it later.
2. Your I-94 card or I-94W card. The I-94 card is a white card that must be completed by you before entering the US. The I-94W (also called a visa waiver) is a card that looks similar to the I-94 card but is green in color. Each family member should have his own card.
*It is important to note that under US immigration law, the expiration date on the I-94 or I-94W card is what governs how long you can stay in the US without needing an extension or applying for your visa. You can live in the US without violating Some immigrants think that because they have a visa page in their passport that states they have a 5-year or 10-year visa, that they can stay in the US for that entire time without a visa extension or change of status. This is wrong and will get you out of position.
*Also, please note that the I-94 or I-94W card is extremely important. You should make copies (front and back) of the card and keep the original in a safe place. Without proof of legal entry, you will not be able to get a green card, fiancé visa, work visa, or any other visa in the US, which comes in the form of an I-94 or I-94W card.
3. Attach birth certificate in original original language and proper translation with correct translator’s certificate, signature etc. You should bring your original birth certificate with you. You should not file the original with immigration, as only a copy is required, but keep the original birth certificate in a safe place in case immigration wants to see the original.
4. If married, marriage certificate with translation. Again, you should bring your original marriage certificate with you. File only one copy with USCIS and bring the original with you to the interview. If you get married in the US and don’t have a copy of your marriage license or a certified copy, you can get a certified copy here. www.usa.gov, the exact link is http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/Family_Issues/Vital_Docs.shtml,
5. If your country issues one, a family certificate that lists you, your spouse, and all children (if applicable to you).
6. Translation if spouse is deceased, or death certificate and divorce certificate with English translation (if applicable). Again, bring the original with you but file only one copy with USCIS.
7. Birth certificate and passport for each child and spouse. As noted in item #3 above, all birth certificates must be translated. These are needed to confirm the exact identity of each person, the correct spelling of their name, etc. Because USCIS will rely on the spelling of the birth certificate rather than the individual’s passport, you want to be sure that the translation is correct according to the exact spelling. of each person’s name.
8. If you are coming on a B-1 business visitor visa, bring with you your personal or company bank account from your country of origin, any proof of business ownership in your country of origin (if applicable), any professional association Bring and a CV (ie resume). This information will be helpful if you are planning to open a business overseas, such as applying for an investor visa or other type of work visa here in the US, such as opening a business in the US.
9. If you have a bachelor’s degree from abroad, bring the original college degree (a copy is fine) and transcripts of classes completed from your school. This information will be needed if you decide to apply for an H-1B visa or other type of work visa.
10. If you are already living in the US and you file US income taxes, keep a copy for each year you file taxes. A copy can be obtained directly from the IRS if you do not already have copies.
I hope the above basic checklist will help you in gathering your basic documents required for filing any US immigration law case. Please note that for specific types of cases, such as fiance visa, work visa, marriage green card case, etc., additional documents will be required. Below is a link where you can find more information about a specific type of case.
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