First identify why USCIS has the original
Form G-884 is designed to request the return of eligible original documents submitted to establish eligibility for an immigration or citizenship benefit. USCIS instructions distinguish an original you sent even though it was not requested from an original the agency specifically required. If USCIS requested the original, the instructions say the agency will return it automatically when it no longer needs it, so a G-884 request is generally unnecessary for that reason alone.
The form is not a request for a certified replacement birth certificate, marriage certificate, passport or naturalization certificate. It also is not the same as a Freedom of Information Act request for copies of agency records. Identify the exact original, the filing in which it was submitted and the receipt or file information that can help USCIS locate it.
Confirm the form edition and fee on filing day
The Form G-884 and instructions reviewed on September 27, 2026, show an edition date of 11/09/23. USCIS's current fee schedule lists a general G-884 filing fee of $0. Because form editions, addresses and fees can change, return to the live Form G-884 and Form G-1055 pages immediately before mailing or submitting the request.
Do not pay a third party merely because the request is described as a government fee. Administrative help may carry a private service charge, but that is different from a USCIS filing fee. Ask for a written explanation of any charge and obtain the free form from USCIS.
Mail requests require notarization and identity evidence
USCIS instructions say a mailed Form G-884 must be notarized. The form should not be signed in advance of the certifying official where the form's affidavit instructions require the signature to be witnessed. A request submitted in person at a scheduled appointment does not require notarization under the current instructions.
The request must include copies of two forms of identification. The instructions list examples such as a Permanent Resident Card, driver's license, state identification, Employment Authorization Document, Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship, and a U.S. or foreign passport. Send legible copies unless USCIS specifically directs otherwise, and protect the identification package during delivery.
One USCIS file can contain several requested originals
One Form G-884 may request multiple original documents contained in a single USCIS file. If the documents are in different files, the instructions require a separate request for each file. Describe each requested item specifically—for example, the issuing authority, document type, name and approximate submission date—without guessing.
If the file concerns another person, USCIS requires proof of the relationship. When the subject is deceased or incapacitated, the instructions call for evidence of authority such as a power of attorney or proof that the requester is the executor of the estate. A family relationship by itself may not establish the legal authority needed for every file.
Use the current filing address—not an old checklist
The printed instructions direct applicants to the live Form G-884 page or the USCIS Contact Center for the current filing location. That matters because the correct office can depend on where the underlying file is held. Do not reuse an address from a prior filing or send the request to a lockbox simply because another USCIS form went there.
Before sending, save a complete copy, record the mailing date and keep delivery evidence. Continue protecting your own certified copies and replacement-document options while the request is pending; a G-884 filing does not guarantee that an original remains available or that it will arrive by a personal deadline.
A focused G-884 checklist
This guide explains document-retrieval steps and does not decide ownership, eligibility or legal strategy. Seek qualified legal advice when the document is tied to a disputed status, citizenship claim, court matter or urgent deadline.
- Name the exact original document and the USCIS file in which it was submitted.
- Use the current form edition and check the live filing location on the day you file.
- Include two acceptable identity copies and any required relationship or authority evidence.
- Arrange notarization for a mailed request under the current instructions.
- Keep a complete copy and secure delivery proof without sending irreplaceable identification originals.