How to prepare evidence files for a USCIS online filing
When you file online with USCIS, each evidence file you upload must be a PDF, JPG or JPEG of no more than 12MB, and it can’t be encrypted or password-protected. To get a document there, scan it with Scan to PDF, shrink it with Compress PDF if needed, and remove any password with Unlock PDF. These tools run in your browser, so your passport or birth certificate isn’t uploaded to us along the way.
What USCIS asks for
The rules below come from the USCIS page Tips for Filing Forms Online, last updated October 7, 2026, and checked on November 5, 2026:
- File type: generally PDF, JPG or JPEG. Some forms also accept TIF or TIFF.
- Size: no file larger than 12MB.
- No passwords: don’t encrypt or password-protect your files.
- Readable: each image must be clear, with all text readable.
- Other languages: for a document in a foreign language, upload the original, a certified English translation and the translator’s certificate.
The same page says USCIS forms work best in Adobe Acrobat Reader, and that other PDF software can leave a form incomplete when you upload the filled-out form itself. So use the steps here for your evidence, such as certificates, IDs and statements, not for the USCIS form. If your account or the form instructions say something different from this guide, follow them.
Step 1: Turn paper into a PDF
Open Scan to PDF on your phone. Select Take a photo for each page, or Choose photos if you already have pictures. Each page is cropped and straightened. Select Create PDF → and save the download.
Shoot in daylight or under a bright lamp, with the whole page in the frame and no shadow from your hand. A sharp page matters more than a small file, because every stamp, seal and date needs to be readable.
Step 2: Keep each document together
A certificate with writing on the back, or an original with its translation, is easier to keep track of as one file. Open Merge PDF, choose the files (PDFs and photos can be mixed), drag them into order and select Merge PDFs →. An order that is easy to follow is the original first, then the English translation, then the translator’s certificate.
Give each file a name that says what it is, such as birth-certificate-with-translation.pdf. It is easier to pick the right one in the upload list than scan001.pdf.
Step 3: Get the file under 12MB
Most single documents are already far below the limit. Long scans and full-resolution phone photos are what push a file over. Open Compress PDF, choose the file and set Compression mode to Target size — for upload limits. Pick Custom, type 12000 and select Compress PDF →.
In our test on November 5, 2026, a 6-page scan of 15.28 MB came out at 2.98 MB with that setting, with pages saved as images at about 150 DPI. The tool counts 1 KB as 1,000 bytes, so a file it shows as under 12 MB is also under the limit if the upload page counts the other way.
Target size mode saves pages as images, so their text can no longer be selected. That is fine for a scanned certificate. For a PDF you got from a bank or an employer, try Optimize — keep page content first.
Step 4: Remove a password
Bank statements and pay records sometimes arrive locked with a password. Open Unlock PDF, type the password into Current password and select Unlock PDF →. You get a copy that opens without one. The tool can’t find or guess a password you don’t know, so ask the sender if you don’t have it. Don’t use Protect PDF on anything you plan to upload.
Step 5: Check before you upload
- Open the final file and zoom in on every page. Names, dates and numbers should be easy to read.
- Check the size in your file manager. It should be under 12MB.
- Make sure it opens without asking for a password.
- iPhone photos are often HEIC, which isn’t on the USCIS list. Turn them into a PDF with Scan to PDF or Images to PDF.
If the file still won’t go through
- Still over 12MB: run Compress PDF again with a lower custom target, such as 8000.
- Text is blurry after compressing: go back to the original and take sharper photos rather than shrinking harder.
- The upload is refused but the size is fine: check the file type and make sure the PDF has no password.
Your documents stay on your device
Each of these tools reads your file in the browser and saves the result as a download, so nothing is sent to PDFReadyGo. You can check this with the Prove it’s private panel under any tool. In our compression test, Requests that sent a file or binary data stayed at 0. PDFReadyGo isn’t connected with USCIS, and this guide isn’t legal advice. For questions about which evidence to send, read the form instructions or ask an immigration attorney or accredited representative.