To get your passport back from immigration authorities, file a written request with the specific Department of Homeland Security agency that actually has it. For U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), that request is Form G-884. For Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), you or your attorney submit a written request, often at a scheduled check-in. For U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), you contact the port of entry where the document was taken. The first real task is figuring out which of the three is holding it.
Figure Out Which Agency Has It
Three DHS components hold passports in different circumstances. USCIS typically has it if you submitted the passport with a benefit application such as a green card petition, asylum filing, or naturalization request. ICE usually holds it after a bond release, under a supervisory order, or during removal proceedings. CBP is the likely custodian if the passport was taken during inspection at an airport, seaport, or land border.
Your paperwork will usually tell you which one to contact. A Notice to Appear lists the charging agency on the first page. Bond release documents identify the ICE field office that processed the release. Detention discharge papers indicate where personal property was transferred. An I-94 record or a USCIS receipt notice can also narrow it down.
The correct field office or service center matters. Each agency runs its own property tracking, and requests sent to a general headquarters address instead of the specific office holding the file tend to sit or come back rejected.
Requesting It From USCIS
If USCIS has your passport because you filed it with a benefit application, the request is Form G-884, “Request for the Return of Original Documents,” available as a PDF on the USCIS website.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-884, Request for the Return of Original Documents
Federal regulation gives USCIS authority to hold originals during adjudication and requires their return once review is complete. Under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(5), an original submitted to USCIS is returned to the petitioner or applicant on completion of the adjudication. If the agency does not return it within a reasonable time, you can file the G-884 to force the issue.2eCFR. 8 CFR 103.2 – Submission and Adjudication of Benefit Requests
What Goes on the Form
The G-884 asks for your full legal name, date of birth, and Alien Registration Number (A-Number) if you have one.3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form G-884, Request for the Return of Original Documents Include a receipt number from any related application and your date and port of entry into the United States, both of which help the agency locate your file.
You must attach copies of two forms of government-issued identification, such as a permanent resident card, driver’s license, state ID, or employment authorization document.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-884, Request for the Return of Original Documents Your signature must be notarized unless you appear in person at a USCIS office. Do not sign until you are in front of the notary or USCIS official. Notary fees for a single signature typically run from $2 to $25.
State the reason for wanting the document in plain terms. International travel, or needing identification to renew a driver’s license, is enough. Skip the long narrative.
Where to Send It
If your case is still pending, mail the G-884 to the USCIS service center, district office, or suboffice processing that case. If a final decision has already issued, send it to the office that took the last action.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-884, Request for the Return of Original Documents Check your case status online and confirm the address through the USCIS office locator. Use a mail service with tracking and delivery confirmation.
Filing Fee
USCIS points to its fee schedule for the current G-884 amount.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-884, Request for the Return of Original Documents The agency updated its fee schedule effective March 1, 2026, so confirm the current amount at uscis.gov/g-1055 before filing.
If an Attorney Is Filing for You
An attorney or accredited representative filing on your behalf must include a completed Form G-28, Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative, with the G-884.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-28, Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative Both of you must sign the G-28. USCIS, CBP, and ICE will not recognize the representation without one.5USCIS. Instructions for Form G-28, Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative
Requesting It From ICE
ICE handles this differently. If you report for regular check-ins, you can raise the request at your next appointment. ICE will review it and decide whether the document can be released or has to stay in custody.6ICE. Check-In
Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) evaluates these requests case by case. Officers weigh the reason you need the document against any ongoing operational or evidentiary need to keep it. If you can legally possess the passport and ICE no longer needs it, the agency can release it to you or your attorney.7U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 11311: Confiscation and Return of Original Documents Reasons ICE has recognized include opening a bank account, enrolling in school, and filing taxes.
Before releasing anything, ICE photocopies the document and places the copy in your A-File, and you sign an acknowledgment that the original was returned.7U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 11311: Confiscation and Return of Original Documents An attorney can submit the written request on your behalf. Foreign government officials can also submit written inquiries, which ICE evaluates in consultation with local counsel.
What Happens After You File
USCIS does not publish a set processing time for G-884 requests. The agency says timing depends on the circumstances of each case, and in practice responses run from several weeks to several months, particularly if the office handling the file is backlogged. If USCIS needs more information, it sends a written request for evidence before deciding.
When approved, the passport is typically mailed to the address on the form, often with a signature required on delivery. If the government decides it still needs the passport, for example because it is evidence in a criminal investigation or identity has not been verified, you receive a written denial with the reason.
If You Need to Travel Before the Passport Comes Back
If travel cannot wait for a G-884 response, USCIS offers expedited processing for certain travel documents through its Contact Center at 800-375-5283. You can also submit an expedite request through your USCIS online account by selecting “expedite” as the inquiry type and uploading supporting documents.8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Emergency Travel
For travel within 15 days, USCIS may issue emergency travel documents at a local field office. Qualifying reasons generally include:
- Medical treatment that must happen within a limited window.
- A family emergency, such as a family member or close friend who is gravely ill or has died.
- An urgent professional or academic commitment where a timely expedite request is already pending and departure is needed within 15 days.
To schedule an emergency appointment, call the Contact Center or use the online appointment tool. Bring a completed Form I-131 (Application for Travel Documents) with any applicable fee, evidence supporting eligibility, proof of the urgent travel need, two passport-style photos, and certified English translations of any foreign-language documents.8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Emergency Travel This is a separate track from getting the passport itself back; an emergency travel document lets you travel while the passport stays with the agency.
If the Passport Is Lost or Cannot Be Returned
Sometimes the government cannot locate the document. If you believe USCIS lost your passport, file Form G-1566, Request for a Certificate of Non-Existence, which asks USCIS to search for specific records and formally certify that they cannot be found.9U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form G-1566 Instructions for Request for a Certificate of Non-Existence The certificate can support a replacement application at your country’s embassy or consulate.
If the government intends to hold the passport indefinitely, or if the original is gone, contact the embassy or consulate of the issuing country to apply for a replacement. The U.S. Department of State advises foreign nationals in this situation to work with their country’s diplomatic mission on replacement procedures.10U.S. Department of State. Lost and Stolen Passports, Visas, and Arrival/Departure Records Most embassies can issue a replacement whether or not you still have the original, though fees and processing vary.
You can also request copies of passport records from the U.S. Department of State by sending a written request to its Office of Records Management. Include your full name, date and place of birth, the approximate date the passport was issued, a copy of a valid government-issued photo ID, and either a notarized signature or a statement signed under penalty of perjury. Certified copies cost $50 and processing runs 12 to 16 weeks.11U.S. Department of State. Get Copies of Passport Records These records can serve as backup identification even though they are not a travel document.