Reliable documents that accurately indicate the status and identity of the bearer are critical to the effective administration of immigration law. A range of documents, including immigrant and nonimmigrant visas, permits, border crossing cards, and alien registration receipt cards, may enable an alien to enter the United States and/or be eligible for various benefits for the duration of his or her stay. The integrity of the immigration system depends on the genuineness of (1) the documents indicating the eligibility of an alien to enter and remain in the United States or receive certain benefits and (2) the records and papers submitted to obtain such documents. To enter or remain in the United States and be eligible for various immigration-related benefits, aliens must comply with a number of document requirements under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), as amended. Attempts to circumvent these document requirements have been prohibited and punishable since at least 1924. Under the INA, an alien who uses, acquires, or produces fraudulent documents for immigration-related purposes may be subjected to civil penalties and denied certain immigration benefits, including the ability to enter or remain in the United States. Further, certain fraudulent actions may carry criminal penalties under both the INA and the United States Criminal Code. This report discusses the primary civil, criminal, and immigration-related penalties associated with immigration-related document fraud. It does not discuss criminal statutes generally barring fraud or identity theft (other than 18 U.S.C. § 1028) that could also potentially be used to penalize immigration-related document fraud. The primary provision of the INA concerning immigration-related document fraud is INA § 274C. In general, INA § 274C prohibits the fraudulent production, use, or possession of documents in order either (1) to acquire benefits under the INA or (2) to satisfy an INA requirement. Specifically, INA § 274C makes it unlawful for any person or entity (including non-aliens) to knowingly forge, counterfeit, alter, or falsely make any document for the purpose of satisfying an INA requirement or obtaining a benefit under the INA; use, attempt to use, possess, obtain, accept, receive, or provide any forged, counterfeit, altered, or falsely made document for the purpose of satisfying an INA requirement or obtaining a benefit under the INA; use, attempt to use, provide, or attempt to provide any document lawfully issued to or with respect to a person other than the possessor for the purpose of satisfying an INA requirement or obtaining a benefit under the INA; accept, receive or provide any document lawfully issued to or with respect to a person other than the possessor for the purpose of complying with INA § 274A(b) (relating to alien employment verification) or obtaining a benefit under the INA; prepare, file, or assist another in preparing or filing, any application for benefits under the INA, or any document required under the INA, or any document submitted in connection with such application or document, with knowledge or in reckless disregard of the fact that such application or document was falsely made or, in whole or in part, does not relate to the person on whose behalf it was or is being submitted; or present before boarding a common carrier for the purpose of coming to the United States a document which relates to the alien's eligibility to enter the United States, and subsequently fail to present such document to an immigration officer upon arrival at a United States port of entry. Persons or entities found to have violated INA § 274C may be ordered to cease and desist engaging in the unlawful activity and be assessed a civil money penalty. In the case of most first-time offenders, this penalty is between $375 and $3,200 for each fraudulent document or proscribed activity (and between $275 and $2,200 for each violation prior to March 27, 2008). For subsequent offenses, the civil penalty is between $3,200 and $6,500 (and between $2,200 and $5,500 for each violation prior to March 27, 2008). In the case of first-time offenders under INA § 274C(a)(5) (relating to the preparation or filing of a fraudulent INA document) or § 274C(a)(6) (failing to present entry documents upon arrival in United States), the penalty is between $275 and $2,200 for each fraudulent document or proscribed activity (and between $250 and $2,000 for each violation prior to March 27, 2008). Subsequent offenses are punishable by between $2,200 and $5,000 for each violation (and between $2,000 and $5,000 for each violation prior to March 27, 2008). Immigration authorities may investigate allegations of document fraud either on their own initiative or upon receiving third-party complaints with a substantial probability of validity. Immigration authorities may issue subpoenas to examine evidence against persons or entities being investigated. If immigration authorities conclude that a person or entity has violated § 274C, they may issue a Notice of Intent to Fine the alleged offender. If the alleged offender contests the issuance of the Notice of Intent to Fine, the respondent may request a hearing regarding the alleged violation within 60 days. Hearings are conducted by administrative law judges under the supervision of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer of the Department of Justice's Executive Office of Immigration Review. If a hearing is not requested within this period, or the respondent otherwise waives the right to a hearing, a final order may be issued by immigration authorities. If a hearing is requested, an immigration judge may issue a final order imposing civil penalties if the preponderance of evidence indicates that the accused has violated the requirements of INA § 274C. The civil penalties for violating § 274C may be waived in limited circumstances for aliens who failed to show the same immigration documents to U.S. immigration authorities as were used to board the carrier to travel to the United States, if the alien is granted asylum or withholding of removal. An alien's unauthorized presence within the United States—that is, being an "illegal alien"—is generally not a crime in and of itself. However, many types of immigration-related document fraud that may facilitate an alien's entry into or continued presence within the United States are criminal offenses. The following sections discuss the primary criminal statutes covering immigration-related document fraud, many of which are overlapping in coverage with civil statutes prohibiting immigration-related document fraud. In addition to these statutes, a number of other criminal statutes can potentially be used to prosecute aliens for document fraud in certain circumstances. Further, persons may be held criminally liable for aiding and abetting or conspiring to commit such offenses. Besides imposing civil penalties for immigration-related document fraud, INA § 274C also includes criminal penalties for those who prepare or assist in preparing fraudulent immigration documents for a fee or other remuneration. More particularly, failure to disclose a role in the preparation of a falsely made application for immigration benefits may result in a fine and/or imprisonment for up to five years, as well as being prohibited from preparing or assisting in the preparation of any other such applications in the future. Subsequent offenses are subject to fines and imprisonment for up to 15 years. A much broader criminal provision than § 274C of the INA, section 1546 of the United States Criminal Code (18 U.S.C. § 1546) makes it a criminal offense for a person to knowingly produce, use, or facilitate the production or use of fraudulent, immigration-related documents such as immigrant or nonimmigrant visas, permits, border crossing cards, alien registration receipt cards, and other documents prescribed by immigration-related statute or regulation. Activities prohibited include knowingly forging, counterfeiting, altering, or falsely making any immigrant or nonimmigrant visa, permit, border crossing card, alien registration receipt card, or other document prescribed by statute or regulation for entry into or as evidence of authorized stay or employment in the United States; using or attempting to use, possessing, obtaining, or acquiring any such fraudulent document knowing that it was made or obtained unlawfully; possessing blank immigration-related permits, engraving plates, or document-producing materials; impersonating another to evade immigration laws or apply for an immigrant or nonimmigrant visa, permit, or other document required for entry into the United States; offering to sell or otherwise dispose of another person's visa, permit, or other immigration-related document to any person not authorized by law to receive such document; making false statements with respect to a material fact in any application, affidavit or other document required by immigration laws and regulations; or presenting any document required by immigration laws and regulations that is known to either contain false statements or lack any reasonable basis in law or fact. Persons convicted of violating § 1546(a) are subject to a fine and/or imprisonment up to either 25 years (if the offense was committed to facilitate an act of international terrorism), 20 years (if the offense was committed to facilitate a drug trafficking crime), 10 years (in the case of the first or second such offense, if the offense was not committed to facilitate either an act of international terrorism or a drug trafficking crime), or 15 years (in the case of any other offense). Section 1546(b) criminalizes the use of fraudulent documents or false attestation to satisfy INA verification requirements relating to the employment of aliens. Persons who violate this provision are subject to a fine and/or imprisonment for up to five years. Section 1015 of the United States Criminal Code (18 U.S.C. § 1015) criminalizes acts of fraud relating to naturalization, citizenship, or alien registry.