USCIS's online portal (my.uscis.gov) is used to submit supporting evidence for immigration forms including I-485, N-400, I-90, and I-130. Each supporting document upload has a 6 MB file size limit. This guide explains how to check and meet that limit, which formats USCIS accepts, and what causes document rejections.
USCIS Document Upload Requirements
| Requirement | Specification |
|---|---|
| Maximum file size | 6 MB per document |
| Accepted formats | PDF, JPEG, PNG, TIFF |
| Recommended format | PDF (for multi-page documents) |
| Password protection | Not allowed — will be rejected |
| Encryption | Not allowed |
| Minimum resolution | 300 DPI for scanned documents |
| Colour requirement | Colour preferred; B&W accepted for text docs |
USCIS Document Size Limits by Form
| Form | Purpose | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| I-485 | Adjustment of Status | 6 MB per supporting doc; many docs required |
| N-400 | Naturalization | 6 MB per doc; tax returns, travel records |
| I-130 | Petition for Alien Relative | 6 MB per doc; birth certificates, marriage certificates |
| I-90 | Green Card Renewal | 6 MB per doc; simpler set of docs required |
| I-765 | Employment Authorization | 6 MB per doc; ID documents and photos |
Why USCIS Rejects Document Uploads
- File size over 6 MB (most common)
- Password-protected or encrypted PDF
- Corrupted file that cannot be opened
- Wrong file format (e.g. DOCX or HEIC are not accepted)
- Blurry or illegible scan that fails quality review
- Missing pages in a multi-page document
- File name contains special characters or spaces that cause upload errors
How to Compress USCIS Documents
Tax returns and financial records (often 10–20 MB)
Multi-year tax returns scanned at high resolution are frequently the largest files in an I-485 package. Use our Compress PDF tool in "Recommended" mode — this typically reduces a 15 MB tax return to under 4 MB with full text legibility. If the result is still over 6 MB, run "Aggressive" mode or split the return into individual years using our Split PDF tool.
Birth certificates and marriage certificates
These are usually single-page and compress very well. Scan at 300 DPI in colour (USCIS examiners may need to verify stamps and seals, which are hard to see in black-and-white). Use "Recommended" compression to stay above the minimum quality threshold.
Bank statements (3–6 months)
Bank statements are multi-page colour documents. Scan or download them as PDF and run through our Compress PDF tool. A typical 6-month statement should compress from 8–12 MB to under 4 MB in Recommended mode.