This article was last updated on October 14, 2026

Summary

This article explains how someone who was resettled to the United States as a refugee can request a copy of their immigration records from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) through a “FOIA request.”

Why is it helpful to request a copy of my refugee application?

When you were applying to be resettled to the United States as a refugee, the U.S. government interviewed you and created a refugee application for you, called an I-590. The refugee application and other related documents were added to your refugee case file. They are now in your U.S. immigration records, known as an “A-file” or “alien file.” 

Unlike with other types of immigration applications, you did not fill out your I-590 yourself or put together your own application documents. A Resettlement Support Center was responsible for supporting the U.S. government with your case processing, and their staff created these files for you. Some examples of Resettlement Support Centers are:

• International Organization for Migration (IOM)
• The International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC)
• Church World Service (CWS)
• Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS)

At the end of your overseas refugee interview, you were asked to sign your application – but you were never given a copy of what you signed. The only way to see what is in your own application is by requesting a copy from the government directly.

Even if it has been a while since you went through the resettlement process, your original refugee application is still relevant to you. If you apply for additional immigration benefits – like family reunification, adjustment of status (green card), or citizenship – the U.S. government may review your old records again as part of their decision-making process. 

For all refugees who arrived between January 21, 2021 and February 20, 2025, the government has announced that they will review everyone’s original refugee applications again. They are calling this “refugee revetting,” and you can read more about it here.

Since the government may be looking at your refugee application again, it would be very helpful for you to have a copy to review yourself. That way, you can see if anything looks incorrect or needs to be addressed. And if you have an immigration attorney, they may be able to better help you with your case if you can share a copy of your records with them.

Is it risky to request a copy of my refugee application?

When you request a copy of your refugee application and related records through a FOIA request, you have to notify the government directly that you want these documents. Some people worry that doing so could cause them problems, because it could draw negative attention to their case. However, in many situations, the government is already paying attention to their case and reviewing these exact same files for their own purposes. This is especially true for refugees who are impacted by the revetting policy. Meanwhile, you should remember that filing a FOIA is the only way you can actually gain access to your immigration history and see what the government has recorded about you.

If you are nervous to file a FOIA request for any reason, you should consult with a qualified immigration lawyer to get their advice.

How can I request a copy of my U.S. refugee application?

The Freedom of Information Act, or “FOIA,” is a law that allows the public to ask for information from government agencies. You can file a FOIA request to get your immigration records and other information the United States government may have on your case, including your refugee application. 

If you are a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR, also known as a “green card holder”) or a U.S. citizen, then there is another law called the Privacy Act (PA) that also allows you to ask for your immigration file and related records. If you request a copy of your immigration records from USCIS through the process described below, USCIS should treat the request as a request under the FOIA and the PA.

The FOIA and the PA allow you to request documents from any U.S. government agency. Depending on your immigration history, multiple U.S. government agencies may have some of your records. At least two agencies, USCIS and the Department of State (DOS), will have records related to refugee applications. Requesting refugee case file records from DOS usually takes much longer than requesting records from USCIS. This article only explains how to request immigration records from USCIS.  For information on how to request your immigration records from a few other government agencies that are not USCIS or the Department of State you can go here.

You can only make USCIS FOIA requests via the USCIS website. USCIS is currently not accepting FOIA requests via email or physical mail.

Step 1: Visit the USCIS website and log in.

Log in to the USCIS website. If you need more information on how to create a USCIS account, you can visit our step-by-step guide, found here. Once you log in to your account, you will see the below screen. Click on the box “FIRST.” This link will take you to the USCIS page for filing FOIA requests.

Step 2: Click on file a FOIA request “for myself.”

Once you are successfully logged into the FIRST portal of USCIS, you will see the below page. This screen has options to file FOIA or PA requests. It will list three options: 

1. Request for my immigration records
2. Request for someone else’s immigration records
3. Other requests

Click on the Start Application link under the “For Myself “option.

Step 3: File your FOIA request.

Get all the required details before you start this process. This includes your A-number, and other personal information, including your full name, date of birth, information about your parents, and information about other family members that may be included in your refugee file, such as your spouse or children.

1. Specify what you are requesting

Under “Select all types of records you are requesting,” click on “Other.” Then you will be asked what files you are requesting. You can use the following answer to answer this question: 

I am requesting my entire A-file, including my refugee case file and all other records about my refugee application. 

Click “Next.”

2. Immigration Proceedings

This question asks if you have upcoming Immigration Court proceedings, which may impact processing for your request. Select “Yes” or “No.”

Click “Next.”

3. Provide Information to Identify the Subject of Record

Enter your A-number in the first box provided. Your A-number is a unique seven- to nine-digit number given to you by USCIS. You can find this number (AXXX-XXX-XXX) on important immigration documents, such as your green card or work permit. If you have a green card or Employment Authorization Document (EAD), your A-Number is likely printed on the front of the card under “USCIS #”. You can also find your A-number on your immigrant visa under “Registration Number” or at the top of any immigration notices you may have received from USCIS.

Here are some samples of documents where you can find your A-number.

In the second and third boxes, enter your country of birth and date of birth. This information is required to locate your refugee file.

You can include any application, petition, or receipt numbers related to your case in the last box.

4. Names used by Subject of Record

Enter your first name, middle name, and last name in the boxes provided. The boxes are in the order of last name, first name, and middle name. If you have used any other names or spellings, enter them in the boxes below. 

If you have never been to the United States, you do not have to answer the question that says “What was the full name of the Subject of Record at the time of entry into the United States?” If you have been to the United States, you can click “Same as current name” or, if you used a different name or spelling when you entered the United States, enter the name used previously. 

Click “Next.”

5. Contact Information for Subject of Record

This screen asks for your mailing address, phone number, and email. Your email will be filled in automatically based on the one you used to log in to USCIS and cannot be changed. Fill in your mailing address and phone number. 

Click “Next.”

6. Family Information for Subject of Record

This step has three substeps to capture a lot of information about your family and other contact details. The first section asks about your parents’ names. Fill in the full names of your father and mother in the boxes provided. 

The boxes are in the order of last name, first name, middle name, and maiden name. Maiden name refers to the person’s last name before getting married. If you do not know the full name of your father and/or mother, select the relevant box below the boxes requesting each parent’s name.

The next section asks for information on any family members that may appear on requested records. You should provide information for your spouse and any children who may be mentioned in your refugee file. Fill in the boxes with the last name, first name, middle name, and relationship of any family members that may appear on your requested records, such as your spouse or children. 

The information about family members other than your parents is optional on this form. However, if you do not provide this information, USCIS will likely redact, or cross out, any information related to your family members in the copy of the file that they send you.

To make sure that the information for your family members is not redacted in the refugee records, you will need to fill out a verification of identity form for each family member. You can use this template and upload it to the box under “Avoiding Redaction of Records Mentioning Additional Persons.”

Click “Next.”

7. Upload Documents

In this step, you will be asked to attach any relevant documents for the FOIA request. 

If you have upcoming immigration court proceedings, attach a Notice to Appear (NTA) (Form I-122), Order to Show Cause (Form I-863), or Notice of Referral to Immigration Judge, if available.

Click “Next.”

8. Review and Submit Information

Once you have entered all the information, review the information entered in all the previous screens. Please double check the details carefully and click on the “Edit” link next to each section to fix any incorrect information. 

Providing the correct information for your request is very important. USCIS sometimes rejects requests when names or file numbers do not exactly match the information USCIS has on file.

This step also includes a consent to pay fees and release documents. Click “Sign under Penalty of Perjury” and sign the request. This signature confirms that you agree to pay all costs for the FOIA request up to $25 and that all the information in the request is complete and correct. 

Note: Recently USCIS shared it will charge fees for some FOIA requests. We do not know if USCIS will request fees in any request, including yours. USCIS has not collected any FOIA fees from requestors for many years, and it cannot charge you any fee to request your refugee case file if certain things happen.  USCIS cannot charge you any fee if your refugee case file requires less than 100 pages of copies and two hours of search time. Usually, refugee case file records do not have more than 100 pages. USCIS also cannot charge you a fee if it takes longer than the law allows to process your request. The law says that USCIS will not be able to charge fees if it takes more than the 20-30 business days deadline, which happens often. USCIS usually must tell you first if they expect the fees to exceed $25, and unless they expect the fees to be more than $250, they must give you the records first before collecting any fees. 

Click the box that says “I have read and agree to the above statement” and enter your full name and date in the boxes below.

Click “Submit Request”. Once you submit the application, there will be a “control” or tracking number generated for your request. This number can be used to track your FOIA application with USCIS.

What happens after I submit my FOIA request online?

After you have submitted your FOIA request, you will receive an email confirmation of the submission. The email confirmation will include a FOIA control number that usually begins with the letters NRC or ends with the letters REQ. You will use this number to check the status of your case. 

The law says that USCIS should process a person’s FOIA request within 20 to 30 business days of filing the request. However, USCIS can sometimes take several months to process a request. Once your FOIA request is processed and approved by USCIS, you will receive an email with a case status change and the results of your FOIA request.

While your FOIA request is pending you can check the status of your case by logging into your USCIS account or through the FOIA Check Status website and entering your FOIA control number, the number that starts with the letter NRC. The case status will show you the step your request is in. 

What if I do not get a response, or the response is missing information?

If USCIS does not answer your request after 30 days, or your returned file has missing information, you have several options: 

Sue. You can speak with an attorney about suing USCIS in federal court. However, these lawsuits can take a long time and cost a lot of money. 

Appeal. If your FOIA response is missing information, you can ask USCIS to review the request again. This is called an appeal. The instructions about how to appeal your request should be attached to the files USCIS provided. It will provide a deadline for the appeal. You must explain in detail what record you want or describe why you are appealing the decision.

Once your appeal has been submitted, USCIS will either approve or deny it. USCIS will let you know if it approves or denies your appeal. If the appeal is approved, USCIS will reprocess your FOIA request. 

Re-file. If you do not receive a FOIA response or you receive a response that is missing information, it can be faster to submit a new FOIA request rather than appeal. If there are specific records that you want that USCIS said they do not have, you can attach evidence showing that those records exist.

If you decide to re-submit your FOIA request after getting an incomplete record, go through the following steps to make sure you get all of the files you need:

1. If you are missing documents because the records involve multiple people besides yourself, make sure you obtain each person’s consent and submit a verification of identity. USCIS will usually only release records if they have the other person’s consent. 
2. Some applications may not be consolidated into the same A-file, so make sure you request your entire A-file as well as “all records” and “all related and supporting documents” containing your name.
3. If you are looking for a specific record that was not included, name or describe it in the new request.
4. USCIS has rejected FOIA requests because a person’s name did not match USCIS records. In your request, include your entire name and any other names that the government may have on file. 
5. If possible, use either your address or a PO box, not your attorney’s address.

How do I understand my FOIA request results?

When USCIS responds to your FOIA request, it may send you many different types of documents. Some of these documents may be difficult to understand or may use unfamiliar terms. The list below explains some of the documents you may receive and what they mean. Every case is different, so you may not receive all of the documents listed below.

Remember that “USRAP” means the United States Refugee Admissions Program. This is the official name for the U.S. refugee resettlement program. 

1. Documents about your refugee application 

• Form I-590: This is the main refugee application. It has information about you, your family members, and why you applied for refugee status. 

• Signed Persecution Story: This is a written statement that explains why you applied for refugee status. Sometimes, this statement is included in Form I-590. 

• Resettlement Agreement: This document has information about you, your family, and any family members who live in the United States. The government uses this document to choose where you will live in the United States. 

• Pre-screening Records: Before you had your interview with USCIS, the Resettlement Support Center (RSC) may have asked you questions about your refugee case. Notes from this interview may be in your file.

• Notice of Confidentiality of Personal Information: This is a one-page document that explains when the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) may use or share the information in your refugee application. 

2. Documents about you and your family

• Identity and family relationship documents: Your file may have copies of your and your family members’ passports, birth certificates, national identity cards, military records, or other identity documents, and information about how your family members are related to you.  

• Biographic documents: Your file may have forms that list your and/or your family members’ name, date of birth, languages, education, employment history, or other biographic information. 

3. Documents related to your refugee interview

• Refugee Application Assessment: This is a document completed by the USCIS officer who reviewed your refugee application. It summarizes the officer’s review of your application and the reasons for their decision. It is possible that much of the information in the document may be blacked out or removed. 

• Interview Notes: During your interview with USCIS, the officer may have written  notes on your refugee application documents. Your file may have these notes. It is possible that some of the information in the document may be blacked out or removed.
• Request for Review (RFR): If you were denied refugee status and submitted a Request for Review to ask USCIS to change its decision (on your own or with someone’s help), your file may have a copy of what you sent.

4. Decision documents

• Notice of Ineligibility for Resettlement (NOI): This is a two-page document that explains why USCIS denied your application. 

• Notice of Deferral (NOD): This is a one-page document that tells you that USCIS temporarily delayed making a decision on your refugee application. 

• Notice of Eligibility for Resettlement (NOE): This is a one-page document that tells you that USCIS approved your refugee application. 

• Request for Review (RFR) Assessment Form: If you asked USCIS to review its decision to deny your refugee application, your file may have the form that USCIS used to review your request.  

• Form I-602 Decision Letter: If you asked USCIS to excuse a problem with your refugee application, your file may have a Form I-602 and a letter that explains why USCIS approved or denied your request. 

• Terrorism-Related Inadmissibility Grounds (TRIG) Exemption Worksheet: If USCIS denied your refugee application for terrorism-related reasons, your file may have the worksheet that USCIS used to decide this.

5. Security check documents

(USCIS checks government records to help decide if it should approve or deny your refugee application. Your file may have documents about these security checks.)

• CLASS/SAO Name Check Results Report: This is a document that shows the results of one of the security checks. 

• Record of Inquiry – TECS (ROIT): This is a document that has information from one of the security checks. It is at least four pages long. 

• Fingerprinting Applicant Information Worksheet: This is a document that has the information USCIS collected when it took your fingerprints. 

• DHS Envelope Review Report: This is a document that USCIS used as part of the security checks. 

6. Medical and travel documents

• Medical examination documents: Your file may have documents with information about your medical history. 

• Reception and Placement Assurance Form: This is a one-page form that confirms that a resettlement agency in the United States agreed to help you when you arrived. 

• Refugee Travel Packet: This packet has your refugee application and other information documents that prepared you for your travel to the United States. 

• Form I-765: If you applied for permission to work in the United States, your file may have this form. 

7. Referral or eligibility documents

• Referral documents: Your file may have documents showing how your refugee case entered the USRAP. 

• Affidavit of Relationship (AOR): If your refugee application is based on a family relationship, your immigration record may have a form with information about your relationship to your family member. 

Additional information and resources/templates

When you file a FOIA request with USCIS, they may redact (cross out) information about your spouse, children, and other relatives because of privacy concerns.

If you want to receive a copy of your refugee file with as few redactions as possible, you can have your spouse, children, or other relatives who will be mentioned in your refugee application sign a privacy release form. This form lets USCIS share information about those family members with you. 

Below is a sample privacy release form, called a “Verification of Identity and Certification to Release Records” that you can use. 

The purpose of the privacy release form is for a family member, who would fill out the blue highlighted sections of the form in the sample below, to give USCIS consent to share information about them in the FOIA request to you.

The yellow highlighted part is for your name and not the name of your relative.

The blue highlighted sections are for the name and information for your relative who is allowing USCIS to share information about them to you.

Template - Verification of Identity and Certification to Release Records

VERIFICATION OF IDENTITY &

CERTIFICATION OF AGREEMENT TO RELEASE RECORDS 

Declaration Under Penalty of Perjury re Privacy Release of and Request for Records

By my signature below, I consent to USCIS to release the requested records, both my individual records and any joint records, in full to _________________________ (Name of person filing the FOIA request who will receive the FOIA response from USCIS).

I certify, swear, or affirm, under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States of America, that the information in this request, both above and in my signature below, is complete, true, and correct to the best of my knowledge.

Full Name: _______________________________

Date of Birth: _____________________________

Place of Birth: _____________________________

A Number: ________________________________

Other Names Used: _________________________

Father’s Name: _____________________________

Mother’s Name: ____________________________

Spouse’s Name: _____________________________

Passport Number: _____________________________

Passport Country: _____________________________

Passport Expiration: ___________________________

Mailing Address: _____________________________

City: _________ Province/State: _________

Country: _________ Zip/Postal Code: _________

Phone Number: ___________________________

By my signature, I confirm the declaration and release above.

____________________________                __________________________

Signature Date of Signature (mm/dd/yyyy)