U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Edition 11/09/23 6 pages

Form G-884 — Request for the Return of Original Documents

Ask USCIS to send back the original certificates you mailed with an application.

Fill out Form G-884 online View the form Free on every FileIt plan
Form G-884 · Request for the Return of Original Documents
The official U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) form, edition 11/09/23 — blank
Page 1 of 6
Form G-884 (2023) Request for the Return of Original Documents — page 1 of 6
Page 1 of 6
Form G-884 (2023) Request for the Return of Original Documents — page 2 of 6
Page 2 of 6
Form G-884 (2023) Request for the Return of Original Documents — page 3 of 6
Page 3 of 6
Form G-884 (2023) Request for the Return of Original Documents — page 4 of 6
Page 4 of 6
Form G-884 (2023) Request for the Return of Original Documents — page 5 of 6
Page 5 of 6
Form G-884 (2023) Request for the Return of Original Documents — page 6 of 6
Page 6 of 6
Fill this form online Blank PDF from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

What is Form G-884?

Form G-884 asks U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to return original documents that went into your file, such as a foreign birth certificate, a marriage certificate or a divorce decree you sent with a petition. The form's important note says you don't need it when USCIS asked for the originals: those come back automatically once USCIS no longer needs them. For originals you sent without being asked, the instructions of the form you filed say whether they can be returned or were destroyed after scanning.

Part 1 identifies you and the documents you want; Part 2 identifies the record they're in, with names used, birth and entry details, and any naturalization or citizenship certificate. If someone interpreted the form for you or prepared it, they complete Parts 3 and 4. In Part 5 you make your declaration, and the form says your signature must be notarized: you sign only in front of a certifying official or a USCIS official.

FileIt asks for each part in turn, copies the answers the form repeats, wraps your description onto the printed lines, and prints everything on USCIS's 11/09/23 PDF, ready for that appointment.

Who fills it
The person requesting the documents, with an interpreter and preparer if used.
Signature
Notarized or before a USCIS official, using the affidavit of identity in Part 5.
Length
6 pages, including a page for additional information.
Not needed
For originals USCIS itself requested; those are returned automatically.
Edition
11/09/23 (OMB No. 1615-0100, expires 11/30/2026)
Agency
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

Who needs to fill out Form G-884?

  • Petitioners and applicants who mailed an original certificate by mistake and want it back.
  • Naturalized citizens who need an original document from their old file.
  • Families gathering original vital records for another country's process.

When to use Form G-884

  • When you sent originals USCIS didn't request and the filed form's instructions say they can be returned.
  • Not for copies of records (that's Form G-639, a FOIA request), and not for originals USCIS asked for.

What you need before you start

  • A clear description of each document you want returned.
  • Your name, mailing address, A-Number, USCIS online account number and receipt number if you have them.
  • The subject's other names, date and place of birth, and date, port and type of entry.
  • Naturalization or citizenship certificate details and the court or USCIS office, if relevant.
  • Your interpreter's or preparer's details, if someone helped.
  • A notary or USCIS official to witness your signature, with your ID.

What’s on Form G-884

The 2023 edition has 6 pages. FileIt asks for it in 6 parts, and it is signed by Interpreter and Preparer:

  1. Part 1. Information about youRequestor
  2. Part 2. Data for identifying the personal recordRequestor
  3. Part 3. InterpreterInterpreter
  4. Part 4. Preparer (if not you)Preparer
  5. Part 5. Your declaration and contact informationRequestor
  6. Part 6. Additional informationRequestor

How to fill out Form G-884, step by step

1 Part 1. About you

Your name, address, identifying numbers, birth details and, in item 8, the specific documents you want back, for example "original Irish birth certificate sent with my I-130". FileIt shows how the description fills the six printed lines.

2 Part 2. The record

Whose record holds the documents. If it's yours, tick the box and FileIt copies your name and date of birth. Add other names, entry details, certificate numbers and dates, and choose how you'll verify your identity: in person with ID or with legal photocopies.

3 Parts 3 and 4. Interpreter and preparer

Only if used. Each gives contact details and signs a certification; a preparer also says whether they're an attorney or accredited representative.

4 Part 5. Your declaration

Say whether you read English or had an interpreter, whether a preparer helped, and give your phone and email. FileIt prints your name in item 6 and leaves your signature, its date and the official's section for the notary or USCIS official.

5 Part 6. Additional information

Five entries for anything that didn't fit, each with the page, part and item it belongs to.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Filing for originals USCIS requested, which come back automatically.
  • Describing the documents vaguely, so USCIS can't tell which ones you mean.
  • Signing Part 5 before you're in front of the certifying official.
  • Forgetting the interpreter or preparer parts when someone helped.
  • Using G-884 to get copies of records instead of the originals.

After you fill it out

Take the printed form and your ID to a notary or USCIS official, sign Part 5 there, and have them complete the affidavit of identity.

Send it as USCIS's G-884 page directs.

Keep the copy FileIt files in your vault. When the originals come back, scan them into the same folder so the family's records stay together.

Fill out Form G-884 online with FileIt

  1. Pick the person. Choose someone from People and FileIt fills in their name, date of birth, address and other details it already knows.
  2. Answer plain-language questions. One part of the form at a time, with the official help text beside each question — 167 fields in all. Your answers save as you go.
  3. Check the live preview. Watch your answers land on the real U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) form, and let FileIt do any worksheet arithmetic.
  4. Generate the official PDF. FileIt prints your answers into the agency’s own PDF and files it in that person’s folder in your vault. Sign it, or send it for e-signature.

FileIt fills the form — it never files or submits anything for you. Deliver the finished form to whoever asked for it, the way the form’s instructions say.

Start Form G-884 now — it’s free

Form G-884: frequently asked questions

How do I get my original birth certificate back from USCIS?

If USCIS didn't ask for the original, file Form G-884 describing it. If USCIS did request it, the form says it's returned automatically once no longer needed.

Do I need a notary for Form G-884?

Yes or a USCIS official: Part 5 says your signature must be notarized, and not to sign until you're before the certifying official.

Is G-884 the same as a FOIA request?

No. G-884 asks for original documents back; Form G-639 asks for copies of records under FOIA or the Privacy Act.

Can someone help me fill it in?

Yes. An interpreter completes Part 3 and a preparer Part 4, and each signs their own certification.

What if my originals were destroyed?

The form says to check the instructions of the form you filed, which explain whether non-requested originals are returned or destroyed after electronic processing.

Does FileIt file it with USCIS?

No. FileIt fills the official PDF and keeps it in your vault. You sign it before the official and send it yourself.

Official sources

FileIt is not affiliated with or endorsed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) or any government. This page explains the form in general terms and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Always read the official instructions, and check that you are using the edition the recipient accepts. Page last reviewed 2026-10-19.

Fill out Form G-884 online