305.11 How to Verify Alien Status SR 94-04, 04/94 (FSM-A) |
Require aliens to provide INS documentation, when possible. The alien registration number is needed to access the SAVE system for the mandatory alien status verification with INS. In case INS verification takes longer than 21 days, information upon which to make an eligibility decision is needed. Case technicians are not required to assist an applicant in verifying citizenship.
The following chart lists INS documents that verify alien status. The majority of INS documents contain a seven or eight digit number preceded by the letter "A." This number is necessary to access the SAVE system. Each A-number registers one alien only.
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COMMON INS FORMS |
FORM DESCRIPTION AND ALIEN STATUS |
PROGRAMS AVAILABLE |
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I-94 Arrival–Departure Record |
Issued to almost all aliens 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 must bear one of the following annotations: Section 203(a)(7)—Conditional Entry Section 207—Refugee Section 208—Asylee Section 212(d)(5)—Parolee Section 243(h) Cuban-Haitian Entrant Employment Authorized |
Food Stamps I-94 must be annotated with one of the following: refugee, parolee, paroled, or asylum. AFDC I-94 bearing annotation Section 203(a)(7) must have been issued prior to April 1, 1980 to be acceptable. I-94 bearing annotation Section 212(d)(5)—Parolee must also state that the parole is for an indefinite period of time. |
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I-151 Alien Registration Receipt Card (Also called "Green Card") |
Issued to lawful permanent residents prior to June 1978. This form is no longer issued. |
Food Stamps AFDC
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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. |
Food Stamps AFDC |
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I-551 Alien Registration Receipt Card (As above, also called "Green Card") |
Issued to lawful permanent residents after June 1978. Valid indefinitely. Revision of Form I-151. |
Food Stamps AFDC |
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Also acts as Conditional Resident Alien card |
Also issued to conditional residents, such as alien 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." |
Food Stamps AFDC |
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Also acts as an Amnesty Alien card |
Also issued to amnesty aliens admitted under INA Section 210 (SAW and ASAW agricultural workers), and those admitted under INA section 245(a). The alien registration number for amnesty aliens begins with A9. The I-551 will not list the INA section number admitting the alien. |
Food Stamps * Only the following 2 groups of amnesty aliens are eligible for food stamps: SAW and ASAW agricultural aliens (I-551 is annotated with S16 or S26), and aged, disabled, or blind aliens. AFDC * * Amnesty aliens are eligible for food stamps or AFDC only after 5 years from first being admitted as temporary residents (I-551 is annotated W16, W26, or W36), with the additional condition that the alien has since been granted permanent resident status. Since the effective date of the amnesty program was May 5, 1987, the first aliens will be eligible for food stamps under the amnesty program on May 5, 1992. |
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I-571 Refugee Travel Document |
Issued to aliens who have been granted refugee status. This document contains an expiration date. |
Food Stamps AFDC |
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I-688 Temporary Resident Card |
Issued to amnesty aliens approved for temporary resident status under sections 210, 210(a), or 245(a) of the INA. Aliens who have been approved for permanent status will bear the I-551 "Green Card." |
Food Stamps To be eligible, aliens must be admitted under sections 210 (SAW) or 210(a) (ASAW), or be at least 65 years old, disabled, or blind. |
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I-688A Employment Authorization Card |
Issued to applicants for temporary resident alien status after the initial interview for legalization, but before approval. |
None |
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I-689 Fee Receipt |
Issued to applicants for status under the legalization (amnesty) SAW and RAW programs when the application for legalization has been submitted and the fee has been paid. This document expires on the date of the legalization interview, when the applicant may receive an Employment Authorization Card (I-688A). |
None
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N-560A |
Certificate of naturalization issued for babies verified by INS as born to U.S. citizens overseas. |
Food Stamps AFDC |
Other types of INS alien documentation include notifications on INS letterhead, U.S. stamps on passports, or INS computer-printed fee receipts. If the alien presents an unfamiliar type of documentation, follow the SAVE secondary verification procedures outlined below.
Accept a document which is not issued by INS only when it provides reasonable evidence of immigration status. However, submit all non-INS documents to INS through the secondary verification process.