Top USCIS Guidelines for Immigration Documents

Please use the following Top USCIS Guidelines for submission of Immigration Documents:

Entering Dates (addresses, residential and employment history)

Typically, biographic data, including residential and employment history, should cover a minimum of the past five years. Use the date format FROM mm/dd/yyyy TO mm/dd/yyyy(e.g., 12/21/2001 TO 12/01/2023) consistently for all entries.

Ensure that you include both the ‘FROM’ and ‘TO’ dates for each entry in your biographic data.

Pautas para Introducir Datos Biográficos (Historial de Residencia, Historial Laboral, etc.)

En español

Por lo general, los datos biográficos, incluyendo el historial de residencia y empleo, deben abarcar un mínimo de los últimos cinco años. Utilice el formato de fecha DESDE mm/dd/yyyy HASTA mm/dd/yyyy (por ejemplo, 12/21/2001 HASTA 12/31/2023) de manera constante en todas las entradas.

Asegúrese de incluir tanto las fechas ‘DESDE’ como ‘HASTA’ para cada entrada en sus datos biográficos.

Tax Return Records

The IRS favors tax transcripts, which are official copies of submitted tax returns.

Unsigned IRS tax forms do not suffice. Acquiring IRS tax transcripts for the relevant periods is advised. These transcripts can be downloaded directly from the IRS website at https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript.

Formularios de Impuestos

El IRS prefiere las transcripciones fiscales, que son copias oficiales de las declaraciones de impuestos presentadas.

Los formularios del IRS no firmados no son suficientes.

Se recomienda obtener las transcripciones fiscales del IRS para los períodos relevantes. Estas transcripciones se pueden descargar directamente desde la página web del IRS en https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript.

USCIS Tips on Scanning

Scanning and Submitting Documents

Once you have collected all your necessary documents, you must then scan and save documents.

The first step in this is to scan your documents. You must have access to a scanner and a computer with an Internet connection. If you do not have these at home, common places with this type of equipment are libraries, community centers, Internet cafés, and copy shops. You can also use a smart phone to scan.

Please do not mail any documents to the National Visa Center. If you do, you may delay the processing of your case and risk losing any documents you send.

In order to ensure your case does not experience delays in processing, follow these guidelines for when scanning your documents:

File Size and Type

Each individual file (scanned document) must be no larger than 2 MB (megabytes). Your scanned document should be in one file and not broken up into multiple files. If your scanned image is too large, compress it before uploading it. “Zipped” files or password-protected files will not be accepted.

Scan each document as a separate file. If a document contains multiple pages, scan all the pages together into a single file. If the document size is more than 2 MB, compress the file or attempt to scan again at a lower resolution.

Scans should be scanned at 150DPI. Acceptable file types include .jpg, .jpeg, and .pdf.

Compressing a File

Compression means saving your document in a smaller file size. This not only allows the file to take up less space on your hard drive but also means it can be uploaded or e-mailed much faster. However, not all file types are easily compressed. Most computer operating systems include an option to compress a file. This option is often found under “File” or “Save,” or appears when you right-click on a file name in a navigation screen. Look on the “Help” tool in your computer operating system for more information on what is available to you.

There is also third-party compression software available, both at no cost and for purchase. Please remember that at this time, the Department of State cannot accept files that have been “zipped.”

Image Quality

After you scan a document, make sure that all the information is easily seen and read, and no parts of the document are cut off or cannot be seen. Please also ensure that the document is correctly oriented so it can be read across the screen without the need to rotate the document. Most scanning programs offer a preview function so you can make sure the document is readable. If you cannot read the scanned document, re-scan it at a higher resolution. Keep in mind this means the saved file will be larger and you may need to compress the file before you upload it.

Use a pen to complete and sign forms that will be scanned to ensure the writing can be seen on your scan.

General Requirements

If any document is in color, please scan it in color rather than black and white.

Please scan both the front and back sides of any document that has stamps, seals, or writing on the back. (If the back of the document is blank, do not scan it.)

If you have a certified translation of your document, include a scan of the translation with the original (i.e. foreign language) document in a single file.

Document Scanning: Quality and Format Requirements

It is advisable to scan documents in PDF format for high quality, uniformity, and reliability.

Documents need to be fully and clearly scanned, with no cut corners.

Scanning documents in PDF format as opposed to taking photos has several advantages, particularly when the quality of the document is critical. Here are some reasons:

1. Uniform Lighting: Scanners are designed to provide even lighting across the entire document, making the text easier to read. Photos taken by cameras can suffer from uneven lighting, making parts of the document too dark to read.
2. Image Stability: Scanners provide a stable platform for document imaging, reducing blurriness or distortion. Photos can be affected by handshake or movement.
3. High Resolution: Scanners can capture documents at higher resolutions, providing greater detail, which is particularly important for text-heavy documents.
4. File Size: Scanned PDFs can be optimized for size without losing quality, making them easier to email or upload.
5. Consistency: Scanners can produce uniform document sizes and formats, making it easier to compile multiple pages into a single, easy-to-read PDF.
6. OCR Compatibility: Scanned PDFs are often more compatible with Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software, which converts scanned text into editable text.
7. No Cut Corners: Scanners are designed to capture the entire document within the scanning bed’s borders, reducing the chance of missing information.
8. Professional Appearance: Scanned PDFs generally look more professional and are easier to work with than photos of documents.
9. Metadata: Scanned PDFs can include metadata such as the date of scanning, which can be important in legal and professional settings.

Escaneo de Documentos: Requisitos de Calidad y Formato

Es recomendable escanear documentos en formato PDF para alta calidad, uniformidad y fiabilidad. Los documentos deben estar completamente y claramente escaneados, sin esquinas cortadas. Escanear documentos en formato PDF en lugar de tomar fotos tiene varias ventajas, especialmente cuando la calidad del documento es crítica. Aquí hay algunas razones:

1. Iluminación Uniforme: Los escáneres están diseñados para proporcionar una iluminación uniforme en todo el documento, lo que facilita la lectura del texto. Las fotos tomadas con cámaras pueden sufrir de iluminación irregular, haciendo partes del documento demasiado oscuras para leer.
2. Estabilidad de Imagen: Los escáneres ofrecen una plataforma estable para la captura de documentos, reduciendo el desenfoque o la distorsión. Las fotos pueden verse afectadas por temblores o movimientos de la mano.
3. Alta Resolución: Los escáneres pueden capturar documentos con resoluciones más altas, proporcionando mayor detalle, lo cual es particularmente importante para documentos con mucho texto.
4. Tamaño del Archivo: Los PDF escaneados se pueden optimizar en tamaño sin perder calidad, lo que facilita su envío por correo electrónico o carga en línea.
5. Consistencia: Los escáneres pueden producir tamaños y formatos de documento uniformes, facilitando la compilación de múltiples páginas en un único PDF fácil de leer.
6. Compatibilidad OCR: Los PDF escaneados suelen ser más compatibles con el software de reconocimiento óptico de caracteres (OCR), que convierte el texto escaneado en texto editable.
7. Sin Esquinas Cortadas: Los escáneres están diseñados para capturar todo el documento dentro de los bordes de la cama de escaneo, reduciendo la posibilidad de omitir información.
8. Apariencia Profesional: Los PDF escaneados generalmente tienen un aspecto más profesional y son más fáciles de trabajar que las fotos de documentos.
9. Metadatos: Los PDF escaneados pueden incluir metadatos como la fecha del escaneo, lo cual puede ser importante en entornos legales y profesionales.

Guidelines for scanning documents:

1. Office Supply Stores: Stores like Staples or Office Depot often provide scanning services for a fee.
2. Public Libraries: Many public libraries offer scanning services, sometimes for free or a nominal fee.
3. Print Shops: Local print and copy shops usually offer scanning services.
4. Home Printer/Scanner: If you have a multifunction printer at home, it likely has scanning capabilities.
5. Mobile Apps: There are various mobile apps that allow you to scan documents using your smartphone’s camera. Examples include Adobe Scan, CamScanner, and Evernote Scannable.
6. Workplace: If you’re currently employed, your workplace may have a scanner you can use.
7. Friend or Family: Someone you know may have a scanner you can use for a quick job.
8. Choose an option that’s most convenient and suitable for your needs.

Pautas para escanear documentos:

Tiendas de suministros de oficina:

1. Tiendas como Staples o Office Depot a menudo ofrecen servicios de escaneo por una tarifa.
2. Bibliotecas públicas: Muchas bibliotecas públicas ofrecen servicios de escaneo, a veces de forma gratuita o por una tarifa nominal.
3. Tiendas de impresión: Las tiendas de impresión y copias locales generalmente ofrecen servicios de escaneo.
4. Impresora/Escáner en casa: Si tienes una impresora multifuncional en casa, es probable que tenga capacidades de escaneo.
5. Aplicaciones móviles: Hay varias aplicaciones móviles que te permiten escanear documentos usando la cámara de tu teléfono inteligente. Ejemplos incluyen Adobe Scan, CamScanner y Evernote Scannable.
6. Lugar de trabajo: Si estás empleado actualmente, es posible que tu lugar de trabajo tenga un escáner que puedas usar.
7. Amigos o familiares: Alguien que conozcas puede tener un escáner que puedas usar para un trabajo rápido.
8. Elige una opción que sea la más conveniente y adecuada para tus necesidades.