Thanks for reporting on this - nice to know someone at USCIS cares enough to do a good job.

We submitted a G884 about 3 years ago, never heard anything back. Should we submit a new one at this point?

Thanks, Kevin. Does this apply to all offices? We sent ours to Buffalo over 120 days ago. We did get a letter saying it would be 90 days but haven't gotten anything back yet.

Thanks for keeping us informed! We actually sent our G884 to the Buffalo office in mid February and received a confirmation letter on March 1st stating that it could take up to 120 days to receive the documents back. I was happy just to get the confirmation that they received our request. It sounds like they are working on it.

I was so very happy to see this post.At least I have a contact now if I dont hear anything from them by your posted date. I have not heard anything so far, and everything I read is so negative about getting these documents. Thank you for this great information! I do so appreciate it!

I have never heard of a G884. Could someone explain? Thank you so much.

I was reading your message regarding the G884 from the USCIS and was wondering what is the G884? Is this something I need for my adoption from Guatemala because I have never even heard of this? If I do need it for my adoption, what do I do to get the G884, what is the purpose of the G884, and who is it to be sent to?

If anyone knows the answers to this I would sincerely appreciate the feedback as I will check back.

Thank you. Janelle

When we brought our son home last March 07, we sent the G884 immediately in early April. We did not receive the original documents back until August. So, in short maybe they are trying to correct an ongoing problem. At least someone is trying...right???

thank you! I didnt even know about this form. once again, guatadopt has helped with every step of this crazy adoption ride!

Janell and KC,

A G-884 is a form that you can fill out to get the original documents back after your adoption is complete. When you return to the US you hand over a sealed packet of information to the immigrations officer, that packet often times contains more pictures of the birthmother and additional information you might not have seen before about your adoption.

If you got to the USCIS website http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis and look under Immigration Forms you can download a copy of the form. Good luck.

Joan

Wow, it is great news that someone at BCIS seems like they care about this and are working hard to get these important documents back to the families!

This is a big change. It used to be tough to even get the form. It was not available on thier website, you had to call and request one on the automated message and wait for one to be sent---IF it was sent. So nice that they are making these available on the site!

For my first daughter's adoption, it took 2 years before I even got a response to my submission of the form and letter (with two, six-month-apart follow-up letters)! Then it took another 6 months to get the documents returned to me.

It sounds like this person wants to make a difference!

Thanks for the info., Kevin!

Now, if they can just solve the problem of the NVC TAKING MONTHS to send updated 1-171H's to the USE in Guatemala, they could save a lot of families a lot of undue stress and grief, plus unite children with their forever families quicker!

waiting PAP

My daughter has been home since Jan. 2006, and we haven't finished our re-adoption in Georgia yet because of medical problems over the last 2 years. Is this form G884 something that I can turn in without doing a re-adoption?

Thanks for any advice or guidance that you can give me regarding this.

Leigh

Leigh you do not have to have the re adoption complete to get the documents.

Our documents just came in the mail last Saturday, about 4 months after filing for them. We were told it is better to file as soon as you get home? They(the Buffalo office) said that after everything leaves there, it can take up to a year to get the docs returned after the G-884 is filed. We did get a letter about 6 weeks after we filed the G-884, stating that it could take up to a year to get the documents back, so we were pleasantly surprised last weekend!

Thanks that's great information that we were not aware of. I just printed a copy of the G-884 form from the USICS website. In the instructions it mentions that we need to provide evidence to support our request. What type of evidence is needed? What office do we need to send this information to. We live in Florida but entered the country in Atlanta.

I guess I was one of the lucky ones. I brought my daughter home on an IR-3 visa on december 3, 2007. I received the COC in January and within a week requested my originals from the Buffalo office. At first I wasn't quite sure where to send the G-884 but then I re-read the directions and it did say to send it to the office that last took action on your file. Hence my decision to send ot to Buffalo instead of the my local office. I got the originals back in two weeks. The letter that accompanied the COC did say that my file would be put in storage in 6 six weeks - so - i figured it was best to move forward right away. I figured once it went into storage - there could be a tremendous wait.

My recommendation is to send the G-884 as soon as you get your COC. and to be sure to send to the office that issued your COC.

As an aside - It was also easier to get the ATIN once I had the COC. In VA I have to re-adopt and that will take 6 months. So I couldn't get a SSN without the new (VA) Birth Certificate.

I forgot to put inmy original post that the guy from CIS said that now ALL applications should be sent to the Buffalo office:

USCIS
130 Delaware Ave
Buffalo, NY 14202

Kevin
Guatadopt.com

I went ahead and contacted them via email because I have been waiting for 2 years this month for that Visa packet. I received a response fairly quickly. There was no record of my original request but he has already requested her file from storage. I'm sending my new form tomorrow morning. We'll see what happens.

Just want to clarify the statement about sending all G884's to the Buffalo office. Is the Buffalo office then going to request the packet if it has already been sent on to the National Records Center, or is at a local office that issued a COC after a readoption?

The processing of all COAs and G884s is done in Buffalo now.

Kevin
Guatadopt.com

I just spoke with the gentleman
at the Buffalo USCIS and he stated that if your child entered the country on an IR4 Visa then the G-884 needs to be sent to the center that last took action on your case.
In my case I send it to Mesquite,TX.

I just wanted to add my thanks to the folks in Buffalo. I e-mailed the address Kevin provided yesterday to ask where I should send my G884 (this was before Kevin's last message, indicating that all such forms should now be sent to Buffalo). In any event, a very nice guy promptly e-mailed me back and asked me some questions so that he could locate my son's file. After I responded, he then CALLED me to ask a couple of follow-up questions. I was able to ask him all the questions I had about the form and the documentation required. He was able to locate my son's file and he's already submitted a request to obtain it! I was so impressed that he would go out of his way like that -- not only to call me personally and ask him his follow-up questions, but also to answer all of my questions AND to submit a request for my son's file! I sent my G884 to him today, with all of the requisite documents. I hope that I get the originals back sometime soon, but even if I don't, I feel confident that eventually I will get them.

If I could send a fan letter to the USCIS regarding this guy, I would! :)

-- Anne

I sent my form to our local office. I had no idea which office "last took action on my file". This was the last week of Nov. Do you ALWAYS get a confirmation letter? I haven't yet. Should I e-mail the Buffalo office?

Sheila,
What is an ATIN?
Lizzie

I just heard from him as well. Here is some more info from his email:

This office is handling G-884 requests for the adopted children who entered the United States on or after 1/1/2004 AND entered on an IR-3 VISA.

Otherwise, you need to submit your request to

National Record Center
150 Space Center Loop
Lee Summit, MO 64064-2137

I just received my docs back about a week ago. It took about 5 months from the time I sent the request. My letter said it would take 90 days, but it was a little longer....

Thanks Kevin for the information. We must have overlooked the opportunity with the excitement of coming home. I too contacted the Buffalo office and after a few questions I was told that our son's info (finalized in 2006) was being requested that day and all I had to do was submit our request. I'm not too worried about the time it will take to get the info (we've waited this long), but atleast it's being processed. Thanks again!

I just wanted to say- we requested our file last August and had it within two weeks! I was expecting a much longer timeframe- hang in there.

It took me 2 times and congressional intervention to get back some of my file. I sent a new G-884 to Vermont a month ago to try to get back pictures and other documents that I didn't receive. I emailed the Buffalo office over the weekend since I hadn't heard anything.

This morning, I got an early email from the Buffalo office saying that they were going to try to help me.

This is a great USCIS customer service initiative. During my adoption, I actually had excellent experiences with them but trying to get documents back via the G-884 has been a years-long effort. I'm hoping I may have the remaining parts of the file soon.

What parts of the original file should we expect to receive? Could someone make a list of the documents that will be returned after we file our G-884? That would be a great help. Thanks.

Thank you for this information, I had just tried calling them, and then you posted this. I emailed, we'll see if I hear back!

I've contacted the Buffalo Office via the email Kevin listed, but because our son came home on an IR-4 Visa, it seems like it still has to be routed through our local field office "last took action" office.

Does anyone know any different? Do you think I could resubmit to the Buffalo office even though we were working out of the Jacksonville, FL office??

THANK YOU ALL, SO HELPFUL,

Thanks to this helpful information I recieved my paperwork in speedy time after writing to the contact you posted, and following his advise.

Much Thanks to you!!! We are finalizing our adoption this friday and now will be ready for the COC!
Kathy

As a Buffalonian I can only say that I've witness firsthand how the Buffalo USCIS office works. Every single person there is conscientious and courteous to EVERYONE for EVERY reason. Another reason I'm proud to be from WNY! (even if our sports teams aren't so good....)

Thanks to this helpful information I received my paperwork in speedy time after writing to the contact you posted, and following his advise.

Much Thanks to you!!! We are finalizing our adoption this friday and now will be ready for the COC!
Kathy

I sent in my request form in mid-March and had my documents in hand within a week!!

Does anyone know - if we are going to file for a new CoC soon (we are finishing our readoption right now), should we wait until that's finished to file the G-884? Or should we send the G-884 now? Does it matter? Thanks.

What is a COC? When talking about the "last took action" office, are you referring to the USCIS office used? Thanks all for this info!

I've been told by others (on the Forum) that you don't need to wait to get revised COC to file the G-884. To get the revised COC, you have to submit the first COC, so they don't need the info in your original packet.

Tory, a COC is the Certificate of Citizenship, which you get automatically if your child comes in on an IR-3 visa. And yes' "last took action" office is the USCIS Office that last took action on your case.

Speaking of which, I'm really confused. Given the previous (3/4) post, I sent our G-884 to Buffalo, as instructed (our son came in on a IR-3 visa). I received a receipt from Buffalo saying that they received the request, but they sent it to the Texas Service Center, because that is the office that last took action on our case (ie that is the office that processed our Revised COC). To make matters even more confusing, the receipt says both that they sent the request to TX and that we should send our request to TX...so not sure if we have to file another form or if we just wait. Anyone have any info??
Thanks!

I contacted the Buffalo Office in mid-March and got back emails and a phone call almost immediately from them. Within 3 weeks, I got stuff back from them, including things that I had not received the first time I successfully filed a G-884 (there were 2 other times when I got no answer at all). The Buffalo Office is wonderful and incredibly helpful.

Does anyone know if you fill out the G-884 as yourself or on behalf of your child? Thanks.

Go to Legal-Eaze 's web site. They have a sample G-884 filled out there that will really help!
http://www.legal-eaze.com/index_files/Page448.htm
(see left side of page, almost at bottom)

Thank you so much, SJBJ. That site is very helpful. I appreciate it.

I am going to send in a G-884, but it does not concern adoption. It is about getting copies of immigration documents that were submitted over 5 years ago. Do you know what address I should send the G-884 form to? If not, do you have a phone number or email address that I can contact to find out? I really would appreciate if someone could help me with this. Thanks