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How Your Immigration File is Retrieved
What’s Included in a Full Immigration History Request?
When you file a full immigration history retrieval request, it typically includes records from three main government agencies: USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services), CBP (Customs and Border Protection), and DOS (Department of State). Each agency holds different types of records related to a person's immigration journey. Below is a breakdown of what is included in each FOIA request:
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We stand by our service. If we are unable to retrieve any immigration records associated with your name, we will issue a 100% money-back guarantee for your full immigration history request. Our goal is to provide you with complete transparency and confidence in your records retrieval process.
What's Included in a Full Request?
Immigration & Naturalization Records
The USCIS request retrieves records related to applications and petitions filed with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services or its predecessor agencies (INS):
- Complete immigration history
- Adjustment of status applications (e.g., Form I-485)
- Green card applications (e.g., Form I-130, I-140, I-751)
- Employment authorization records (e.g., Form I-765)
- Naturalization applications (e.g., Form N-400)
- Asylum applications (e.g., Form I-589)
- Deportation/removal proceedings (if applicable)
- RFEs (Requests for Evidence) and Notices of Intent to Deny
- Denials, approvals, notices, and previous immigration requests.
Travel & Border Entry/Exit Records
The CBP request retrieves entry and exit records, which show a person’s travel history at U.S. borders:
- I-94 Arrival/Departure Records:
- Date and place of entry into the U.S.
- Date and place of exit (if recorded)
- Border Crossing History:
- Land, air, or sea entries into the U.S.
- Data from passport scans at ports of entry
- Secondary Inspection Reports:
- If a person was taken into secondary inspection at the airport or border, details will be included.
- Deferred Inspection & Expedited Removal Records:
- If applicable, these records may show any past border-related issues or detainments.
- Travel History (including ESTA & Visa Waiver Program Records):
- Details of trips taken to the U.S. under the VWP (Visa Waiver Program)
- Admissibility & Expedited Removal Proceedings:
- Any records of being denied entry, removed, or flagged by CBP
Visa & Consular Processing Records
The DOS (Department of State) FOIA request retrieves visa and consular processing records, including:
- Visa Application Records (Nonimmigrant & Immigrant Visas):
- DS-160 (Nonimmigrant Visa Application)
- DS-260 (Immigrant Visa Application)
- DS-230 (Older version of the Immigrant Visa Application)
- Visa Interview Notes:
- Any notes taken by consular officers during a visa interview
- Comments regarding approval/denial
- Prior Visa Issuance & Denial History:
- Records of past visa applications, including approvals and rejections
- Waiver Applications (if applicable):
- If a person applied for a waiver of inadmissibility (e.g., I-601, I-212), records may be included
- Consular Correspondence & Advisory Opinions:
- Any official communication between the Department of State and other agencies regarding a visa case
- U.S. Citizenship-Related Applications:
- Records for individuals applying for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA)
How 9/11 Changed Immigration Records Forever
Before September 11, 2001, immigration records were scattered across different agencies, with limited digital access and weak interagency communication. But in the wake of the attacks, the U.S. government dramatically expanded its record-keeping, digitization, and data-sharing efforts to enhance national security.
This shift meant that every visa holder, asylum applicant, green card petitioner, or individual who entered the U.S. through a legal process suddenly had a centralized file within government databases. Biometric data, interviews, applications, and border crossings were tracked and stored indefinitely.
Today, thanks to these post-9/11 security measures, you have the ability to retrieve nearly every document, interview transcript, biometric record, and visa application ever associated with your name.
If you have ever applied for an immigration benefit, entered the U.S. legally, or undergone a background check for a visa, your file exists—and Immigration Archives can help you access it effortlessly.After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, U.S. security policies changed drastically. The government began storing, tracking, and digitizing immigration records more thoroughly, leading to vast archives of personal data on non-citizens and visa holders.
As a result, individuals now have the ability to retrieve nearly every document, interview transcript, biometric record, travel entry, and visa application ever submitted—all because of the increased security measures put in place post-9/11.
This means that if you have ever applied for a visa, been fingerprinted at a border, or interacted with USCIS, CBP, or ICE, there is a file on you within the U.S. government’s immigration system—and we can help you access it.
