To write a letter to USCIS, put your case identifiers at the top of the page, use a formal business-letter format, state the purpose plainly in the body, and send the letter by a method that gives you proof of delivery to the exact address on your USCIS notice. The specifics change depending on whether you are introducing a new filing, responding to a Request for Evidence, rebutting a Notice of Intent to Deny, or reporting a change of address, but the skeleton is the same.
Case Identifiers to Put at the Top
USCIS officers work from case files, not names. If your letter arrives without the numbers that connect it to a file, it can sit unmatched or be routed to the wrong office. Group the following in a block at the top of the page.
- Your A-Number (Alien Registration Number), a seven-, eight-, or nine-digit number issued by the Department of Homeland Security. You can find it on your Permanent Resident Card, immigrant visa stamp, or immigrant data summary. On green cards issued after May 2010 it appears as the “USCIS Number” and is shown as nine digits, with a leading zero added if your original A-Number was shorter.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. A-Number/Alien Registration Number/Alien Number2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Immigrant Fee Payment: Tips on Finding Your A-Number and DOS Case ID3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Number
- Your receipt number, the 13-character code USCIS assigns when it accepts a filing. It starts with three letters (EAC, WAC, LIN, SRC, NBC, MSC, or IOE) followed by ten digits. Check every character against your Form I-797 receipt notice, because a single wrong digit can send your letter to the wrong file.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Receipt Number
- The form number your case involves, such as I-130 for a family-based petition, I-129 for a nonimmigrant worker petition, or N-400 for naturalization.
Format of the Letter
Use the layout of a standard business letter. Anything unusual slows the officer down.
- Full date at the top.
- Your full legal name and current mailing address below the date.
- The USCIS address exactly as it appears on the notice you received. USCIS uses different addresses for different form types and delivery methods, so do not guess.
- A “Re:” line stating your A-Number, receipt number, and the letter’s purpose, for example: Re: Response to Request for Evidence — Receipt No. IOE0123456789.
- A formal salutation such as “Dear USCIS Officer.”
- Short body paragraphs, one fact or argument each, written in factual and direct language.
- A closing that states what you are asking USCIS to do, followed by your printed name and signature.
Print single-sided on 8½ × 11-inch paper, avoid binders and heavy staples, write your name on the top of each supporting page, and number the pages so the officer can confirm nothing is missing.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Tips for Filing Forms by Mail
Cover Letter for a New Filing
When you submit a new application or petition, the cover letter introduces the packet. Open by identifying the form, the benefit you are seeking, and the names of the petitioner and beneficiary if both apply. Then give a numbered list of everything enclosed: the form itself, the filing fee payment, photographs, and each piece of supporting evidence.
Label your supporting documents as exhibits (Exhibit A, Exhibit B, and so on) and reference those labels in the cover letter. For an I-130 filed for a spouse, for example, you might list Exhibit A as joint bank account statements and Exhibit B as a shared lease agreement, both of which USCIS lists as examples of evidence of a genuine marital relationship.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Checklist for Petition for Alien Relative (Form I-130) Filed for a Spouse
Responding to a Request for Evidence
A Request for Evidence means USCIS reviewed your filing and needs more documentation before deciding. The maximum response time is 12 weeks (84 days), and USCIS cannot grant an extension.7eCFR. 8 CFR 103.2 – Submission and Adjudication of Benefit Requests Your RFE notice states the exact deadline.
Open the response letter by identifying the case: your name, A-Number, receipt number, and the date of the RFE. In the body, address each item the RFE raised in the order it appeared. For each point, briefly explain how your evidence satisfies the requirement and point the officer to the corresponding exhibit. Keep each paragraph focused on one issue.
You have three options: send a complete response with everything requested, send a partial response and ask for a decision on the record, or withdraw the application.8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Chapter 6 – Evidence If you send only some of the requested documents without explicitly asking for a decision on the record, USCIS will treat it as a request for a decision on what it already has.7eCFR. 8 CFR 103.2 – Submission and Adjudication of Benefit Requests Send everything in a single response; USCIS will not wait for a second package.
Responding to a Notice of Intent to Deny
A Notice of Intent to Deny is more urgent than an RFE. USCIS issues a NOID when an officer is leaning toward denial, often based on information you may not have known about or could not have anticipated.9U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Chapter 11 – Decision Procedures The maximum response time is 30 days, with no extensions.7eCFR. 8 CFR 103.2 – Submission and Adjudication of Benefit Requests If USCIS mailed the NOID by ordinary mail, your response is still timely if USCIS receives it within 33 days of the mailing date (30 days plus 3 days for mail delivery).8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Chapter 6 – Evidence
The rebuttal letter should address the specific legal deficiencies the NOID identified. Focus on explaining how your evidence overcomes each ground for the proposed denial, and skip emotional appeals and unrelated personal details. Attach any new documentation that directly addresses the officer’s concerns, labeled and referenced by exhibit. Close by asking USCIS to approve the underlying petition or application.
When a Letter Needs a Sworn Declaration
Some filings require a personal statement or sworn declaration. Under federal law, you can submit an unsworn declaration that carries the same legal weight as a notarized affidavit if it includes specific closing language. For a declaration signed within the United States, the required closing is: “I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct. Executed on [date].” followed by your signature.10Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 U.S. Code 1746 – Unsworn Declarations Under Penalty of Perjury With that language, you do not need a notary. Anything you write under the declaration can be used against you if USCIS later finds it false.
Signatures and Foreign-Language Documents
USCIS does not require a wet-ink original signature on correspondence or forms. A photocopy, scan, or fax of a handwritten signature is valid. Signatures produced by a typewriter, word processor, rubber stamp, or auto-pen are not accepted.11U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Chapter 2 – Signatures For forms filed through the USCIS online system, follow the electronic signature instructions provided with the form.
Any document in a foreign language must include a complete English translation. The translator must certify in writing that the translation is complete and accurate and that they are competent to translate from that language into English.7eCFR. 8 CFR 103.2 – Submission and Adjudication of Benefit Requests The certification should include the translator’s printed name, signature, address, and the date. You do not need a professional translation service; any competent bilingual person can translate the document and provide the certification.
Sending the Letter and Proving It Arrived
Use a delivery method with tracking and proof of delivery. Certified mail through USPS, or a private courier such as FedEx, UPS, or DHL, gives you a record of when the package arrived. Keep the tracking receipt with your file copy of the letter as evidence of timely filing.
For an RFE or NOID response, what matters is the date USCIS physically receives your response, not the postmark date. Mailing on the last day of the deadline is not enough if it arrives late. If the last day of a filing deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or federal holiday, USCIS extends the deadline to the end of the next business day.12U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Chapter 6 – Submitting Requests Build in several business days of buffer.
If your case was filed online through myUSCIS, you may be able to respond to an RFE electronically. USCIS sends a notification when the RFE is issued, and you can upload your response through the Documents tab in your account.13U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Tips for Filing Forms Online The system timestamps the response when it is accepted, which removes the mail-transit risk.
For new applications and petitions, you can include Form G-1145 to trigger a text message or email when USCIS accepts your submission.14U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-1145, E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance There is no equivalent for RFE or NOID responses, so carrier tracking is your only proof. Keep a full photocopy of every letter, form, and supporting document you send.
When an Attorney Signs the Letter
If an attorney or accredited representative is writing on your behalf, they must file a Form G-28 (Notice of Entry of Appearance) with every case they represent. USCIS will only recognize the attorney’s authority to act on your behalf if a completed and signed G-28 is on file.15U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Form G-28, Notice of Entry of Appearance Without it, USCIS may disregard the letter or refuse to share case information. Confirm that a G-28 is already on file or is included in the same mailing.
Writing a Change of Address Letter
Federal law requires most noncitizens to notify USCIS in writing within 10 days of any change of address.16Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1305 – Notices of Change of Address The standard way is Form AR-11, filed online or by mail. If you have a pending case, also send a separate written notice to the office or service center handling the case, referencing your receipt number. Missing this step can cause you to miss an RFE or NOID and have the case denied for abandonment.
Accuracy of Everything You Write
Everything you send to USCIS becomes part of your immigration record. Knowingly making a false statement to a government agency is a crime punishable by up to five years in prison.17Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 1001 – Statements or Entries Generally If the false statement involves an immigration document such as a visa or permit, the penalties rise to up to 10 years for a first offense, and up to 25 years if the fraud was connected to terrorism.18Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 1546 – Fraud and Misuse of Visas, Permits, and Other Documents A finding of fraud or misrepresentation can also bar future immigration benefits.
If you realize after sending a letter that something in it was inaccurate, send a corrected letter to the same office as soon as possible, clearly noting the correction and referencing the original submission by receipt number and date.