File a FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) Request at https://first.uscis.gov/
(You will first need to create a USCIS account)
*** This can only be done for people who arrived on or after May 1, 1951 and have an A Number above 8,000,000 - if your ancestor arrived before then records must be accessed through the Genealogy Program at https://genealogy.uscis.dhs.gov ***
- Once you have an account and log in
- Select: "About Someone Else"
Step 1:
Select "I am requesting information about someone else who is deceased"
*Don't Select an option under "If you are requesting information about a subject of record with whom you have no relationship"
--> Click Next
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Step 2:
Screen 1: Fill in your name and contact information
Screen 2: Choose Other at the bottom, in the box type in "A-File" --> Click Next
Screen 3: Don't click any option (Leave the No circle clicked) --> Click Next
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Step 3:
Screen 1: you can leave A-Number blank if you don't know it
You must provide a country and date of birth for the person you're interested in --> Click Next
Screen 2: Provide the full name of the person whose A-File you are requesting
You can provide multiple names if they are applicable (i.e. arrived with a different name, or had a different maiden or previous married name)
Screen 3: "Parents' Names" - Either enter the names or check the boxes provided for "Father's name is unknown" and "Mother's name is unknown"
Avoiding Redaction of Records Mentioning Additional Persons - upload PDFs or JPG files containing proof of death [SSDI printout, photo of a gravestone, obituary, etc.] for anyone born less than 100 years ago - this may include the subject of the request and includes spouses and/or children, if their identities are known
--> Click Next
Screen 4: This screen is grayed out --> Click Next
Step 4: You'll see any proof of death you uploaded in the previous step
--> Click Next
Step 5: Review the information that you have provided. If anything is incorrect, click the "Edit" icon in that step and make corrections.
If everything is correct, click the checkbox to the left of "I have read and agree to the above statement" and then type your name in the box below [Although you agree to $25 in fees the first 2 hours of search time and 100 pages are free. In practice I have never been charged for any of the dozen of A-Files that I've requested]
You may want to consider printing this page to have a record of the information you've request.
----> Final Step: Click "Submit Request"