USCIS case statuses, explained

Case Was Received

USCIS has your application or petition, accepted it for processing and gave it a receipt number. A receipt notice (Form I-797C) is mailed to you, and it is your proof that the case is pending. It does not mean anyone has looked at the evidence yet.

Case Was Received At Another USCIS Office

Your case file has arrived at a different USCIS office from the one that first received it. USCIS moves files between service centers and field offices to balance workloads or because a local office handles the interview.

Fees Were Waived

USCIS approved your fee waiver request (Form I-912 or a written request), so you do not have to pay the filing fee for this case. The case is now accepted and will be processed like any other.

Fingerprint Fee Was Received

USCIS recorded the part of your payment that covers fingerprints and photos. It is an accounting step, not the appointment itself, and it usually appears soon after the case is received.

Biometric Appointment Was Scheduled

USCIS scheduled you for fingerprints, a photo and a signature at an Application Support Center (ASC). The appointment notice with the date, time and place is in the mail.

Case Was Updated To Show Fingerprints Were Taken

Your biometrics appointment is done and recorded. USCIS uses the fingerprints for FBI and other background checks, and for any card it later produces.

Case Is Being Actively Reviewed By USCIS

An officer, or the system, has touched your file. It is one of the most common statuses and one of the least specific: it can mean the case was assigned, a background check came back, or a document was added. It does not mean a decision is close.

Case Is Ready To Be Scheduled For An Interview

USCIS finished the early checks and your case is waiting for an interview slot at the office that will hear it. Interviews are scheduled in the order cases become ready and as appointment slots open.

Case Was Transferred And A New Office Has Jurisdiction

Your file moved to another USCIS office, which now decides it. This is routine: service centers send cases to field offices for interviews, and USCIS moves work between centers to balance backlogs.

Name Was Updated

USCIS changed the name on your case record, usually to match a correction you asked for or a document in your file. It is an administrative update, not a decision.

Case Was Reopened

A decided or closed case is open again. This happens after a motion to reopen or reconsider is accepted, or when USCIS reopens a case on its own, for example to correct an error.

Expedite Request Received

USCIS logged your request to process the case faster. It has not decided the request yet. Expedites are granted only for set reasons, such as severe financial loss, urgent humanitarian reasons or a clear USCIS error.

Expedite Request Denied

USCIS decided not to speed up your case. The case itself is not denied; it carries on in the normal queue.

Request For Initial Evidence Was Sent

USCIS mailed you a request for something that should have been included when you filed, such as a missing form, a signature, a photo or a required document. It is common and usually easy to fix.

Request For Additional Evidence Was Sent

An officer reviewed your case and needs more proof before deciding, for example more financial documents, proof of a relationship or a medical exam form. This is a request for evidence (RFE). It is not a denial.

Response To USCIS' Request For Evidence Was Received

USCIS received your answer to its request for evidence. The officer will review it along with the rest of your file.

Interview Was Scheduled

USCIS set a date for your interview and mailed the notice. It names the office, the date and time, who must attend and what to bring.

Interview Was Rescheduled

Your interview date changed, either because you asked or because USCIS moved it. A new notice with the new date is in the mail.

Interview Was Completed And My Case Must Be Reviewed

You had your interview, and the officer did not decide on the spot. They may need a supervisor's review, a background check result, or to look at documents you brought.

Case Was Approved

USCIS granted what you applied or petitioned for. An approval notice (Form I-797) is mailed to you.

Oath Ceremony Was Scheduled

Your naturalization (N-400) was approved and USCIS scheduled the ceremony where you take the Oath of Allegiance. You become a U.S. citizen at the ceremony, not before.

Case Was Denied

USCIS decided not to grant your application or petition. A denial letter explains the reasons and whether you can appeal or file a motion.

Case Was Rejected

USCIS did not accept your filing, usually because of a missing signature, a wrong or missing fee, an old version of the form or a filing to the wrong address. A rejection is not a denial: the case was never accepted.

Notice Explaining USCIS Actions Was Mailed

USCIS sent you a letter about your case. The status itself does not say what the letter contains: it can be a notice of intent to deny, a transfer, a reopening, a request, or another action.

Case Was Sent To The Department Of State

USCIS approved a petition for someone who will get a visa abroad and sent the file to the Department of State's National Visa Center (NVC). USCIS's part is done.

New Card Is Being Produced

Your case was approved and USCIS is printing your card or document, such as a green card or work permit. It is the step between approval and mailing.

Card Was Mailed To Me

USCIS sent your card or document by mail. The status often includes a USPS tracking number.

Card Was Picked Up By The United States Postal Service

The Postal Service has your card and it is on its way. This usually appears with or after "Card Was Mailed To Me".

Card Was Delivered To Me By The Post Office

USPS reports that your card or document was delivered. For most cases this is the last status.

Card Was Returned To USCIS

The Postal Service could not deliver your card and sent it back to USCIS, usually because of a wrong or incomplete address or a name not on the mailbox.

Withdrawal Acknowledgement Notice Was Sent

USCIS confirmed that the application or petition was withdrawn at your request (or the petitioner's), and closed the case.