How to check your USCIS case status

Every application or petition you send to USCIS gets a receipt number. With it, you can look up where your case stands at any time. This guide shows where to find it, how to check your status and what to do with the answer.

1. Find your receipt number

Your receipt number is on the receipt notice (Form I-⁠797C, Notice of Action) that USCIS mails you after it accepts your filing. It's near the top left, labelled "Receipt Number".

It has 13 characters: 3 letters followed by 10 numbers, for example IOE0912345678. The letters show which office received your case:

• IOE: filed online (USCIS electronic immigration system)
• EAC, VSC: Vermont Service Center
• WAC, CSC: California Service Center
• LIN, NSC: Nebraska Service Center
• SRC, TSC: Texas Service Center
• MSC, NBC: National Benefits Center
• YSC: Potomac Service Center

If you filed online, the receipt number is also in your USCIS online account.

Type it without dashes or spaces. If the site says the number is invalid, check for a zero typed as the letter O.

2. Check your status

You have three options:

• USCIS Case Status Online. Enter your receipt number on the USCIS website and you'll see the latest status and a short description.
• Your USCIS online account. If you filed online, or added a paper case to your account, you can see your notices and messages there too.
• ImmigraMate. Enter your receipt number on our case status page to see your status and its full history. Add the case to the app and we send you a notification when it moves, so you don't have to keep checking.

You can also call the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283, but online is usually faster.

3. Understand what the status means

USCIS statuses are short and not always clear. "Case Was Received", "Fingerprint Fee Was Received" or "Request for Evidence Was Sent" each mean something specific, and some need you to act.

We explain each one in plain words, with what usually happens next and what to do now: USCIS case statuses, explained.

4. Know how long it should take

How long a case takes depends on the form and the office handling it. See the current times for your form and office on USCIS processing times. It also shows the date from which you can ask USCIS about a case that is taking too long.

5. When your case is taking too long

• Check the processing time first. If your case is still within the published range, USCIS usually won't act on an inquiry yet.
• If it's outside normal processing time, you can submit a case inquiry online through the USCIS website, or call the Contact Center.
• If there's an urgent reason, such as a medical emergency or severe financial loss, you can ask USCIS to expedite your case.
• Still stuck? You can ask your member of Congress for help. Their office can contact USCIS for you.

Tips

• Keep every notice USCIS sends you. Each one has your receipt number on it.
• Track every case separately. If your family filed several forms, each one has its own receipt number and status.
• Watch for mail. Some notices, like a request for evidence, have a deadline.

*This guide is general information, not legal advice. For questions about your own case, talk to an immigration attorney.*