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Parviz Malakouti-Fitzgerald, Esq.

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Writer's pictureParviz Malakouti-Fitzgerald, Esq.

How to Get a Certificate of Nonexistence of Record from USCIS

By Parviz Malakouti-Fitzgerald, Esq.

A 1 page sample Certificate of Nonexistence of Record(s) from USCIS - short and sweet


You can easily request a certificate of nonexistence of record(s) from USCIS by using the form G1566. Such a certificate can be used to show that an ancestor did not naturalize in the United States before a certain date.


Why would you need to prove this?


Proving such a thing might be required in some Italian, Slovak, Lithuanian and some other European citizenship by descent applications.


Step 1 - fill out the 4 page G-1566 (relax - you really only have to fill out 3 pages).


Step 2 - mail the form to USCIS at:


National Records Center

Attn: Certificate of Non-Existence/IMLS

150 NW Space Center Loop

Lee’s Summit, MO 64064


Step 3 - get your response from USCIS with certificate of nonexistence of record.


There is no cost to request the certificate (right in your price range) and you are able to request as many certificates as you want. At Malakouti Law, we’ve never requested more than four certificates at once, so we don’t know where USCIS draws the line.


Note: if the records DO exist, you will likely receive information related to the record in lieu of the certificate of non-existence of record.


The certificate of nonexistence of record is only one page and has a few pieces of important information:

  • The name of the USCIS official certifying the certificate

  • The nature of the search for the record that was performed

  • The types of records and time periods for which USCIS has centralized records

  • The a) name, b) aliases, c) date of birth, and d) country of birth of the subject of the search

In our experience, requests for the certificate of nonexistence of records have taken between two to four months from submission to receipt of the certificate.


Each immigration and citizenship case is particular and you should consult with a qualified immigration and citizenship lawyer about your case before taking any steps. The Law Office of Parviz Malakouti does not guarantee the accuracy of information presented nor assume responsibility for actions taken in reliance of this information. The information in this page could become outdated. Attorney marketing.

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