Alien Registration Requirement/Carry Your Documents
The following immigration update is provided to VCU students and employees who are in F-1, J-1, H-1B, O-1, TN, or Permanent Resident (PR) status.
The information is for educational purposes and does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship between VCU and any reader.
If you need personal immigration advice, please contact an immigration lawyer. Information about contacting an immigration lawyer appears below.
Alien Registration Requirement
Please be aware of the recent announcement by USCIS of their intention to enforce the Alien Registration Requirement.
The requirement applies to any foreign national in the U.S. for 30+ days. The requirement does not apply to U.S. citizens.
Our understanding of the requirement is that you are already registered as required if any one or more of the following is true for you:
- You received an F-1, F-2, J-1, J-2, H-1B, H-4, O-1, O-3, TN, or TD visa from a U.S. consulate abroad
- You were admitted to the U.S. by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and have an I-94 record for that admission (CBP I-94 Record Website)
- Your status was changed after admission by USCIS and you have an I-94 record connected with the Form I-797 approval notice.
- You are in PR status
NOTE: For children under age 14, a parent or guardian must register the child within 30 days of entry. Once the child turns 14, the child must register on their own within 30 days of turning age 14. For PRs who turn 14, completion of Form I-90 for a new PR Card satisfies the registration requirement.
Carry Your Documents
You are required to carry evidence of your registration with you at all times while you are in the U.S. Acceptable forms of evidence include:
- Your I-94 record (carry the paper I-94 record); or if you changed status or extended status in the U.S. after entry, carry your I-797 approval notice with the I-94 at the bottom of the I-797.
- Your I-20 (for F-1) or DS-2019 (for J-1)
- Employment Authorization Card (EAD) issued by USCIS for any reason (carry the EAD itself, not a copy of it)
- PR Card (if you are in PR status) (carry the PR Card itself, not a copy of it
You are not required to carry your passport with you.
Your passport is not evidence of alien registration but if it includes a visa stamp placed there by a U.S. consulate, the visa stamp can be considered evidence of registration.
Do not rely on copies or digital documents. You must carry the paper I-94, the EAD, or the PR Card.
NOTE: You should make and keep copies of these documents in a safe place in the event the originals you carry with you are lost or stolen.
ICE Request
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials are legally allowed to approach you in public and ask to see evidence of your registration. If they do so, you must show the evidence to them even if they do not have a warrant.
Do not show digital documents.
If you show your phone or other digital device to ICE without a warrant, they can look through the phone or device at all of information that you have stored on the phone or device.
You do not have to answer questions and have the right to remain silent.
Contacting an Immigration Lawyer
VCU cannot refer you to an immigration lawyer. If you need to contact an immigration lawyer, the Virginia State Bar offers a Lawyer Referral Service.
When accessing the Lawyer Referral Service for immigration advice, under the type of issue select "Administrative Government" and then select the appropriate immigration sub-category for your specific need.
You can also call the Lawyer Referral Service at 804-775-0808 in the Richmond area or at 800-552-7977 across Virginia.
The Lawyer Referral Service and immigration lawyers charge fees for their services. You are responsible for paying these fees on your own.