A size limit and a format limit
Two constraints apply to every upload. Each file must be no larger than 12 MB, and it must be in an accepted format: PDF, JPG or JPEG, with TIF and TIFF accepted for some forms. A file that satisfies one and not the other will not go through.
The format restriction catches people more often than the size one. Photographs taken on recent iPhones are saved as HEIC by default, and screenshots on many systems are PNG — neither is on the accepted list, and both need converting before upload regardless of how small they are.
USCIS also asks that uploaded images be clear and that all text in them be readable, which sets a practical floor on how far a file can be compressed.
Working within 12 MB
Twelve megabytes is small for scanned evidence. A dozen pages captured at 300 DPI in color can reach it, and supporting documentation for a single application often runs to far more than a dozen pages.
Because the limit applies per file rather than per application, the practical question is usually the size of each individual piece of evidence rather than the total.
Scanning settings make most of the difference. Greyscale at around 300 DPI is generally ample for ordinary documents and a fraction the size of color at 600 DPI. Where a file already exists, resampling its embedded images achieves the same reduction, and ShrinkWrit reports the resulting fidelity so the readability requirement can be judged before uploading.
If the file is an exhibit
Lossy compression alters a file. Every byte of the output differs from the input, even where the page looks identical on screen, and that can matter if the document's authenticity is ever contested. ShrinkWrit shows the SHA-256 hash of the file you started with and the file it produced, so the change is documented rather than invisible.
The lossless mode strips metadata and repacks the file without touching a single pixel or sample. It saves less, and on a heavily scanned document it may not reach the limit at all — but when it does, the image data is bit-for-bit what it was. Your original is never modified either way; the output is always a new file.
Common questions
- What is the USCIS file size limit?
- 12 MB per uploaded file, in PDF, JPG or JPEG format. Some forms additionally accept TIF and TIFF.
- Why was my photo rejected even though it was small?
- Most likely its format. HEIC — the default on recent iPhones — and PNG are not on the accepted list. The file has to be converted to an accepted format regardless of its size.
- Does the 12 MB apply to my whole application?
- It is stated as a per-file limit, so each uploaded file is measured on its own.
- How far can I compress and still meet the readability requirement?
- USCIS asks that images be clear and all text readable, which is a judgment rather than a number. ShrinkWrit shows a fidelity indicator and both file sizes with the result, and it is worth opening the compressed file and reading it before uploading.
The 12 MB figure on this page was last checked against the court’s own notice on Jul 2026. Limits change without much announcement — confirm it at the source before you file.