I-360 Checklist: Required Documents by Category

Form I-360 covers several unrelated immigrant classifications, so the I-360 required documents by category are not one list but four. Every petitioner submits the same baseline paperwork, and then the category, whether VAWA self-petitioner, widow or widower of a U.S. citizen, special immigrant religious worker, or Special Immigrant Juvenile, dictates the evidence that has to sit behind it. Sending the wrong package, or a package that is missing a category-specific document, is one of the most common reasons an I-360 gets rejected or delayed.

Confirm which classification you fall under before you assemble anything. The rules, the evidence, the fee treatment, and even the filing address change with the category.

Documents Every I-360 Filer Submits

Regardless of category, the baseline packet looks the same:

A completed Form I-360 with a signature. Paper filings need a handwritten signature.
Proof of identity: a copy of your passport, national identity document, or birth certificate.
Two identical color passport-style photos meeting USCIS specifications (typically 2″ x 2″).
Certified English translations of any document not already in English. The translator must certify in writing that the translation is complete and accurate and that they are competent to translate between the two languages.¹
The filing fee, a fee exemption based on category, or Form I-912 requesting a fee waiver.
A signed Form G-28 if an attorney or accredited representative is helping you. An unsigned G-28 will be rejected.²

Send legible photocopies of supporting documents rather than originals, unless USCIS specifically asks for originals. Keep the packet single-sided and skip binders and heavy staples. A short cover letter identifying the form and the category helps the mailroom route it correctly.

VAWA Self-Petition Documents

VAWA filings work under an “any credible evidence” standard, so there is no rigid checklist USCIS holds you to.³ Instead, your evidence has to address each eligibility requirement, and USCIS evaluates every piece on its own merits.

Proof of the Qualifying Relationship

Show that you are or were the spouse, child, or parent of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident. Marriage certificates, birth certificates, adoption decrees, and divorce records from earlier marriages all work. Former spouses should include evidence that the marriage was valid and a copy of the divorce decree.

Proof of the Abuser’s Immigration Status

Submit copies of the abuser’s U.S. birth certificate, naturalization certificate, U.S. passport, or green card. If you cannot safely obtain these, explain that in your personal declaration and submit whatever indirect evidence you have.

Proof of the Abuse

A detailed personal declaration in your own words is the core document. Secondary evidence strengthens it. USCIS guidance lists police reports, court records, protective orders, medical records, school records, documentation of shelter or domestic-violence services, photographs of injuries, and psychological evaluations by qualified professionals as examples.³ Affidavits from friends, family, counselors, or other witnesses who saw the abuse or its effects also count. You do not need every item on that list. Many survivors have very little documentation, and USCIS knows that. Explain any gaps honestly in your declaration.

Good Moral Character

VAWA self-petitioners must show good moral character, and USCIS generally examines the three years before filing.³ A personal statement plus local police clearance letters from places you have lived is standard. Children under 14 are presumed to have good moral character and do not need to submit separate evidence unless USCIS asks. Good moral character has to be maintained through final adjudication of both the I-360 and any adjustment of status application.

Cohabitation and Good-Faith Marriage

Include evidence you lived with the abuser at some point: lease agreements, utility bills, mail addressed to both of you at the same address. A self-petitioning spouse should also include evidence the marriage was entered in good faith, such as joint bank statements, shared insurance, photos together, and affidavits from people who know the relationship.

Confidentiality and Address

You can use a safe mailing address on the petition. Federal law under 8 U.S.C. 1367 bars government officials from disclosing information about your petition to the abuser or using information the abuser provided to make an adverse decision against you.⁴ Many petitioners use a P.O. box, a trusted friend’s address, or a domestic violence shelter address to keep USCIS mail out of the abuser’s hands.

Widow or Widower Documents

This category has strict documentary requirements. You need to prove four things: the marriage existed, your spouse was a U.S. citizen, that spouse is deceased, and you have not remarried.

The official marriage certificate.
Proof of your spouse’s U.S. citizenship: birth certificate, naturalization certificate, or U.S. passport.
The official death certificate.
Termination documents for any prior marriage of either spouse (divorce decrees or death certificates) proving those marriages ended before yours began.

You must file within two years of the citizen spouse’s death, cannot have remarried, and cannot have been legally separated at the time of death.¹ If the marriage was recent or its validity might be questioned, include additional evidence of a genuine marital relationship along the lines of what a VAWA petitioner would submit.

Special Immigrant Religious Worker Documents

Religious worker petitions are documentation-heavy, and USCIS scrutinizes them closely. Evidence comes from both the sponsoring organization and the worker.

From the Sponsoring Organization

The organization provides a currently valid IRS determination letter confirming tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3).⁵ If the organization is covered under a group tax exemption ruling instead of an individual one, include the group exemption letter.

The organization also completes the Employer Attestation section of Form I-360, which covers the organization’s nonprofit status, membership size, number of employees at the work location, the number of religious worker petitions filed in the past five years, a detailed description of the position and daily duties, confirmation the position requires at least 35 hours per week of compensated service, and the organization’s ability to compensate the worker at a level that keeps the worker and family from becoming public charges.⁶ To back up the compensation claim, include verifiable evidence such as the organization’s budget, past pay records, IRS Forms W-2 for similar current employees, or bank statements showing the organization can meet its financial commitment.

From the Worker

The worker must show continuous membership in the same religious denomination for at least the two years immediately before filing.⁵ Letters from denomination leaders, membership records, and evidence of participation support this. The worker must also demonstrate at least two years of continuous religious work after age 14, supported by prior employment evidence, ordination records for ministers, or documentation of training in a religious function.

Special Immigrant Juvenile Status Documents

An SIJS petition rises or falls on a state juvenile court order. Without the right court findings, USCIS cannot approve the petition regardless of the underlying facts.

The petitioner must be physically present in the United States, unmarried, and under 21 at filing. The court order has to contain three specific findings:⁷

Dependency or custody: the child has been declared dependent on the court, or placed under the custody of a state agency, department, or court-appointed individual or entity.
Non-viable reunification: under state law, the child cannot reunify with one or both parents because of abuse, neglect, abandonment, or a similar basis.
Best interests: returning the child to their home country, or the parents’ home country, would not be in the child’s best interest.

The order needs a factual basis for each finding. Template orders with boilerplate language and no case-specific facts are a common reason SIJS petitions run into trouble at USCIS. If the order itself is thin on facts, the child or their attorney can submit separate findings of fact, records from the court proceedings, or affidavits to fill the gap. USCIS must also consent to the SIJS classification, and the Department of Health and Human Services must consent if the child is in HHS custody.

Along with the court order, include a birth certificate, proof of age, and any documentation from the court proceedings. Because SIJS petitioners are minors, they typically file through a guardian, attorney, or other authorized representative.

Filing Fees and Waivers by Category

VAWA self-petitioners and SIJS applicants are exempt from the I-360 filing fee entirely. No fee waiver request is required; the exemption is automatic based on the category.⁸

Religious worker and widow or widower petitions do carry a fee. Check the current USCIS fee schedule on the G-1055 page before filing. USCIS updated its fee structure in 2024 and made inflation adjustments effective January 2026, so older amounts posted elsewhere may be outdated.⁹ USCIS no longer accepts personal checks, business checks, money orders, or cashier’s checks for paper-filed forms unless a specific exemption applies. Online filings are paid through Pay.gov.

If you are in a fee-required category and cannot afford it, submit Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver, with your petition.¹⁰ You qualify if you or a qualifying family member currently receives a means-tested benefit such as Medicaid, SNAP, or SSI, or if your household income is at or below 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines for your household size.¹¹ Even above that threshold, you can request a waiver based on financial hardship from circumstances like a medical emergency, unemployment, homelessness, or victimization.

Where to Send the Packet

There is no single filing address for Form I-360. The correct location depends on the category and, in some cases, where you live. USCIS keeps a dedicated filing addresses page for Form I-360 that breaks this down by classification.¹² VAWA self-petitions go to a specific lockbox address listed on the USCIS VAWA filing locations page. Religious worker petitions, widow or widower petitions filed without a concurrent I-485, and several other categories are routed to different lockboxes based on the petitioner’s state of residence. A widow or widower living outside the United States may be able to file at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate with jurisdiction over the area.

Filing at the wrong address is one of the most preventable mistakes in the process. USCIS may reject or reroute a misfiled petition, which adds weeks or months. Confirm the address on the USCIS website immediately before mailing, since addresses change periodically.

1
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-360 Instructions – Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant
2
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative
3
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual Volume 3 Part D Chapter 2 – Eligibility Requirements and Evidence
4
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1367 – Penalties for Disclosure of Information
5
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual Volume 6 Part H Chapter 2 – Religious Workers
6
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Optional Checklist for Form I-360 Special Immigrant Religious Worker Filings
7
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual Volume 6 Part J Chapter 2 – Eligibility Requirements
8
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-1055 Fee Schedule
9
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Announces FY 2026 Inflation Increase for Certain Immigration-Related Fees
10
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-912 Request for Fee Waiver
11
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Request for Fee Waiver
12
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-360