Summary. Seventeen templates, in case order.
1. Case tracker (fill this once, keep it forever)
FAMILY IMMIGRATION CASE TRACKER
PETITIONER
Name: ______________________ DOB: ________
Status: U.S. citizen / LPR Since: ________
Proof of status: ______________________
Address: ______________________ Since: ________
BENEFICIARY
Name: ______________________ DOB: ________
Country of BIRTH (chargeability): ______________
Citizenship (if different): ______________
Current country of residence: ______________
A-number (if any): ______________
Passport number / expiry: ______________
RELATIONSHIP: ______________________
CATEGORY: IR / F1 / F2A / F2B / F3 / F4
CROSS-CHARGEABILITY POSSIBLE? Yes / No — to: ______________
PETITION
Filed: ____/____/______ Receipt number: ______________
PRIORITY DATE: ____/____/______ <- record in 3 places
Approved: ____/____/______
Notice stored: paper ___ digital ___ second person ___
DERIVATIVES (spouse and unmarried children under 21 of a preference beneficiary)
Name ______________ DOB ________ Age at filing ____
Name ______________ DOB ________ Age at filing ____
BULLETIN CHECKS (quarterly)
Date checked ________ Final Action ________ Filing ________ Current? Y/N
Date checked ________ Final Action ________ Filing ________ Current? Y/N
ADDRESS CHANGES REPORTED
Date ________ To: USCIS ___ NVC ___ Confirmation ______________
CATEGORY-CHANGING EVENTS
Petitioner naturalized: ________ New category: ________
Beneficiary married: ________ New category: ________
Beneficiary divorced: ________ New category: ________
2. Admissibility screening worksheet
BENEFICIARY ADMISSIBILITY SCREEN — complete BEFORE filing
Grounds: 8 U.S.C. § 1182
ENTRIES AND PRESENCE
Every entry to the U.S., in order:
Date ________ Manner: inspected+admitted / parole / WITHOUT INSPECTION
Status granted: ____________ Authorized until: ________
Departed: ________
(repeat for every entry)
UNLAWFUL PRESENCE
Periods present after authorized stay expired, or present without admission:
From ________ to ________ = ______ days
From ________ to ________ = ______ days
TOTAL: ______ days
Any period excluded (under 18 / pending asylum / other)? ____________
Departure after 180+ days unlawful presence? Yes / No Date ________
-> 3-year bar. Expires: ________
Departure after 365+ days unlawful presence? Yes / No Date ________
-> 10-year bar. Expires: ________
Reentry or attempted reentry WITHOUT ADMISSION after 1 year aggregate
unlawful presence? Yes / No
-> the harshest bar in the statute. STOP. Counsel required.
REMOVAL HISTORY
Removal order / deportation / expedited removal: Yes / No Date ________
Voluntary departure granted: Yes / No Date ________
Complied with voluntary departure by the date? Yes / No
CRIMINAL
Arrest / citation / charge / conviction, anywhere, ever: Yes / No
Date ______ Jurisdiction ____________ Charge ____________
Disposition ____________ Sentence (incl. suspended) ________
CERTIFIED DISPOSITION ORDERED? Yes / No Received: ________
(repeat)
MISREPRESENTATION
Any false statement on any immigration form? Yes / No
Any use of a false document or another identity? Yes / No
ANY CLAIM TO U.S. CITIZENSHIP on any form? Yes / No
(I-9, voter registration, passport, loan, benefits, school)
-> generally NO WAIVER. Counsel required immediately.
Any voting or voter registration in the U.S.? Yes / No
OTHER
Prior visa or application denials: Yes / No
Prior marriages properly terminated (both)? Yes / No
Communicable disease / missing vaccinations: Yes / No
Public charge concerns: Yes / No
ANY YES IN THE SHADED CATEGORIES -> counsel BEFORE filing anything.
3. Child Status Protection Act calculator
CSPA WORKSHEET — run this for every child and derivative
Child's date of birth: ____/____/______
Petition filed (priority date): ____/____/______
Petition approved: ____/____/______
PENDING TIME = approval minus filing: ______ days
Date visa became available (priority date current
per the governing chart): ____/____/______
Child's actual age on that date: ____ yr ____ mo ____ da
ADJUSTED AGE = actual age minus pending time: ____ yr ____ mo ____ da
Adjusted age UNDER 21? Yes / No
IF YES — status is preserved, BUT ONLY IF the child
"sought to acquire" permanent residence within
ONE YEAR of visa availability.
One-year deadline: ____/____/______
Action taken (application filed / DS-260 submitted /
fee paid / other): ____________ on ________
WITHIN the deadline? Yes / No
IF NO — the child has aged out of this petition.
Alternate paths to research NOW:
[ ] Automatic conversion to F2B on the principal's immigration,
with priority date retention
[ ] Independent petition by another qualifying relative
[ ] Other basis: ____________________
NOTE FOR IMMEDIATE RELATIVES: age is generally locked at the date
the petition was FILED. A child who was 20 at filing remains a child.
NOTE ON NATURALIZATION: if the petitioner naturalizes while an F2A
child is under 21, the case converts to immediate relative and the
age lock applies from the date of naturalization.
4. Relationship evidence index
RELATIONSHIP EVIDENCE — INDEX
Case: ______________ Beneficiary: ______________
TAB A — FOUNDATIONAL
A-1 Marriage certificate
A-2 Petitioner's prior marriage terminations (decree/death cert)
A-3 Beneficiary's prior marriage terminations
A-4 Birth certificates (children)
TAB B — FINANCIAL COMMINGLING [strongest category]
B-1 Joint federal tax returns / transcripts, years ______
B-2 Joint checking account, opened ________, statements ______
B-3 Joint savings account, opened ________, statements ______
B-4 Joint credit accounts
B-5 Beneficiary designations (retirement, life insurance)
TAB C — SHARED RESIDENCE
C-1 Lease or deed, both names, dates ______
C-2 Utility bills, both names, one per quarter, years ______
C-3 Mail addressed to both at the same address
C-4 Renters or homeowners insurance, both named
TAB D — INSURANCE AND BENEFITS
D-1 Health insurance naming spouse
D-2 Auto insurance, both drivers
D-3 Employer benefits enrollment naming spouse
TAB E — LIFE TOGETHER
E-1 Photographs by year, ______ through ______, with captions:
date, place, occasion, who else is present
E-2 Travel: itineraries, boarding passes, hotel confirmations
E-3 Event records: weddings attended, funerals, holidays
E-4 Memberships, gym, clubs, religious congregation
E-5 Pet registrations, school pickup authorizations, emergency contacts
TAB F — THIRD-PARTY STATEMENTS
F-1 through F-__: affidavits (see Template 5 — each must be DIFFERENT)
TAB G — CORRESPONDENCE
G-1 Messages and letters across the relationship, sampled by year
CAPTION EVERY PHOTOGRAPH. An uncaptioned photo proves almost nothing.
5. Third-party affidavit (marriage bona fides)
Give each person this structure. Do not give them a script — identical affidavits destroy their own credibility.
AFFIDAVIT
I, [Full name], residing at [address], declare under penalty of perjury:
1. I am [age], a [U.S. citizen / lawful permanent resident / other]. I am
employed as [occupation] at [employer].
2. HOW I KNOW THEM. I have known [Petitioner] since [year] because
[specific: we worked together at ____; we grew up on the same street;
she is my sister]. I have known [Beneficiary] since [month, year], when
[specific circumstance — where you met them, what was happening].
3. HOW OFTEN I SEE THEM. I see them approximately [frequency]. [Describe
the actual pattern: "They come to my house for dinner most Sundays."
"We work in the same building and I see them together at lunch most
weeks." "I live in the apartment below theirs."]
4. WHAT I HAVE OBSERVED. [Three or four SPECIFIC observations. Not "they
love each other" — that is a conclusion. Instead:
- "When [Beneficiary] had surgery in March 2023, [Petitioner] took two
weeks off work and I brought them meals; she was there every day."
- "They hosted Thanksgiving in 2022, 2023 and 2024. I attended all
three. Both families were there."
- "They argue about money like anyone. I have heard them work it out."
- "They bought the house on [street] in 2023. I helped them move."]
5. SPECIFIC EVENTS I ATTENDED. [List with dates: their wedding on [date] at
[place], where I [role]; the baptism of their daughter on [date]; the
party for [Petitioner]'s promotion in [month, year].]
6. MY BELIEF. Based on what I have personally seen over [__] years, I
believe this is a genuine marriage.
I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States that
the foregoing is true and correct.
_______________________________ Date: __________
[Name] · [Address] · [Phone]
[Attach a copy of the affiant's photo identification.]
Rules that make these work:
- Every affidavit must be different. Different length, different events, different voice.
- Specific dates and places beat adjectives.
- An affiant who admits a limit is more credible — "I did not meet her family until 2023."
- Include identification for each affiant.
- Five good affidavits beat fifteen generic ones.
6. Affidavit of support worksheet
AFFIDAVIT OF SUPPORT — INCOME WORKSHEET
SPONSOR: ______________________ Relationship: ______________
U.S. citizen / LPR: ______ Domiciled in the U.S.? Yes / No
(If living abroad: evidence of domicile or intent to reestablish
by a date certain: ____________________)
HOUSEHOLD SIZE
Sponsor 1
Spouse ____
Dependent children ____
Other dependents claimed on tax return ____
Immigrant(s) being sponsored NOW ____
Immigrants previously sponsored, obligation ongoing ____
TOTAL HOUSEHOLD SIZE ____
INCOME REQUIREMENT
Applicable % of federal poverty guidelines for this
household size (current year): $______
(Lower threshold applies to certain military sponsors.)
SPONSOR'S INCOME
Most recent tax year total income (line from return): $______
Current annual income (pay rate x periods): $______
SHORTFALL, if any: $______
IF SHORT — choose one or more:
[ ] ASSETS. Required: shortfall x [applicable multiple] = $______
Savings/checking: $______
Securities: $______
Real property equity: $______
(appraisal ___ , mortgage balance ___ )
Vehicles beyond one, other: $______
TOTAL ASSETS COUNTED: $______
(Assets must be convertible to cash within one year.)
[ ] HOUSEHOLD MEMBER INCOME.
Name ____________ Relationship ____________
Lives in the sponsor's household? Yes / No (required)
Income: $______ Signed household member contract? Yes / No
[ ] JOINT SPONSOR (see Template 7).
DOCUMENTS TO ATTACH
[ ] Most recent federal tax return or IRS transcript (3 years is stronger)
[ ] W-2s and 1099s
[ ] Current pay statements (last 6 months)
[ ] Employer letter: position, start date, salary, permanence
[ ] Proof of status (citizenship or LPR)
[ ] Asset documentation, if used
[ ] Evidence of U.S. domicile, if living abroad
[ ] Self-employed: full return with all schedules
EVERY SIGNER HAS BEEN TOLD, IN WRITING:
[ ] The obligation is a contract enforceable by the government AND by
the sponsored immigrant.
[ ] It SURVIVES DIVORCE.
[ ] It ends only when the immigrant naturalizes, is credited with 40
qualifying quarters, permanently departs, dies, or ceases to be an
LPR and departs.
Signer initials: ______
7. Joint sponsor selection and briefing
JOINT SPONSOR — QUALIFICATION CHECK
Name: ______________________ Relationship to family: ______________
[ ] U.S. citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident
[ ] At least 18 years old
[ ] Domiciled in the United States
[ ] Income meets the requirement for THEIR OWN household size
INDEPENDENTLY (they cannot combine with the petitioner)
Their household size: ____ Requirement: $______
Their income: $______ Meets it? Yes / No
[ ] Willing to sign a binding, enforceable contract
NOTE: a joint sponsor need not be related to anyone in the case.
NOTE: for a family of immigrants arriving together, one joint sponsor
may cover all, or two joint sponsors may split them — but each
must fully qualify for whoever they cover.
BRIEFING SCRIPT — read this to the joint sponsor before they sign
"What you are signing is not a character reference. It is a contract
with the United States government.
You are agreeing to maintain [Name] at [__]% of the federal poverty
level. If [Name] receives certain means-tested public benefits, the
agency that paid them can sue you for reimbursement.
[Name] can also sue you directly to enforce the support obligation.
This obligation does not end if you have a falling out. It does not end
if [Name] divorces [Petitioner]. It does not end if you move away.
It ends only when [Name] becomes a U.S. citizen, is credited with 40
qualifying quarters of work — roughly ten years — permanently leaves the
United States, dies, or loses permanent residence and departs.
It could last ten years or more. Do you want to do this?"
Joint sponsor confirms understanding: ______ (initials) Date: ________
8. Civil document tracker
CIVIL DOCUMENTS — TRACKER
Applicant: ______________
DOCUMENT COUNTRY REQUESTED RECEIVED TRANSLATED
Passport bio page ______ ________ ________ n/a
Birth certificate (long) ______ ________ ________ ________
Marriage certificate ______ ________ ________ ________
Divorce decree #1 ______ ________ ________ ________
Divorce decree #2 ______ ________ ________ ________
Spouse's divorce decree ______ ________ ________ ________
Death certificate (prior sp) ______ ________ ________ ________
Police certificate #1 ______ ________ ________ ________
(country of residence, dates ______ to ______)
Police certificate #2 ______ ________ ________ ________
Court record — case ______ ______ ________ ________ ________
Prison record ______ ________ ________ ________
Military record ______ ________ ________ ________
Adoption decree ______ ________ ________ ________
Name change order ______ ________ ________ ________
RECIPROCITY CHECK
[ ] State Department reciprocity page checked for each country
[ ] Documents listed as UNAVAILABLE identified: ____________________
[ ] Certification of unavailability requested (Template 9)
[ ] Secondary evidence assembled for each unavailable document
POLICE CERTIFICATE VALIDITY
Issued ________ Expires ________ Interview expected ________
Will it still be valid? Yes / No (If no, reorder timing: ________)
START THE SLOW ONES 12-18 MONTHS EARLY.
9. Certification of unavailability request
[Date]
[Civil registry / Court / Police authority]
[Address, country]
RE: Request for record, or certification that no record exists
Name: ______________________ (and any other name used)
Date of birth: ____/____/______
Place of birth: ______________________
Parents: ______________________ and ______________________
[For court/police: dates of residence ______ to ______]
I request a certified copy of the following record:
[ ] Birth certificate (long form, showing both parents)
[ ] Marriage record
[ ] Death record
[ ] Police clearance certificate
[ ] Court record: ______________________
If no such record exists, or if records for this period are not available,
I request a written CERTIFICATION OF NON-AVAILABILITY, on official
letterhead, stating:
- the search that was conducted,
- the years and records searched,
- the reason no record can be produced (destroyed, never registered,
records not maintained for that period, or otherwise).
This certification is required by a United States government agency in
connection with an immigration application, and a statement on official
letterhead is necessary.
Enclosed: [identification, fee, authorization, self-addressed envelope]
[Name] · [Address] · [Phone] · [Email]
---
SECONDARY EVIDENCE TO ASSEMBLE IF NO RECORD EXISTS
[ ] Baptismal or religious record made near the time of birth
[ ] School records naming the person and parents
[ ] Census records
[ ] Medical or hospital records of the birth
[ ] Family register or household registration
[ ] Affidavits from TWO people with DIRECT knowledge of the birth,
preferably older relatives, each stating their own date of birth,
their relationship, how they know the facts, and the specific
circumstances. Each affidavit must be individual, not a form.
10. Provisional waiver / extreme hardship brief outline
BRIEF IN SUPPORT OF WAIVER OF INADMISSIBILITY
Applicant: ______________ Qualifying relative: ______________
Qualifying relationship: U.S. citizen / LPR SPOUSE or PARENT
(NOTE: a child is NOT a qualifying relative for the unlawful
presence waiver. Confirm the qualifying relative before drafting.)
I. INTRODUCTION AND RELIEF REQUESTED
One page. Who the parties are, what ground applies, what is asked.
II. STATEMENT OF FACTS
Chronological. Entry history, family formation, the conduct creating
the ground, current circumstances. Cite exhibits by number.
III. THE APPLICANT IS INADMISSIBLE UNDER [ground], AND A WAIVER IS
AVAILABLE UNDER [provision]
State the ground, state the waiver, state the standard.
IV. SCENARIO ONE: SEPARATION
[Qualifying relative] remains in the United States.
A. Medical hardship
Diagnoses, treatment records, prognosis, physician letters.
What happens if the applicant is not here to provide care or
income for care. Exhibits ___.
B. Psychological hardship
Licensed clinician's evaluation with history and testing.
Exhibit ___.
C. Financial hardship
Household income with and without the applicant. Mortgage,
childcare, medical costs. Exhibit ___ (budget) and ___ (records).
D. Caregiving obligations
Who else depends on the qualifying relative. Exhibit ___.
E. Effect on children
School, medical, developmental. Exhibit ___.
V. SCENARIO TWO: RELOCATION
[Qualifying relative] relocates to [country].
A. Country conditions
Security, medical infrastructure, economy. Cite State Department
country reports and other published sources. Exhibits ___.
B. Medical care unavailability
Specific: is this treatment available, where, at what cost,
with what wait. Exhibit ___.
C. Employment and financial consequences
Qualifying relative's employability there; loss of income,
pension, benefits, business. Exhibit ___.
D. Language and education
Language of instruction; children's schooling. Exhibit ___.
E. LEGAL BARRIERS TO RELOCATION
Custody order prohibiting removal of a child from the
jurisdiction; care obligation for a parent; other. Exhibit ___.
[This is among the strongest and most overlooked showings.]
F. Family separation from others
Parents, siblings, children who would remain.
VI. THE HARDSHIP IS EXTREME IN THE AGGREGATE
Hardship is assessed cumulatively. No single factor must be extreme
standing alone. Summarize the combined effect.
VII. DISCRETION SHOULD BE EXERCISED FAVORABLY
Length of residence, family ties, employment, tax compliance,
community involvement, absence of criminal history, circumstances
of the original violation, rehabilitation, hardship to others.
VIII. CONCLUSION
EXHIBIT INDEX (tab and number everything; cite by exhibit in the text)
11. Hardship evidence collection list
EXTREME HARDSHIP — EVIDENCE TO COLLECT
Qualifying relative: ______________
MEDICAL
[ ] Complete records for each condition
[ ] Treating physician letter: diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and
SPECIFICALLY what happens if treatment is interrupted or if the
patient relocates to [country]
[ ] Prescription list and costs
[ ] Specialist availability in [country] — published sources
[ ] Insurance coverage that would be lost
PSYCHOLOGICAL
[ ] Evaluation by a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist, with
history, testing, diagnosis, and the specific effect of
separation AND of relocation
[ ] Treatment records, if in treatment
FINANCIAL
[ ] Tax returns, 3 years, both parties
[ ] Pay statements
[ ] Monthly budget: income and every necessary expense
[ ] Mortgage or lease; what happens if one income is lost
[ ] Debts, loans, medical debt
[ ] Business records if a business would fail
[ ] Cost estimate of maintaining two households
CHILDREN
[ ] School records and reports
[ ] Special education or therapy records
[ ] Pediatrician letters
[ ] Language of instruction in [country]
[ ] Custody orders (see below)
LEGAL BARRIERS
[ ] Custody or parenting order restricting removal from the state or
country <- powerful, frequently overlooked
[ ] Guardianship or conservatorship obligations
[ ] Probation or court obligations preventing relocation
COUNTRY CONDITIONS
[ ] State Department country report, current
[ ] Travel advisory for [country], current
[ ] International organization reports on security, health, economy
[ ] News reporting on conditions in the specific region
[ ] Treatment of the qualifying relative's group, if relevant
TIES AND EQUITIES
[ ] Length of residence, with proof by year
[ ] Employment history and letters
[ ] Tax compliance record
[ ] Community, religious, and volunteer involvement
[ ] Letters from employers, clergy, teachers, neighbors — specific
[ ] Property ownership
[ ] Care provided to other family members
QUALIFYING RELATIVE'S OWN DECLARATION
[ ] In their own words: what daily life is, what separation would do,
why relocation is impossible, what they fear. First person,
specific, not drafted to sound legal.
12. Request for evidence response
[Date]
RE: Response to Request for Evidence
Petitioner: ______________ Beneficiary: ______________
Receipt number: ______________
RFE dated ________ · Response due ________
To the Adjudicating Officer:
This is the complete response to the Request for Evidence dated [date].
Each requested item is addressed below in the order presented.
ITEM 1 — [Restate what was requested]
Response: [What is enclosed and what it establishes — two or three
sentences, not a narrative.]
Enclosures 1(a)–1(__): ______________________
ITEM 2 — [Restate]
Response: ______________________
Enclosures 2(a)–2(__): ______________________
ITEM 3 — [Restate: a document that cannot be obtained]
Response: This document cannot be obtained. On [date] I requested it
from [authority]; the response at Enclosure 3(a) certifies that
[no record exists / records for that period were destroyed]. In its
place I submit the following secondary evidence:
3(b) ______________________
3(c) ______________________
3(d) Affidavits of [names], persons with direct knowledge
ENCLOSURE INDEX
1(a) ______________________
...
All enclosures are true copies; originals are available for inspection.
______________________ Date: ________
[Name] · [Address] · [Phone] · [Email]
Sent by [method], tracking ______________
13. Removal of conditions — waiver of joint filing
PETITION TO REMOVE CONDITIONS — REQUEST FOR WAIVER OF JOINT FILING
Applicant: ______________ A-number: ______________
Conditional residence granted: ________ Second anniversary: ________
FILING WINDOW: ________ to ________ <- ninety days before the anniversary
WAIVER GROUND CLAIMED (one or more)
[ ] The marriage was entered in GOOD FAITH but was terminated by
divorce or annulment
[ ] I or my child was subjected to BATTERY or EXTREME CRUELTY by the
petitioning spouse
[ ] Termination of my status would result in EXTREME HARDSHIP
GOOD FAITH EVIDENCE — the marriage was real when it was entered
[ ] How we met, courtship, and the decision to marry — declaration
[ ] Wedding evidence: certificate, photos, guest list, receipts
[ ] Where we lived together, with proof for each period
[ ] Joint financial records from the marriage
[ ] Joint tax returns for the years married
[ ] Insurance, beneficiary designations
[ ] Children's records
[ ] Photographs across the whole marriage
[ ] Affidavits from people who knew us during the marriage
[ ] Divorce decree or annulment order
[ ] Honest account of WHY the marriage ended
Note: the question is good faith AT THE TIME OF MARRIAGE, not whether
the marriage lasted. A truthful account of a marriage that failed is
more credible than an account that avoids the failure.
BATTERY OR EXTREME CRUELTY EVIDENCE
[ ] Personal declaration, in the applicant's own words
[ ] Police reports, protective orders, court records
[ ] Medical records of injuries
[ ] Counselor, therapist, or advocate letters
[ ] Shelter records
[ ] Photographs of injuries or damage
[ ] Statements from witnesses
[ ] Evidence of controlling conduct: financial control, isolation,
immigration-status threats
[ ] Confidentiality protections requested
EXTREME HARDSHIP EVIDENCE
[ ] See Template 11 — the same categories apply
DEADLINE DISCIPLINE
[ ] Filing window calendared the day the conditional card arrived
[ ] Understood: missing the window TERMINATES residence
[ ] A late filing may still be accepted with good cause — explain it
in writing; do not simply file late without explanation
14. Humanitarian reinstatement / substitute sponsor request
[Date]
RE: Request for Humanitarian Reinstatement of Approved Petition
Deceased petitioner: ______________, died ________
Beneficiary: ______________ Receipt: ______ Priority date: ______
To the Director:
The petitioner in this approved petition died on [date]. The beneficiary
requests humanitarian reinstatement of the approved petition and submits a
substitute sponsor for the affidavit of support.
1. THE PETITION AND ITS HISTORY
Filed [date], approved [date], priority date [date], category [__].
Death certificate: Exhibit A.
2. THE BENEFICIARY'S CIRCUMSTANCES
[Length of the relationship, current situation, ties to the U.S.,
dependents, what happens if the petition is not reinstated.]
3. FACTORS SUPPORTING REINSTATEMENT
[ ] Disruption of an established family unit
[ ] Hardship to U.S. citizen or LPR family members
[ ] The beneficiary is elderly or in poor health
[ ] Long residence in the United States
[ ] Ties in the U.S. and lack of ties abroad
[ ] Delay in processing that was not the beneficiary's fault
[ ] Advanced age of the beneficiary
Supporting evidence: Exhibits B through ___.
4. SUBSTITUTE SPONSOR
[Name], the beneficiary's [qualifying relationship — spouse, parent,
parent-in-law, sibling, child 18+, son- or daughter-in-law,
grandparent, grandchild, or legal guardian], a [U.S. citizen / LPR],
is willing to file an affidavit of support as substitute sponsor.
Proof of status and relationship: Exhibit ___.
Income documentation: Exhibit ___.
We respectfully request reinstatement.
______________________ · [Address] · [Phone] · [Email]
Enclosures: [list]
NOTE: certain surviving relatives benefit from automatic conversion
provisions rather than needing reinstatement. Confirm which applies
before filing — the paths are different and the deadlines differ.
15. Priority date retention worksheet
PRIORITY DATE RETENTION — DO NOT LOSE THIS
Original priority date: ____/____/______
Original category: ______
Original petitioner: ______________
RETENTION SITUATIONS TO CHECK
[ ] Petitioner naturalized -> category converted; priority date RETAINED
[ ] Beneficiary married/divorced -> category converted; date RETAINED
(except F2B, which is REVOKED on marriage if the petitioner is
still an LPR)
[ ] Petitioner died -> reinstatement or automatic conversion; date
generally RETAINED
[ ] A second petition filed in a different category by the same or
another petitioner -> ask whether the earlier date can be retained
[ ] Derivative child aged out -> automatic conversion to F2B with
priority date retention may apply
DOCUMENTS THAT PROVE THE PRIORITY DATE — keep all three forever
[ ] Receipt notice (shows the received date)
[ ] Approval notice (shows the priority date)
[ ] The filed petition copy with proof of mailing/filing
STORAGE
[ ] Original in a fireproof box at: ______________________
[ ] Scanned copy emailed to self on: ________
[ ] Copy held by a second trusted person: ______________
[ ] Cloud storage location: ______________________
16. Interview preparation sheet
INTERVIEW PREPARATION
Date: ________ Location: ______________ Time: ________
DOCUMENTS — ORIGINALS
[ ] Appointment notice
[ ] All passports (including expired)
[ ] Birth certificates
[ ] Marriage certificate
[ ] All prior marriage terminations, both parties
[ ] Police certificates
[ ] Court records
[ ] Medical exam results (if not transmitted)
[ ] Complete copy of everything filed
[ ] Updated affidavit of support financials
[ ] Relationship evidence binder, tabbed, with index
LOGISTICS
[ ] Travel time and route confirmed
[ ] Building entry rules checked (ID, phone policy, bag policy)
[ ] Interpreter arranged, if permitted
[ ] Accommodation confirmed, if requested
[ ] Attorney attending? Yes / No Confirmed: ________
[ ] Childcare arranged if children should not attend
MARRIAGE CASES — questions to be ready for (answer HONESTLY; do not
memorize a script)
[ ] How and when did you meet?
[ ] Who introduced you? Who was there?
[ ] When did you decide to marry? Who proposed, where?
[ ] Describe the wedding. Who attended?
[ ] Describe your home. How many rooms? Which side of the bed?
[ ] What did you do last weekend?
[ ] What did you do for the last holiday? Who was there?
[ ] Who pays which bills? Which accounts are joint?
[ ] What does your spouse do for work? What are their hours?
[ ] Name your spouse's parents and siblings.
[ ] What medications does your spouse take?
[ ] What was the last thing you argued about?
IF YOU DO NOT KNOW AN ANSWER, SAY SO. Real spouses do not know
everything about each other. A wrong guess is worse than "I don't know."
NEVER rehearse a false account. Presenting a false marriage is a federal
offense carrying a permanent bar.
AFTER THE INTERVIEW
[ ] Result noted: approved / RFE / administrative processing / refused
[ ] Any document requested written down verbatim before leaving
[ ] Deadline for anything requested calendared same day
17. Annual maintenance reminder (set this to repeat)
ANNUAL FAMILY IMMIGRATION FILE REVIEW — [Month] each year
[ ] Visa bulletin checked; current position noted: ______________
[ ] Priority date still safely documented in all three places
[ ] Address on file with USCIS correct? Yes / No Updated: ________
[ ] Address on file with NVC correct? Yes / No Updated: ________
[ ] This year's relationship evidence added to the file
[ ] Joint tax return for the year filed and copied to the file
[ ] Passports checked for expiry:
Petitioner ________ Beneficiary ________ Children ________
[ ] Any category-changing event this year? ______________
[ ] Any child turning 21 within 24 months? ______________
CSPA calculation re-run: ________
[ ] Any new arrest, charge, or immigration contact? ______________
[ ] Sponsor's income still sufficient for current household size?
Yes / No — if no, begin joint sponsor search now
[ ] Slow civil documents ordered, if the date is within 18 months
[ ] Any change in law or policy affecting this category researched
[ ] Counsel consulted if anything above changed
Related documents
- Family-Based Immigration: Petitions, Priority Dates, and Adjustment of Status
- Sponsoring a Family Member for Permanent Residence
- Family Immigration Checklist
- Naturalization and Citizenship: Eligibility, Good Moral Character, and the Interview
- Naturalization Toolkit
Templates only, not legal advice. Adapt to your facts and verify current forms, fees, and thresholds. Framework: 8 U.S.C. § 1101 · § 1153 · § 1154 · § 1182 · § 1255 · 8 C.F.R. Part 204 · Part 245.