Physical Presence Evidence

What this is

Dated documentary evidence establishing the required period of physical presence in the United States, such as entry records, lease agreements, school or work records, tax filings, or other dated official documents.

Case-specific: Whether this document matters depends on category, facts, or relationship to the case.

Who usually needs it

Applicants in humanitarian or protection-based routes whose green-card filing depends on an underlying status grant, cohort rule, or dated presence history.

When it usually appears

Usually during the later adjustment or eligibility-confirmation stage for that narrower humanitarian route.

What changes by process, path, or post

These records are pathway-specific. The main question is usually whether the applicant actually has the underlying humanitarian status or timing history the route requires.

Common format or evidence traps

• Assuming a humanitarian-status record applies broadly outside the narrower route that created it.
• Using a later filing packet to guess the underlying humanitarian basis instead of confirming that basis first.

Related pages

• Pathway explorerUse pathway families if you still need the legal route.
• Adjustment of status guideSee the USCIS route inside the United States.
• Waivers and inadmissibility guideSee high-risk waiver and inadmissibility concepts.

Related glossary terms

Pathway family · Inadmissibility

Examples from current exact-support flows

Coverage posture: Current public exact-support flows include multiple direct examples for this document, but exact requirements still depend on the route, process stage, and official instructions.

• Usually needed

  Provide dated documentary evidence establishing at least 1 year of physical presence in the United States after the asylum grant. Acceptable evidence includes entry records, lease agreements, school or work records, tax filings, pay stubs, bank statements, or other dated official documents. The 1-year count begins on the asylum grant date. (Sources: uscis_asylee_gc, uscis_policy_m_asylee_adjustment, uscis_i485_instructions)

  Shown when: scope.green_card_path: humanitarian · scope.processing_context: adjustment-of-status · humanitarian.subcategory: asylee

• Usually needed

  Provide dated documentary evidence establishing at least 1 year of physical presence in the United States after refugee admission. The 1-year period begins from the refugee admission date. Acceptable evidence includes entry records, lease agreements, school or work records, pay stubs, or other dated official documents. (Sources: uscis_refugee_gc, uscis_policy_l_refugee_adjustment, uscis_i485_instructions)

  Shown when: scope.green_card_path: humanitarian · scope.processing_context: adjustment-of-status · humanitarian.subcategory: refugee

• Usually needed

  Provide dated documentary evidence establishing at least 3 years of continuous physical presence in the United States in U nonimmigrant status. The 3-year continuous-presence requirement is governed by 8 CFR 245.24 and begins from the date of admission in U status. Use multiple overlapping dated documents to establish continuity. (Sources: uscis_u_gc, ecfr_8_cfr_245_24, uscis_i485_instructions)

  Shown when: scope.green_card_path: humanitarian · scope.processing_context: adjustment-of-status · humanitarian.subcategory: u-nonimmigrant

• Usually needed

  Provide dated documentary evidence establishing continuous physical presence in the United States during the qualifying T-nonimmigrant period (typically 3 years from T admission, or completion of investigation or prosecution if shorter). The continuous-presence requirement under 8 CFR 245.23 must be documented with overlapping dated records. (Sources: uscis_t_gc, ecfr_8_cfr_245_23, uscis_policy_j_t_adjustment, uscis_i485_instructions)

  Shown when: scope.green_card_path: humanitarian · scope.processing_context: adjustment-of-status · humanitarian.subcategory: t-nonimmigrant

• Usually needed

  Provide dated documentary evidence establishing at least 1 year of physical presence in the United States before filing. The Cuban Adjustment Act requires at least 1 year of physical presence in the United States after the qualifying admission or parole. Use entry records, lease agreements, school or work records, or other dated official documents. (Sources: uscis_cuban_adjustment, uscis_i485_instructions, uscis_cuban_adjustment_policy_alert)

  Shown when: scope.green_card_path: humanitarian · scope.processing_context: adjustment-of-status · humanitarian.subcategory: cuban-adjustment

• Usually needed

  Provide dated documentary evidence establishing the continuous physical presence period required for your specific NACARA Section 203 cohort. The required presence period differs by cohort and sub-route. Use overlapping dated documents (entry records, lease agreements, school or work records, tax filings, pay stubs) to establish continuity throughout the required period. (Sources: uscis_nacara_eligibility, uscis_i881_instructions, uscis_nacara_decision_making)

  Shown when: scope.green_card_path: humanitarian · scope.processing_context: adjustment-of-status · humanitarian.subcategory: nacara-203

• Usually needed

  Provide overlapping dated documentary evidence establishing continuous physical presence in the United States throughout the required period for your NACARA Section 203 cohort. The required presence period and its starting date differ by cohort. For the Salvadoran and Guatemalan cohorts, continuous presence since on or before October 1, 1990 is a baseline benchmark; verify the exact date requirement for your specific cohort and sub-route in the I-881 instructions. Use a mix of overlapping dated documents to establish continuity: entry records, I-94, lease agreements, employer records or pay stubs, school enrollment records, tax returns and W-2s, utility bills, bank statements, medical records, and church or community records. Gaps in presence must be addressed or explained. (Sources: uscis_nacara_eligibility, uscis_i881_instructions, uscis_nacara_decision_making)

  Shown when: scope.green_card_path: humanitarian · scope.processing_context: uscis-filing · humanitarian.subcategory: nacara-203