USCIS Improves Status Check System: Self-Check Available

A new self-check function has been added to the U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Systematic Alien Verification Entitlements (SAVE) program. The SAVE system is used by federal, state, and local agencies to check a person’s immigration status when s/he is applying for a government benefit. The new self-check feature became available September 9, 2015, and is designed to reduce some of the inconveniences that can be caused when one’s immigration status cannot be immediately verified.

Status Verification via SAVE

Eligibility for many government benefits and documents depends upon one’s immigration status. When a person applies for a benefit, such as a driver’s license, the issuing agency uses the SAVE system to verify immigration status. If the agency is unable to immediately verify the qualifying immigration status through SAVE, the applicant is typically forced to wait for SAVE to be updated before the benefit can be granted. This, in turn, may force her/him to make repeated visits to the benefit-granting agency.

Verifying SAVE CaseCheck Information Based on Certain Documents

The new self-check feature, SAVE CaseCheck, is designed to reduce some of this inconvenience by allowing one to track the status of her/his immigration status verification case online without the need for a special case number from the participating SAVE agency. This case status can be accessed based on date of birth and the identification number of a qualifying document. Any one of these documents is acceptable:

• Certificate of citizenship
• Certificate of naturalization
• Form I-20, certificate of eligibility for nonimmigrant student status
• Form I-94, arrival / departure record
• Form I-94 stamp in unexpired passport
• Permanent resident card (“green card”)
• Employment authorization card (EAD)

When checking the case status, it is necessary to use the same document provided to the benefit-granting government agency.

Conclusion

Enhancements to the SAVE system should save time for both applicants and the government agencies that rely on the system. While the self-check feature will not eliminate all of the hassles that can be caused by a delay in SAVE verification, it does at least help make the often-tedious process of applying for government documents and benefits a bit easier.

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