Requesting A file under FOIA - filing G-639 (2024)

Has anyone requested their A file using the G-639 form?

Being the perfectionist I'm, thinking about requesting it to see what does USCIS has for my immigration related info. I may use if need the info for later corrections to the N-400 at the time of interview if needed.

I never thought of requesting it earlier but now may be a good time to do a final check so there are no mistakes in the N400 application.

If nothing else, it may serve as a record in my own files.

Would love to hear your thougths on it? Thanks

From G-639 is not required - you can simply send an email to uscis.foia@dhs.gov with a PDF letter attached (the letter needs your signature under penalty of perjury). Include your full name, A number, date of birth, father's and mother's names, address, country of birth and state that you are requesting your Alien file.

I did this and got a CD 6 months later. It has around 100 documents relating to my files with US immigration and went back to my first H1 approval.

Thanks nkm-oct23! So it looks like it's not something I could get in few weeks? Also is there more any sample form (I know you said form is not needed) or letter that one could send? You mean it should be signed in ink and then scanned as a pdf?

From USCIS site, it appears as if the simple requests can be servied withing a month or so.

My main purpose for requesting it at this time was to make sure that I make sure what was ever reported to USCIS and then use that information to make sure what's being reported in relation to N400 or interview thereof is accurate.

Are we talking about the same thing? A-file vs all immigration records. I think we are.

For a simple request like an approval notice, USCIS will act in a few weeks. A-file is your complete record with USCIS and is a big deal, therefore expect several months.

For the purpose of filing N-400 I don't think you need any of your information from USCIS under FOIA. You only need dates of travel and date you got your green card to be listed on your N-400, which I hope you have. If you are looking for I-94's issued at the border upon arrival to US, you should make the FOIA request to CBP, not USCIS.

I made FOIA request after I got my citizenship, so they sent me the following:

All H1B approval notices
All I-140 approval notices
Copies of immigrant visa documentation issued by the US consulate (big chunk)
Welcome letter for LPR
Paperwork used to generate green card
N-400 application with USCIS annotations.
internal documents related to N-400 approval including fingerprint check
Copy of naturalization cert.

the N-400 and all related internal paperwork.

The letter I wrote is as follows:

I would like to request a copy of my <Alien File> under FOIA.

Record Requested: <Alien File>

A Number: xxx-xxx-xxx

My name:

Father's name:

Mother's Name:

Date of Birth:

Place of birth: (City, State, Country)

Current Address (include dates):

Previous addresses (if < 5 years @ current)

I declare under penalty of perjury that the information provided is correct and I am requesting this information for myself.

Executed on <date>

Your signature in ink

Print your name here

Makes sense and thanks again for sharing. You are right, at the time of filing for N400 if one has the info about travel dates, there is not much one needs from A file. I wasn't looking for any particular information and if it was quick say couple weeks to get the A file, I would have done it. Now thinking about requesting it after the whole ordeal is over.

I read elese in the fourm here that USCIS physically moves the files from their records to some place (a desk or room or something) then either scans it or makes copies and sends a CD with everything they copied or scanned.

After the request is fulfilled, the physical files are moved back to their original location. As with a huge paper arhival and storage operation like USCIS coupled with the possibility of some papers getting misplaced, probably a good idea not to bother with it unless absolutely needed especially during N400 processing is going on.

jefkorn said:

Now thinking about requesting it after the whole ordeal is over.

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Why? To hell with all that junk that will no longer matter!!

nkm-oct23 said:

For a simple request like an approval notice, USCIS will act in a few weeks. A-file is your complete record with USCIS and is a big deal, therefore expect several months.

N-400 application with USCIS annotations.
internal documents related to N-400 approval including fingerprint check
Copy of naturalization cert.
.

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Can you please elaborate on what annotations they make and what kind of internal documents you got back? Just curious

Mauricephoenix said:

Can you please elaborate on what annotations they make and what kind of internal documents you got back? Just curious

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Cryptic notes and signatures of approving officials. Internal forms used to create green card. Results of FBI namecheck. etc.

Well it could come in handy to know what does BIG brother know about you. It may not give you any new insights or it might.

Dedo said:

Why? To hell with all that junk that will no longer matter!!

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Mauricephoenix said:

Cryptic notes? For real? Like what?

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Cryptic in the sense that they refer to some INA code.