Many USCIS Stamps Now Using Secure Blue Ink

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) often issues a variety of inked stamps in the passports of foreign nationals. These stamps are simple in appearance, but the government has long used specialized security ink for such stamps. Starting in the summer of 2014, the USCIS has been using a new and secure blue ink for this process when issuing certain types of stamps.

Types of Stamps Impacted

The change from red to blue secure ink applies to five important secure stamps used by the USCIS. These literally are ink stamps valid as proof of various immigration statuses. One is the temporary I-551 stamp. This stamp proves that an individual is a permanent resident and is a temporary substitute for the I-551 “green card.” The other stamps are:

• Department of Homeland Security parole stamp
• refugee stamp
• asylum stamp
• initial / replacement I-94 stamp

Verification of Employment Eligibility

It is important for employers to be aware of the change in ink color from red to blue when reviewing employee documentation in order to verify an individual’s eligibility for employment. Employers who are accustomed to seeing such stamps in red ink may question the use of blue. In case questions arise, individuals can point employers to a bulletin on the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) WebSite, which lists the stamps affected by this change.

Conclusion

Seemingly minor changes in a long-standing practice can sometimes give rise to questions and uncertainty. The Murthy Law Firm appreciates the update from the USCIS, as well as ongoing efforts to enhance the security of officially issued government stamps.

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