IFS Client Intake & Documentation Management 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A client needs to file Form I-485 and discloses they entered the U.S. without inspection. Which intake consideration is most critical for adjustment of status eligibility?
- Whether the client has a valid passport
- Whether the client is the immediate relative of a U.S. citizen, which may allow adjustment despite EWI (Correct answer)
- Whether the client speaks English
- Whether the client has filed taxes
Correct answer: Whether the client is the immediate relative of a U.S. citizen, which may allow adjustment despite EWI
Entry without inspection (EWI) generally bars adjustment of status, but INA § 245(i) grandfathering or immediate relative status (in some circuits) may provide pathways.
Question 2: When preparing the intake checklist for a family-based petition (Form I-130), which supporting document establishes the qualifying relationship for a sibling petition?
- The petitioner's valid passport only
- Birth certificates of both the petitioner and beneficiary proving a common parent (Correct answer)
- A sworn affidavit from both siblings
- DNA test results
Correct answer: Birth certificates of both the petitioner and beneficiary proving a common parent
Sibling relationships require proving both individuals share at least one common parent, typically through birth certificates for each person.
Question 3: A client's intake reveals they received public benefits. Which disclosure has become particularly relevant to document accurately since the 2019 Public Charge rule changes?
- Receipt of earned income tax credit
- Receipt of designated public benefits such as SSI, SNAP, federal housing assistance, or Medicaid (with exceptions) (Correct answer)
- Enrollment in public school
- Use of public transportation subsidies
Correct answer: Receipt of designated public benefits such as SSI, SNAP, federal housing assistance, or Medicaid (with exceptions)
Under the 2022 reinstated public charge rule, certain public cash and long-term care benefits are considered in the public charge inadmissibility determination.
Question 4: An IFS specialist must confirm a client's current immigration status during intake. Which document provides the most authoritative evidence of authorized presence for a nonimmigrant?
- The client's foreign passport alone
- The client's Form I-94 Arrival/Departure Record combined with the admission class notation (Correct answer)
- A copy of the visa application approval email
- A letter from the sponsoring employer
Correct answer: The client's Form I-94 Arrival/Departure Record combined with the admission class notation
The I-94 record, accessible online via CBP, controls the authorized period of admission and class of admission for nonimmigrants.
Question 5: A client in DACA status asks about preparing for an upcoming renewal. During intake, which document is most critical to verify regarding continuous residence?
- Proof of current employment
- Evidence of continuous residence in the U.S. since June 15, 2007 (Correct answer)
- A valid travel permit (Advance Parole)
- Proof of no criminal convictions
Correct answer: Evidence of continuous residence in the U.S. since June 15, 2007
DACA requires proving continuous U.S. residence since June 15, 2007; gaps in residence can result in denial of renewal.
Question 6: Which intake procedure best ensures that a client understands the scope and limitations of an IFS specialist's services compared to those of a licensed immigration attorney?
- Verbally explaining the distinction at the start of the first meeting
- Providing a written engagement letter that clearly defines services offered and explicitly states the specialist is not an attorney (Correct answer)
- Referring the client to an attorney for all matters
- Displaying a law license on the office wall
Correct answer: Providing a written engagement letter that clearly defines services offered and explicitly states the specialist is not an attorney
A written engagement letter defining non-attorney status and scope of services protects both the client and the practitioner and satisfies disclosure requirements.
Question 7: During intake for an employment-based green card case, a client presents a PERM labor certification approval. What critical date should the specialist record from this document?
- The date the employer signed the document
- The priority date established by the PERM filing date (Correct answer)
- The date the client received the approval notice
- The expiration date of the labor certification
Correct answer: The priority date established by the PERM filing date
The PERM filing date becomes the beneficiary's priority date, which determines their place in the employment-based visa queue.
IFS Client Intake & Documentation Management 4
A client needs to file Form I-485 and discloses they entered the U.S. without inspection.
Which intake consideration is most critical for adjustment of status eligibility?