Do's and Dont's for filling Immigration Forms

The USCIS provides most forms free of charge through its website free of cost. One can view, print or fill out these forms by downloading them off the internet for free. In order to complete these forms, you may have to carefully read notices, warnings and explanations provided in these forms. Before you print out these forms, go through each and every page carefully. Look for the requirements in the form such as supporting documents. Collect all the necessary documents, photos and affidavits if any before you print the forms and mail it to the USCIS.

The following are the DO's you may have to follow to correctly print and fill out a form.

1. Find out the correct number of the application form that you need to apply.
2. Be sure to verify the filing location before you fill the form. The instructions given for this may vary according to circumstances. Immigration forms are marked with (I) and Naturalization forms with (N).
3. Find out the correct fees for the forms you are going to fill. If there are biometrics involved, a separate fee for that has to be paid.
4. Read the special instructions given and make sure you follow them. Failure to fill the correct form or fee will result in rejection.
5. Make checks payable to “Department of Homeland Security.”
6. Check with the USCIS if you are eligible for a fee-waiver.
7. Many immigration forms require photographs to be submitted along with the form. The photographs should be as per the specifications provided in the form.
8. Many non-USCIS sites offer immigration forms. Some of them sell it for a fee. However these sites are not affiliated with the USCIS and may not have the latest version of the form. Also, your application if not in the current form, can be rejected or delayed.

Some of the DONT's you have to follow if you are applying for immigration. They are as follows:

1. If you are going to apply online, you have to find out if in your circumstances you can file online. That is, if you are applying for a waiver of fee, you may not apply online. If you want your case to be expedited, you may not file it online.
2. For some situations e-filing may not be the right solution. So check out the form filing instructions before filing.
3. Avoid scams. Many sites offer immigration services. Several are unauthorized. While some of the unauthorized may mean well, there are others who are out to rip you. This is against the law and may be considered an immigration scam.
4. Report such scams.
   

Immigration How-to Articles

Having some trouble with Immigration topics and can't find a source to help you?

Below is a sample list of Immigration How-to Article topics that may help you with U.S. Immigration Questions and Issues.

Some covered topics available are the ff:

• How To Apply for a Fiance(e) Visa
• How To Attain US Citizenship
• How To Extend a Visitor Visa
• How To Get a Certificate of Citizenship• How To Get a Family Based Green Card
• How To Get a Green Card through Marriage
• How To Get a Student Visa
• How To Get a US Passport
• How To Get an H-1B Visa
• How To Get Proof of U.S. Citizenship
• How To Know which Affidavit of Support You Need
• How To Renew an Expired Green Card
• How To Replace Your Green Card
• How To Start the Green Card Renewal Process
• Preparing for the Marriage Based Green Card Interview
• What do I do if my Green Card was lost or stolen?

Check out the link for more details.
Immigration “How To” articles

Completing and Submitting the Citizenship Application

Applicants should take all the necessary care to fill out an error free citizenship application. This is because the USCIS scrutinizes all applications very in a very strict fashion and any slight error may cause them to reject your application. It will be a total waste of your hard- earned dollars and your precious time for you have to pay afresh if you are filing in another application.

The general guidelines for filling in the application does not hold good for all applicants. If you have been married, divorced or widowed at the time of applying, then proof for the respective status should be attached with the application. Also if you have been convicted of any crime or put on probation, it is essential that you furnish the necessary documents that will establish the facts along with the citizenship application. Concealing facts about your past criminal history or travels out of the US, or any other trivial matter will cause a significant delay of your application. In some cases, it may even lead to the rejection of it.

The USCIS has clear instructions regarding the submission of the completed applications. Applications along with the specified filing fee can be sent in snail mail or through Express mail or even courier service (a different address for the last two, though)

• If you are from any of the following regions - Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Territory of Guam, or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, then you need to submit the application to the USCIS Lockbox facility at Phoenix.
• If you reside in any of these regions  - Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands, then you need to send in your application to the USCIS Dallas Lockbox facility.

In the event of you being military personnel, or having been in service previously you need to send in your application to the Nebraska Service Center, regardless of where you live or commissioned. Similarly, your spouses can also send it to the same address. In case of immediate relatives of deceased military members, the same address holds good for them.

If you wish to receive notification regarding the acceptance of your citizenship application, then you need to fill Form G-1145E and attach it to the first page of the application.