Each evidence file must be PDF, JPG or JPEG (TIF or TIFF for some forms), no larger than 12 MB, not encrypted or password-protected, and clear enough that all text is readable.[1] Scan at modest settings, combine related pages, then compress to just under 12 MB.
01The four rules, in USCIS’s words
From USCIS’s “Use these tips when uploading evidence” list:[1]
- “Files must not be larger than 12MB in size.”
- “Files must be in one of these formats: PDF, JPG, or JPEG. For some forms, we also accept files in TIF or TIFF format.”
- “Do not encrypt or password protect your files.”
- “Use a scanner or take pictures of each document. Make sure each image you attach is clear and that all text is readable.”
The same list adds: “If your documents are in a foreign language, upload a certified English translation in addition to the original.”[1] The limit is per file. pdfnex reads “MB” as 1,000,000 bytes, the stricter reading, so a file that fits by our count also fits if USCIS counts in binary megabytes.
02Step 1: scan at a sensible setting
Most oversized evidence files are scans made at photo quality. A federal court that also enforces an upload limit published its own test: a 317-page document scanned “bitonal, at 300 ppi, was 23.86 MB and sufficiently legible”, whereas scanned in “gray scale, at 400 ppi, was 374.47 MB”.[3] That is roughly a sixteen-fold difference for the same pages. The court’s figures point the same way for any portal: for clean, typed pages start with black-and-white, and keep grayscale or color for documents where shading or color carries meaning, such as photos or stamps.
On a phone, Scan to PDF captures pages with the camera, straightens them and can convert them to grayscale, all in the browser tab.
03Step 2: group pages into sensible files
Upload screens usually ask for evidence by category. Keep each document (a birth certificate with its translation, a lease, a set of pay stubs) as its own PDF, and use Merge to put its pages in order. A file that is one document is easier for an officer to read and easier for you to keep under the limit.
04Step 3: compress to just under 12 MB
Use the compressor with the USCIS preset. Check page 1 at 100% before you download: the rule that matters is “all text is readable”,[1] not the smallest possible file. If a single document cannot reach 12 MB legibly, split it into parts and label them in order.
05Step 4: final checks
- The file opens without a password. If you protected it, remove the password you set before uploading.[1]
- Every page is upright and readable at 100%.
- The file is 12,000,000 bytes or less (check the size in your file manager).
- Any signed form pages carry a handwritten signature; a scan of it is fine.[4]
The 12 MB limit is about evidence files. Signing rules are separate: a scanned ink signature is accepted, a pasted or typed one is not.
Our reading of [4]
Forms filed by PDF upload follow the same pattern: USCIS asks representatives to make sure “the benefit requestor’s valid wet-ink signature appears on the PDF before submitting the form through PDF upload.”[2]
This guide quotes USCIS’s published guidance. It is not legal advice. pdfnex is not affiliated with USCIS or any government agency.