IFS Client Intake & Documentation Management 2 â Questions and Answers
Question 1: During client intake, a prospective client reveals they previously entered the U.S. on a tourist visa and overstayed by three years. Which disclosure is most critical to document immediately?
- The client's current employment status
- The exact dates of entry, authorized stay, and departure or continued presence (Correct answer)
- The client's family members who are U.S. citizens
- The client's educational background
Correct answer: The exact dates of entry, authorized stay, and departure or continued presence
Overstay duration directly triggers bars to admissibility (3-year and 10-year bars under INA § 212(a)(9)(B)), making precise dates essential for determining eligibility.
Question 2: An IFS practitioner receives a signed G-28 but notices the client signed under 'Authorized Representative' rather than 'Attorney or Accredited Representative.' What is the correct action?
- File the G-28 as-is since any signature is valid
- Discard the form and ask the client to start over
- Have the client re-sign under the correct box reflecting the practitioner's actual authorized role (Correct answer)
- Submit without a G-28 and explain in a cover letter
Correct answer: Have the client re-sign under the correct box reflecting the practitioner's actual authorized role
The G-28 signature block must accurately reflect the representative's authorized capacity; an incorrect designation can lead to USCIS rejecting representation.
Question 3: A client submits a foreign birth certificate written in Portuguese. Under USCIS policy, what must accompany this document when filed?
- A notarized copy only
- A full English translation certified by a competent translator (Correct answer)
- An apostille from the issuing country
- A consular report verifying authenticity
Correct answer: A full English translation certified by a competent translator
USCIS requires a complete English translation of any foreign-language document, along with a certification that the translator is competent and the translation is accurate.
Question 4: When conducting intake for an asylum applicant, which time-sensitive deadline must the specialist flag immediately?
- The 90-day window to request a Social Security card
- The one-year filing deadline from the date of last arrival (Correct answer)
- The 180-day employment authorization eligibility date
- The 60-day deadline to register with local authorities
Correct answer: The one-year filing deadline from the date of last arrival
INA § 208(a)(2)(B) requires asylum applications to be filed within one year of the applicant's last arrival in the U.S., subject to limited exceptions.
Question 5: A client's passport shows two different namesâone on the biographical page and one on the visa stampâdue to a transliteration variation. How should the intake form document this?
- Use only the name on the visa stamp as it is the controlling document
- Record both name variations and note the source document for each (Correct answer)
- Choose the name the client prefers and disregard the other
- File a name change petition before proceeding
Correct answer: Record both name variations and note the source document for each
All name variations must be recorded in the intake file to prevent discrepancies during identity verification and form completion.
Question 6: Which document retention practice best protects an IFS practice in the event of a malpractice claim related to a client intake error?
- Shredding documents five years after case closure
- Retaining all client files, correspondence, and intake forms for at least the period required by applicable state rules (Correct answer)
- Storing files only in digital format without backups
- Returning all original documents to the client upon case closure and keeping no copies
Correct answer: Retaining all client files, correspondence, and intake forms for at least the period required by applicable state rules
State bar rules and best practices typically require retaining client files for a minimum period (often five to seven years) to defend against malpractice claims.
Question 7: A client discloses a prior removal order during intake. Which form is used to seek to reopen or reconsider that order before an immigration judge?
- Form I-290B
- Form EOIR-26 (Notice of Appeal) or a motion to reopen filed with the immigration court (Correct answer)
- Form I-751
- Form I-212
Correct answer: Form EOIR-26 (Notice of Appeal) or a motion to reopen filed with the immigration court
Motions to reopen or reconsider a removal order are filed with the immigration court using EOIR forms, not USCIS forms.
IFS Client Intake & Documentation Management 2
During client intake, a prospective client reveals they previously entered the U.S. on a tourist visa and overstayed by three years.
Which disclosure is most critical to document immediately?