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USCIS online filing: file size and format rules for evidence

When you file a USCIS form online, each evidence file must be 6 MB or smaller and in PDF, JPG or TIFF format. Here's how to get your documents ready.

By the PDF ProMaster team · Fact-checked 27 October 2026

Quick answer: USCIS accepts evidence files of up to 6 MB, in PDF, JPG, JPEG, TIF or TIFF format. To get a PDF under the limit, open Compress PDF, choose Exact size, pick "Another size…" and type 5900.

The rules

Maximum file size6 MB per file
Accepted formatsPDF, JPG, JPEG, TIF, TIFF
QualityEach document should be clear, with all text readable
Foreign-language documentsUpload an English translation along with the original. Check your form's instructions for translation requirements

From USCIS's Tips for Filing Forms Online page, checked on 27 October 2026. USCIS can change its rules, so always follow what your online form shows.

How to get a PDF under 6 MB

  1. Open Compress PDF and choose your file. It's processed on your device and never uploaded to us, which matters for passports, birth certificates and tax records.
  2. Choose Exact size, then "Another size…", and type 5900. (1 MB is 1,000 KB here, so 5,900 KB leaves a safety margin under 6 MB.)
  3. Press Compress PDF. The tool first tries to keep the text selectable. If that isn't enough, it redraws pages as images and keeps the sharpest version that fits.
  4. Open the result and zoom in. USCIS needs every word to be readable, so if anything is blurry, use a higher limit or split the document instead.
Compress PDF with Exact size selected and a size limit of 5900 KB typed in
Exact size set to 5,900 KB for the 6 MB USCIS limit.

Photos of documents

USCIS accepts JPG files, but if a document has several pages, one PDF is easier to upload and to check. JPG to PDF turns your photos into one PDF, one page per photo, and turns sideways phone photos the right way up. Choose US Letter as the page size if you want pages that print neatly in the US.

JPG to PDF page settings with US Letter selected as the page size
Choosing US Letter pages in JPG to PDF.

Several documents for one item

If one piece of evidence is spread across several files, join them with Merge PDF in the right order, then compress the result. If the combined file can't fit under 6 MB while staying readable, and your form allows more than one file, split it into parts with Split PDF and label the parts clearly, for example "Bank statements part 1 of 2".

Tips for clear, small scans

  • Scan at 200 dpi; use 300 only for very small print. Higher settings make huge files without making the text any clearer.
  • Use greyscale for black-and-white documents. Keep colour where it matters, such as photos or stamps.
  • Photograph documents flat, in daylight, with the whole page in view and no shadows.
  • Frame each photo so only the document is in view. Crop PDF can hide the edges, but cropping hides content rather than deleting it, so don't rely on it to remove anything private.

Our guide to combining documents into one PDF for an application covers the whole process from start to finish.

PDF ProMaster isn't affiliated with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and this guide isn't legal or immigration advice. Follow the instructions in your online account and on uscis.gov.

Questions

What is the USCIS file size limit for online filing?

Each evidence file must be 6 MB or smaller, according to USCIS's Tips for Filing Forms Online page.

What file types does USCIS accept?

PDF, JPG, JPEG, TIF and TIFF.

How do I make a PDF smaller than 6 MB?

Open Compress PDF, choose Exact size, pick "Another size…" and type 5900. Check that every page is still readable before uploading.

Will my immigration documents be uploaded to PDF ProMaster?

No. Every tool runs in your browser on your own device, so your files are never sent to us or anyone else.

What if my document is still too large?

Remove blank or duplicate pages, re-scan at a lower resolution, or split it into clearly labelled parts.

Try these tools

Compress PDFMerge PDFJPG to PDFSplit PDF

How we write our guides: every rule, limit and price is checked against the official page linked under Sources, on the date shown. Instructions describe only features our tools actually have. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll correct it.

Sources