U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of Homeland Security Edition Edition 04/01/24 (OMB 1615-0044, expires 03/31/2027) 6 pages

Form I-824 — Application for Action on an Approved Application or Petition

Ask USCIS (or CBP) to take a further step on something it has already approved, such as a duplicate approval notice or notifying a consulate.

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Form I-824 · Application for Action on an Approved Application or Petition
The official U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of Homeland Security form, edition Edition 04/01/24 (OMB 1615-0044, expires 03/31/2027) — blank
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Fill this form online Blank PDF from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of Homeland Security

What is Form I-824?

Form I-824, Application for Action on an Approved Application or Petition, is how you ask U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to do more with a case it has already approved. The form offers five requests: a duplicate approval notice; notifying a different U.S. consulate (through the National Visa Center or the Kentucky Consular Center) about an approved nonimmigrant petition, or a new port of entry about an approved waiver; notifying a consulate that you adjusted status in the United States so your spouse and children can accompany or follow to join you; sending an approved immigrant visa petition to the NVC; and telling the Department of State that you became a U.S. citizen.

USCIS won't process an I-824 for a case that is still pending or was denied, and won't approve it if the earlier approval expired or was revoked. It isn't for correcting an error on an approval, for replacing a green card, EAD, I-94 or travel document (those have their own forms), or for follow-to-join if you got your green card through consular processing, as a refugee or asylee, or through a T or U visa.

FileIt fills in the I-824 (Edition 04/01/24) and prints your answers onto USCIS's own PDF, including up to four dependents for a follow-to-join request. You print it, sign it by hand and file it yourself. FileIt never files anything with USCIS.

Who files
The applicant or petitioner on a previously approved application or petition.
Requests
Duplicate approval notice, new consulate or port of entry, follow-to-join after adjustment, petition to the NVC, or notice of naturalization.
Evidence
A copy (front and back) of the Form I-797 approval, or of your Certificate of Naturalization for a citizenship notice.
Filed
By mail at the address uscis.gov/i-824 gives (it changed on Oct. 7, 2026), or with CBP for an approval CBP issued.
Signature
Handwritten in ink. USCIS rejects an unsigned form.
Edition
04/01/24 (OMB No. 1615-0044, expires 03/31/2027)

Who needs to fill out Form I-824?

  • Petitioners or applicants who need a duplicate Form I-797 approval notice.
  • Petitioners who need USCIS to notify a different consulate or port of entry than the one first requested.
  • Green card holders who adjusted status in the United States and want their spouse and children to follow to join them through a consulate.
  • Petitioners whose approved immigrant visa petition needs to go to the National Visa Center, and petitioners who naturalized and want the Department of State told.
  • Not for a pending or denied case, an expired or revoked approval, correcting an error, or replacing a green card, EAD, I-94 or travel document.

When to use Form I-824

  • After USCIS has approved the application or petition, while that approval is still valid.
  • When an approval notice was lost or you need a duplicate for another agency.
  • When your derivative spouse or children are abroad and need the consulate to know you adjusted status.
  • It can also be filed together with the original application or petition, as the instructions allow.

What you need before you start

  • The approved case's form number, receipt number (from Form I-797), filing date and approval date.
  • Your name, A-Number, date and country of birth, citizenship, SSN and IRS tax number (if any), and your addresses.
  • The principal beneficiary's details, if that isn't you.
  • For follow-to-join: each dependent's name, date and country of birth, citizenship, relationship, email and phone, plus their foreign address.
  • For a citizenship notice: your Certificate of Naturalization number and a copy of the certificate.
  • The interpreter's and preparer's details, if someone helped you.

What’s on Form I-824

The 2024 edition has 6 pages. FileIt asks for it in 9 parts:

  1. Attorney or accredited representative (top of page 1)Preparer
  2. Part 1. Information about you (the person filing this application)Applicant
  3. Part 2. Reason for requestApplicant
  4. Part 3. The previously approved application or petitionApplicant
  5. Part 3. Dependents (for Part 2, item 1.c)Applicant
  6. Part 4. Applicant's contact information, certification and signatureApplicant
  7. Part 5. Interpreter's contact information, certification and signatureInterpreter
  8. Part 6. Person preparing this application, if other than the applicantPreparer
  9. Part 7. Additional informationApplicant

How to fill out Form I-824, step by step

1 Part 1: Information about you

Say whether you were the applicant or the petitioner, then give your name, company (if any), status, certificate number, A-Number, date and place of birth, citizenship, tax and Social Security numbers, Online Account Number, and your mailing and physical addresses.

2 Part 2: Reason for request

Choose exactly one of 1.a to 1.e. For 1.b or 1.c, name the consulate or port of entry USCIS should notify.

3 Part 3: The approved case

Give the form number, receipt number, filing date and approval date of the approved case, then the principal beneficiary's details and addresses if they aren't you. For 1.c, list each dependent (items 5-32), their foreign address and phone.

4 Parts 4 to 7: Signature and helpers

Give your phone numbers and email and sign by hand. An interpreter and preparer complete and sign their own parts. Part 7 is for anything that didn't fit, including more dependents.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Leaving out the receipt number in Part 3: USCIS rejects the form without it.
  • Filing for a case that is still pending, was denied, or whose approval expired or was revoked.
  • Using the I-824 to replace a green card, EAD, I-94 or travel document. Those are Forms I-90, I-765, I-102 and I-131.
  • Requesting follow-to-join if you became a permanent resident through consular processing, as a refugee or asylee, or through a T or U visa.
  • Forgetting the copy of the I-797 (front and back) or of the naturalization certificate.
  • Typing a name in a signature box. Every signature must be handwritten.

After you fill it out

Print the form, sign Part 4 by hand, and have any interpreter and preparer sign their parts.

Attach the copy of the I-797 or naturalization certificate and the fee from the USCIS fee schedule, and mail it to the address on uscis.gov/i-824 (or file with CBP for a CBP approval).

You can add Form G-1145 to get an email or text when USCIS accepts it.

Keep a copy. FileIt saves the finished PDF in your vault with the approval it relates to.

Fill out Form I-824 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 — 153 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), Department of Homeland Security 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.

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 I-824 now — it’s free

Form I-824: frequently asked questions

How do I get a duplicate I-797 approval notice?

File Form I-824 and choose Part 2, item 1.a. The duplicate shows only the approval information on the original I-797; it doesn't include the approved application or any other document.

Can I use Form I-824 for a pending case?

No. USCIS won't process it if the application or petition is still pending or was denied, and the form can't be used to check a pending case's status.

How do my spouse and children follow to join me after I adjusted status?

Choose Part 2, item 1.c, name the consulate, and list each dependent in Part 3. This route isn't for people who got their green card through consular processing, as refugees or asylees, or through a T or U visa.

Does approval of my I-824 guarantee a visa?

No. The instructions note that approval of Form I-824 doesn't guarantee that the consulate will grant a visa.

Can I fill out Form I-824 online with FileIt?

Yes. FileIt lets you complete the I-824 and prints your answers on the official USCIS PDF. You then sign it by hand and file it yourself; FileIt doesn't file anything with USCIS.

Official sources

FileIt is not affiliated with or endorsed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of Homeland Security 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 2026-10-25.

Fill out Form I-824 online