How Do I Apply for DACA If It’s My First Application Ever?

Initial DACA applications (those people who are applying for the very first time) are not currently being accepted by USCIS.

You can find up to date information. We will also keep this page updated.

If you are applying for the first time, you can certainly start preparing your information and documents now so you can apply as soon as you are able to.

List of Documents for an Initial Application:

Below is a list of documents you should have submitted with your first DACA application:

Proof of Identity and Date of Birth

  • Birth Certificate
  • Passport
  • Consular I.D./National I.D./Cédula
  • School ID

Proof That You Were Physically Present in the U.S. on 6/15/2012

  • A verifiable, formal document with your name and the date 6/15/2012; or
  • An official document with your name and a date just before 6/15/2012, and another dated just after 6/15/12.
  • (Examples: school records, pay check stubs, bank statements, credit card receipts, etc.)

Proof You Had 5 Years of Continuous Residence in the U.S. (June 2007 – Present)

(If you don’t have school records/transcripts showing that you were present in the U.S. continuously for the past 5 years, provide 1 document for every three months from June 2007 through to the present month).

  • School Records
  • Financial Records (taxes, bank statements, credit card bills, rent receipts, utility bills, phone bills)
  • Employment Records (pay stubs)
  • Medical Records (physicals, vaccination records, prescriptions, dental records, etc.)
  • Other records: religious certificates, volunteer records, personal statements, etc.

Proof You Are In School, Have a High School Diploma/GED, or Were Honorably Discharged from the Military

  • School Transcript or Report Cards if currently studying;
  • High School Diploma or GED Certificate; or
  • Military Discharge Papers

Proof That You Entered the U.S. Before the Age of 16

  • School Records
  • Medical Records (vaccinations, physicals, etc.)
  • Expired Visa, I-94 card, or Passport with Entry Stamp
  • Discuss other forms of proof with a legal advisor

Proof That You Are Not Ineligible Due to a Criminal Conviction or a Threat to National Security/Public Safety

  • All applicants will be fingerprinted and subject to a background check of all police, juvenile, and immigration records. If you have ever had contact with the police or immigration authorities, get a copy of your records to review with an attorney before applying for DACA. We can explain how to do this. (Examples: criminal court records, juvenile court records, driving record from DMV, state criminal background check results, FBI background check results, etc.)

Passport Photos

  • Two passport-size color photos.