# Your case papers: keeping them safe and getting copies

Source: https://www.qaravan.org/resources/documents/case-papers/

Notices, cards and court papers prove your status and deadlines. They are easier to lose than to replace.

QARAVAN does not provide legal services. Discuss with an immigration lawyer what to carry and what to request from agencies.

## Start here

- Report a new address to USCIS within 10 days and, if you have a court case, separately to the immigration court within 5 days on form EOIR-33.
- Keep originals at home in one folder and send agencies copies: USCIS may destroy originals sent without being asked.
- An adult who is not a US citizen must carry their registration document; ask a lawyer which of your papers that is.

## The papers you collect

Each paper has its own issuer, its own purpose and its own way to get a copy. Copies from your file and court record are requested under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

Case papers: who issues them, why you need them and where to get a copy

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## Your own copies: gather and keep them

Copies save you when a letter is lost, a card is stolen or a lawyer needs a document fast.

1. Put everything in one folder All notices, cards, court papers and postmarked envelopes. Start with the newest.
2. Photograph or scan every page Capture both sides of cards and every page. USCIS wants clear copies: not blurry or faded, no streaks, not upside down or skewed, with no cut-off or covered text.
3. Name the files so you can find them Start the file name with the date, then the type of paper, for example “2026-10-14 USCIS notice”. A year later you will find it in a minute.
4. Keep copies in two places Keep copies on your phone and give a second set to someone you trust or your lawyer. Then losing your phone won't leave you without them.
5. Copy everything you send Before mailing, copy the whole package, the payment form and the tracking number: that is how you check delivery.
6. Send copies and keep the originals USCIS asks for originals only when the form instructions or the law require them. Originals sent without a request may be destroyed under federal records rules and are not returned automatically.

- USCIS rules for papers you send by mail Any status USCIS requirements for copies, translations and envelopes. Documents in another language need a full English translation and a translator's certificate. [uscis.gov](https://www.uscis.gov/forms/filing-guidance/tips-for-filing-forms-by-mail)

## Do not miss your mail: addresses and accounts

Notices of hearings, interviews and decisions come by mail. If an agency has your old address, you can miss a date or a request for documents.

- Your new address for USCIS Any status Asylum applicants With a work permit (EAD) Granted asylum Green card Everyone who is not a US citizen reports a change of address to USCIS within 10 days (except A and G visa holders and Visa Waiver entrants). It is easiest in your USCIS online account (My Account), with each case number; paper form AR-11 also counts but does not update the systems automatically. A USPS change of address does not reach USCIS, and USPS does not forward USCIS mail, so change both. [uscis.gov](https://www.uscis.gov/addresschange)
- Your USCIS online account Any status Asylum applicants With a work permit (EAD) Granted asylum Green card The account shows your case status and history, messages from USCIS and appointment notices; paper cases are added by receipt number. USCIS asks you not to share an account: it must be yours alone. When you create it you get a backup code for two-step verification: keep it somewhere safe. [uscis.gov](https://www.uscis.gov/file-online/how-to-create-a-uscis-online-account)
- Your new address for immigration court Asylum applicants With a work permit (EAD) Any status If you have an immigration court case, tell the court your new address in writing within 5 days on form EOIR-33 (rule 8 CFR 1003.15(d)(2)). You can file it online without logging in. [justice.gov](https://www.justice.gov/eoir/respondent-access-portal-frequently-asked-questions)

## Copies of your file from USCIS

You request your USCIS file (A-File) under FOIA and the Privacy Act online, in the USCIS FIRST system through your USCIS account.

1. Sign in to your USCIS online account If you don't have an account, create one. You will download the records there.
2. Check the electronic reading room USCIS posts documents requested three or more times in its Electronic Reading Room. Yours may already be there.
3. Choose a request for your own records Choose that you are requesting records about yourself. Each person, even a relative, needs a separate request: USCIS does not process joint ones.
4. Give the details that identify you Full name, current address, date and place of birth are required. You can add your A-Number and parents' names: USCIS uses them only if it can't find records without them, and they must match the records.
5. Follow the status in FIRST USCIS emails you when there is an update. Your account will show “Records Not Available” (none found or an error, file a new request) or “Records Available” (ready to download).

- USCIS FIRST: requesting records online Any status Asylum applicants With a work permit (EAD) Granted asylum Green card FOIA and Privacy Act requests through your online account; ready records are downloaded there. The decision letter explains how to appeal; OGIS (Office of Government Information Services) can mediate between you and the agency. [first.uscis.gov](https://first.uscis.gov/)
- A hearing in immigration court is coming up Asylum applicants Any status Attach proof of the date: a Notice to Appear (I-862), form I-122 or I-863, a notice of a rescheduled hearing, or an ACIS printout. USCIS handles these requests first. [uscis.gov](https://www.uscis.gov/records/request-records-through-the-freedom-of-information-act-or-privacy-act)
- What usually is not in your USCIS file Any status The I-94 is rarely in the A-File: USCIS suggests getting it [on the CBP website](https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/home). Visa and passport return records are usually with the State Department; bond, medical and student records with ICE. [i94.cbp.dhs.gov](https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/home)
- Questions about a FOIA request Any status Check the status of your request at [first.uscis.gov](https://first.uscis.gov) with the FOIA control number from your receipt, and email questions about it to foiapaquestions@uscis.dhs.gov. For questions about applications and your case, use your USCIS online account ([myaccount.uscis.gov](https://myaccount.uscis.gov)) or Emma, the USCIS virtual assistant, which can connect you to a live chat with an agent: [uscis.gov/tools/meet-emma-our-virtual-assistant](https://uscis.gov/tools/meet-emma-our-virtual-assistant). [uscis.gov](https://www.uscis.gov/records/request-records-through-the-freedom-of-information-act-or-privacy-act)

## Copies of your immigration court case

The court belongs to EOIR, which is not part of DHS, so DHS and USCIS forms and requests don't work for it. You can view and download your case in the Respondent Access Portal, or request copies from the court or through FOIA.

1. Wait for the EOIR letter EOIR is opening the portal in stages and tells you by mailed letter when you can register. An adult without a lawyer whose case is not joined with a child's registers after the letter. If you have a lawyer, you can't register yet: the lawyer uses the ECAS Case Portal.
2. Get a DOJ Login You need a DOJ Login account; the EOIR letter explains how to get one.
3. Click Request Download To download your case (eROP), click Request Download: the copy is ready within 24 hours. The button doesn't work if your case records are paper only.
4. If the record is on paper, ask the court Request the Record of Proceeding (ROP) from the court that has your case. Give your full name, date and place of birth, A-Number, which parts you need and how to deliver them (pickup, mail or email), and add a dated statement “under penalty of perjury”. Forms EOIR-59 and DOJ-361 help you include everything.

- Respondent Access Portal Asylum applicants Any status The portal shows your case, hearings and asylum clock; you download and file documents there: PDF, JPG and JPEG up to 25 MB, and EOIR serves DHS for you. Filing online is optional. It works in major browsers (best in Edge and Chrome) and on phones. [justice.gov](https://www.justice.gov/eoir/respondent-access-portal-frequently-asked-questions)
- ACIS: case status without an account Asylum applicants Any status With your A-Number and country of citizenship, ACIS shows basic information about your case in court or at the BIA. Not every case or detail is available; only documents the court sends you or your representative are official. [acis.eoir.justice.gov](https://acis.eoir.justice.gov/en/)
- A request for the ROP to the court Asylum applicants Any status The respondent requests the Record of Proceeding from their own court; this is not FOIA. EOIR's page lists what to include, which forms work and how to email the request to the court. [justice.gov](https://www.justice.gov/eoir/ROPrequest)
- FOIA request to EOIR Any status If your case is closed and you have no portal access, request copies under FOIA through the Public Access Link (PAL) or by mail to EOIR's FOIA Service Center. EOIR suggests a signed form DOJ-361, or your full name, current address, date and place of birth with a notarized signature or a statement under penalty of perjury. The first 100 pages and 2 hours of search are free. EOIR decides within 20 business days, which can be extended to 30. Check the status in PAL. [justice.gov](https://www.justice.gov/eoir/foia-submit-a-request) Office of the General Counsel, Attn: FOIA Service Center, Executive Office for Immigration Review, 5107 Leesburg Pike, Suite 2150, Falls Church, VA 22041
- Help with the portal Any status Portal questions: ECAS.techsupport@usdoj.gov. The Quick Reference Guide shows how to upload, download and view your case. [justice.gov](https://www.justice.gov/eoir/respondent-access-portal-frequently-asked-questions)

## What to carry with you

- The law on carrying a registration document Any status Under federal law (8 U.S. Code, section 1304(e)) everyone 18 or older who is not a US citizen must always carry the certificate of alien registration or alien registration receipt card issued to them. The penalty is a fine up to $100, up to 30 days in jail, or both. Which of your papers count depends on your status: decide with a lawyer what to carry and what to leave at home. Keep copies separately. [law.cornell.edu](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/8/1304)
- A paper is lost or damaged Any status For replacing a work permit, green card or I-94, see “[Lost, damaged or wrong immigration documents](https://www.qaravan.org/resources/documents/lost-papers/)”. Gather copies and your case number first: the form will need them.

## Glossary: definitions of special terms and abbreviations

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This is general information, not legal advice: QARAVAN has no lawyers. QARAVAN does not help anyone enter the US and cannot arrange visas, invitations, sponsorship or evacuation. For your own case, talk to a licensed immigration attorney or a representative accredited by the U.S. Department of Justice.

[All pages: IDs and documents](https://www.qaravan.org/resources/documents/)

**Sources, checked November 2026**

- [uscis.gov/forms/filing-guidance/tips-for-filing-forms-by-mail](https://www.uscis.gov/forms/filing-guidance/tips-for-filing-forms-by-mail)
- [uscis.gov/records/request-records-through-the-freedom-of-infor…](https://www.uscis.gov/records/request-records-through-the-freedom-of-information-act-or-privacy-act)
- [acis.eoir.justice.gov/en](https://acis.eoir.justice.gov/en/)
- [first.uscis.gov](https://first.uscis.gov/)
- [i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/home](https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/home)
- [justice.gov/eoir/ROPrequest](https://www.justice.gov/eoir/ROPrequest)
- [justice.gov/eoir/foia-submit-a-request](https://www.justice.gov/eoir/foia-submit-a-request)
- [justice.gov/eoir/respondent-access-portal-frequently-asked-que…](https://www.justice.gov/eoir/respondent-access-portal-frequently-asked-questions)
- [law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/8/1304](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/8/1304)
- [uscis.gov/addresschange](https://www.uscis.gov/addresschange)
- [uscis.gov/file-online/how-to-create-a-uscis-online-account](https://www.uscis.gov/file-online/how-to-create-a-uscis-online-account)