305.23 Verification of Qualified Alien Status (FAM)

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The Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS) maintains various databases on non-citizens in the U.S. Verify the accuracy of documents provided by the non-citizen against BCIS data using the Verification Information System (VIS) primary and secondary verification process.

Primary verification: To initiate primary verification, access VIS through the Internet and follow the instructions on each screen.

Secondary verification: Perform secondary verification procedures when:

· the initial System Response in VIS indicates "Institute Additional Verification"; or

the information in the VIS Initial Results section does not match the information on the documents provided by the non-citizen.

If requested, provide BCIS with copies of the needed documents and BCIS Form G-845, Verification Request. Attach photocopies of the front and back of all pages of the non-citizen’s original documents. Forward the request to the BCIS District Office at the following address:

Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services
Attn: Status Verifier (No. 2)
JFK Federal Building
Government Center
Boston, MA 02203
Phone: (800) 375-5283

The following chart lists common BCIS documents.

COMMON BCIS DOCUMENTS	DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION AND NON-CITIZEN STATUS
I-94 Arrival–Departure Record	Issued to most non-citizens upon entry into the U.S. It is attached to an unexpired foreign passport. Often it includes neither an A-number nor a photograph. It also may contain entries such as the following: Section 203(a)(7)—Conditional Entry Section 207—Refugee Section 208—Asylee Section 212(d)(5)—Parolee Cuban/Haitian Entrant Amerasian Immigrant (may have codes AM1, 2, 3 or AM 6, 7, or 8)
I-151 (Obsolete) Alien Registration Receipt Card (Also called "Green Card")	Issued to lawful permanent residents prior to June 1978. This form is no longer issued. Although no longer acceptable as verification of lawful permanent resident status, an expired I-151 does not indicate lack of permanent resident status. Encourage the individual to contact BCIS, 1-800-375-5283, for instructions on how to replace the I-151 card with the current I-551 card.
I-327 Reentry Permit	Issued to lawful permanent residents (lawful immigrants) before they leave the U.S. for a one- to two-year period. The document bears an expiration date.
I-551 Permanent Resident Card (also called "Green Card" although it is no longer green)	Issued to lawful permanent residents after June 1978. Valid indefinitely. Replaced previous Form I-151, which is no longer valid as of 3/20/96. Also known as the "Alien Registration Receipt Card."
	Also issued to conditional residents, such as non-citizen spouses of U.S. citizens or lawful residents. When this is the case, the form is only valid until the expiration date on the back. Annotated "CR."
I-571 Refugee Travel Document	Issued to non-citizens who have been granted refugee status. This document contains an expiration date.
N-560A	Certificate of naturalization issued for babies verified by BCIS as born to U.S. citizens overseas.

References: He-W 601.01; He-W 601.05; He-W 606.02; He-W 616.02; 8 CFR 1.2; 8 CFR 101.1; 8 CFR 215.1(a); 45 CFR 233.50; 42 USC 1320b-7(d); 8 USC 1158; 8 USC 1255; 8 USC 1611-1613; 8 USC 1641