Application for Action on an Approved Application

OMB No. 1615-0044; Expires 06/30/07

Instructions for Form I-824, Application for
Action on an Approved Application or Petition

Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

Instructions
Please read these instructions carefully to properly complete this form. If you need more space to complete an answer, use a
separate sheet(s) of paper. Write your name and Alien Registration Number (A #), if any, at the top of each sheet of paper
and indicate the part and number of the item to which the answer refers.

What Is the Purpose of This Form.
Use Form I-824 to request further action on an approved
petition or application.

When Should I Use Form Use Form I-824
You should use Form I-824 to request the U.S. Citizenship
and Immigration Services (USCIS) to provide further action
on a previously approved petition or application.
NOTE: USCIS will not process Form I-824 if your petition or
application has been denied or has not yet been approved.
This form should not be used to verify the status of a pending
petition or application.

General Instructions.
You may file this form at any time while the application or
petition is valid.
A separate Form I-824 must be filed for each action being
requested. Follow the steps below to complete your
application:
Step 1 - Reason for Filing Form I-824
Step 2 - Fill Out the Form I-824

Step 1. Reason for Filing Form I-824
The reasons why you may request further action are listed in
the next column. Check the box in Part 2 of Form I-824 that
applies to your request.
1. If you are requesting:
A. A duplicate approval notice. Check Box A.
NOTE: The duplicate notice will contain only the
information listed on the original Form I-797, Notice of
Action. A replacement employment card, Form I-94 or
any other USCIS authorization document will not
accompany the duplicate approval notice.

B. USCIS to notify a different U.S. Consulate or Port-ofEntry concerning the approval of an application or
petition. Check Box B. If approved, USCIS will cable
information regarding the approval of your application
or petition to a different consulate or Port-of-Entry than
originally requested.
C. USCIS to notify a U.S. Consulate that your status has
been adjusted to permanent resident. Check Box C.
This is to request USCIS to notify a specific U.S.
Consulate that your status has been adjusted to that of a
lawful permanent resident so that your spouse and/or
child(ren) may apply for an immigrant visa. This
notification is available only on following-to-join
immigrant relative visas based on a principal's
employment, fiancé(e) or diversity status.
D. USCIS to send your approved immigrant visa to the U.
S. Department of State's National Visa Center (NVC).
Check Box D. This is to request USCIS to send your
approved immigrant visa to the U.S. Department of
State through the NVC.
E. USCIS to notify the U.S. Department of State of your
U.S. citizenship status. Check Box E. This is to
request USCIS to notify the U.S. State Department that
you have become a U.S. citizen through naturalization.
NOTE: You may also notify the U.S. Department of
State of your status as a U.S. citizen by submitting a
copy of your naturalization certificate to the National
Visa Center, 32 Rochester Avenue, Portsmouth, NH
03801-2909.
2. You may not file this form to request:
A. A duplicate notice for an application or petition that is
pending or has been denied; or
B. A duplicate approval notice naming a spouse or
children accompanying or following-to-join the
principal beneficiary on an approved immigrant
petition; or
C. USCIS to cable information to the U.S. Consulate
regarding the approval of your expired nonimmigrant
application or petition; or
Form I-824 Instructions (Rev. 07/30/07) N

D. USCIS to cable information to the U.S. Consulate
regarding an employment based application or petition
if your employment for the original petitioner has
ended; or
E. USCIS to notify a U.S. Consulate of the approval of a
Form I-600A, Application for Advance Processing of
Orphan Petition, and/or a Form I-600, Petition to
Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative.

9. IRS Tax # - If you are filing this application on behalf of a
business or organization, give the Internal Revenue Service
Tax Number of the business or organization.
10. A # - This is your Alien Registration Number
(immigration file number). If you do not have an A
number or do not know it, leave this blank.
11. U.S. Social Security # - If you do not have a U.S. Social
Security number, leave this blank.

Step 2. Fill Out the Form I-824

Part 2 - Reason for request.

1. Type or print legibly in black ink.

Check one box that applies to your particular request.

2. If extra space is needed to complete any item, attach a
continuation sheet, indicate the item number, and date and
sign each sheet.

Part 3 - Additional information.

3. Answer all questions fully and accurately. State that an
item is not applicable with "N/A." If the answer is none,
write "none."
This form is divided into Parts 1 through 5. The following
information should help you fill out the form.

Part 1. Information about you.
1. Family Name (Last name) - Give your legal name. If you
have two last names, include both and use a hyphen (-)
between the names, if appropriate.

Provide the requested information regarding the original
application or petition.

Part 4 - Signature.
As the applicant, you must sign and date your Form I-824. If
you do not sign the form, the application will be returned as
incomplete.

Part 5 - Signature of person preparing form,
if other than applicant.
If you, the applicant, did not fill out Form I-824, the preparer
must also sign, date and give his or her address.

2. Company or Organization Name - Give the entity's
complete name if the petitioner or applicant is a company
or organization.

Step 3. General Requirements

3. Home or Business Address - Give your physical street
address. This must include a street number and name or a
rural route number. Do not put a post office box (P.O. Box
number here).

1. A copy of the original petition or application.

4. Mailing Address - Give your mailing address, if different
from your home or business address.
5. Daytime Telephone Number - Give a complete number
with area/country codes where you can be reached during
the day.
6. Country of Birth - Give the name of the country where
you were born.
7. Country of Citizenship - Give the name of the country of
which you are a citizen.
8. Date of Birth - Use eight numbers to show your date of
birth (example: May 1, 1979, should be written
05/01/1979).

Attach copies, showing the front and back of the following
documents, if available.
2. A copy of the Form I-797, Notice of Action, for the
original petition or application.
3. A copy of the Form N-550, Certificate of Naturalization.

Copies. Unless specifically required that an original
document be filed with an application or petition, an ordinary
legible photocopy may be submitted. Original documents
submitted when not required will remain a part of the record,
even if the submission was not required.

Where To File.
You should submit this form and any related evidence to the
USCIS office that approved the original petition or
application. This could be either a USCIS Service Center or
local USCIS office.
Form I-824 Instructions (Rev. 07/30/07) N Page 2

What Is the Filing Fee.
The filing fee for a Form I-824 is $340.00.
Use the following guidelines when you prepare your check or
money order for the Form I-824 fee:
1. The check or money order must be drawn on a bank or
other financial institution located in the United States and
must be payable in U.S. currency; and
2. Make the check or money order payable to U.S.
Department of Homeland Security, unless:
A. If you live in Guam and are filing your petition
there, make it payable to Treasurer, Guam.
B. If you live in the U.S. Virgin Islands and are filing
your petition there, make it payable to
Commissioner of Finance of the Virgin Islands.
NOTE: Please spell out U.S. Department of Homeland
Security; do not use the initials "USDHS" or "DHS."
Notice to Those Making Payment by Check. If you send us
a check, it will be converted into an electronic funds transfer
(EFT). This means we will copy your check and use the
account information on it to electronically debit your account
for the amount of the check. The debit from your account will
usually take 24 hours, and will be shown on your regular
account statement.
You will not receive your original check back. We will
destroy your original check, but we will keep a copy of it. If
the EFT cannot be processed for technical reasons, you
authorize us to process the copy in place of your original
check. If the EFT cannot be completed because of insufficient
funds, we may try to make the transfer up to two times.
How to Check If the Fees Are Correct.
The form fee on this form is current as the the edition date
appearing in the lower right corner of this page. However,
because USCIS fees change periodically, you can verify if the
fees are correct by following one of the steps below:
1. Visit our website at www.uscis.gov, select
"Immigration Forms" check the appropriate fee;
2. Review the Fee Schedule included in your form
package, if you called us to request the form or
3. Telephone our National Customer Service Center at
1-800-375-5283 and ask for the fee information.

Address Changes.
If you change your address and you have an application or
petition pending with USCIS, you may change your address
on-line at www.uscis.gov, click on "Change your address with
USCIS" and follow the prompts or by completing and mailing
Form AR-11, Alien's Change of Address Card, to:
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Change of Address
P.O. Box 7134
London, KY 40742-7134
For commercial overnight or fast freight services only, mail
to:
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Change of Address
1084-I South Laurel Road
London, KY 40744

Processing Information.
Any Form I-824 that is not signed or accompanied by the
correct fee, will be rejected with a notice that the Form
I-824 is deficient. You may correct the deficiency and
resubmit the Form I-824. An application or petition is not
considered properly filed until accepted by USCIS.

Initial processing. Once a Form I-824 has been accepted, it

will be checked for completness, including submission of the
required initial evidence. If you do not completely fill out the
form, or file it without required initial evidence, you will not
establish a basis for eligibility and we may deny your Form
I-824.

Requests for more information or interview. We may

request more information or evidence, or we may request that
you appear at a USCIS office for an interview. We may also
request that you submit the originals of any copy. We will
return these originals when they are no longer required.

Decision. The decision on a Form I-824 involves a
determination of whether you have established eligiblity for
the requested benefit. You will be notified of the decision in
writing.

Form I-824 Instructions (Rev. 07/30/07) N Page 3

USCIS Forms and Information.
To order USCIS forms, call our toll-free number at
1-800-870-3676. You can also get USCIS forms and
information on immigration laws, regulations and procedures
by telephoning our National Customer Service Center at
1-800-375-5283 or visiting our internet website at www.uscis.
gov.
As an altenative to waiting in line for assistance at your local
USCIS office, you can now schedule an appointment through
our internet-based system, InfoPass. To access the system,
visit our website. Use the InfoPass appointment scheduler and
follow the screen prompts to set up your appointment.
InfoPass generates an electronic appointment notice that
appears on the screen.

Penalties.
If you knowingly and willfully falsify or conceal a material
fact or submit a false document with this Form I-824, we will
deny the Form I-824 and may deny any other immigration
benefit.
In addition, you will face severe penalties provided by law and
may be subject to criminal prosecution.

Privacy Act Notice.
We ask for the information on this form, and associated
evidence, to determine if you have established eligibility for
the immigration benefit for which you are filing. Our legal
right to ask for this information can be found in the
Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended. We may
provide this information to other government agencies. Failure
to provide this information, and any requested evidence, may
delay a final decision or result in denial of your Form I-824.

Paperwork Reduction Act.
An agency may not conduct or sponsor an information
collection and a person is not required to respond to a
collection of information unless it displays a currently valid
OMB control number. The public reporting burden for this
collection of information is estimated at 25 minutes per
response, including the time for reviewing instructions,
completing and submitting the form. Send comments
regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this
collection of information, including suggestions for reducing
this burden, to: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services,
Regulatory Management Division, 111 Massachusetts
Avenue, N.W., 3rd Floor, Suite 3008, Washington, DC 20529.
OMB No. 1615-0044. Do not mail your application to this
address.

Form I-824 Instructions (Rev. 07/30/07) N Page 4