Immigrants seeking employment and/or citizenship, as well as their sponsors and employers, must complete a variety of official paperwork.
Whether you are an immigrant seeking citizenship, an immigrant seeking employment in the United States, or an employer or sponsor of an immigrant, you will need to fill out several federal paperwork. Check out our detailed US immigration guide for additional information on current immigration regulations, and then browse the list of the most frequent forms with short descriptions of their functions below.
Table of Contents
I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification
Employers must have new workers submit an Employment Eligibility Verification form to ensure that they are legally permitted to work in the United States. After verifying an employee’s identification and eligibility, the employer must maintain the completed I-9 form on file. Employees must provide original identity documents—or receipts for replacement documents—within three days of starting a new job, or they may be fired.
Support Affidavit (I-134)
The petitioning sponsor of a visa applicant must complete the Affidavit of Support form to demonstrate that the intended immigrant (a family member or intended employee) will have sufficient financial support upon arrival in the US and will not become a “public charge,” or dependent on the US government for living expenses.
Alien Worker Immigrant Petition (I-140)
Employers must file a petition on behalf of any immigrant workers who want to become permanent residents. The I-140 form must be submitted within 180 days of the Labor Certification being approved. An Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker may be submitted without the Labor Certification in the case of EB-1 priority employees (such as aliens with remarkable talents or significant academics, researchers, multinational executives and managers).
I-485 Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status
When seeking to change their status to that of a permanent US resident, aliens must utilize this form. Permanent Resident Cards, sometimes known as “green cards,” are a necessary step in becoming a US citizen. All I-485 applicants are subjected to background investigations by the US Citizenship and Immigration Service, and after the Adjustment of Status application is approved, the applicant must remain in the United States until their Permanent Residence application is approved or denied. While their residence application is being processed, the applicant may apply for Advance Parole to travel outside the United States or Employment Authorization Documents to begin working.
Medical Examination Report and Vaccination Record (I-693)
Aliens seeking permanent residency must present a Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record produced by an authorized civil surgeon when filing an Application to Adjust Status. This test is designed to demonstrate that the applicant cannot be denied US residence due to public health concerns.
I-765 Employment Authorization Application
Certain aliens residing temporarily in the United States may seek an Employment Authorization Document by submitting an Application for Employment Authorization. This document, also known as a Work Permit, shows employers that the bearer is authorized to work in the United States for a certain amount of time. Aliens who are already permitted to work in the United States may utilize the I-765 form to request documentation of their permission.
I-90 Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card
Fill out an Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card to replace a lost, stolen, damaged, or expired Permanent Resident Card. If the applicant does not apply for a new card right away, their permanent resident status will not be harmed, but it is a good idea to submit the I-90 as soon as possible to discourage fraud, particularly if the card was stolen.
If the person meets the requirements, they may apply for citizenship rather than renewing their green card. They should not utilize the I-90 if they are a conditional resident whose status has expired.
Naturalization Application (N-400)
Eligible Permanent Residents who want to seek for US citizenship may use the Application for Naturalization. Permanent residents must have lived continuously in the US for 5 years, have lived in their state or within a USCIS district for at least 3 months, be able to speak/read/write English, and demonstrate an understanding of US history and government in order to file the Application for Naturalization. Residents who fulfill these and other qualifying standards may submit the N-400 Application for Naturalization, after which they will be scheduled for an Interview, which includes a background check, and a Naturalization Test.
