How to Track Your USCIS Case Status Online & Know If You Were Approved
Posted by Frank Gogol in Immigrants | Updated on May 26, 2023
Checking your case status online is relatively simple, if a bit tedious, especially if your case is open for months or even years. Below are step-by-step instructions for checking your status as well as information on who can check their status on the USCIS website.
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Steps to Check Your USCIS Case Status
USCIS provides the option to check a case status online for any abovementioned applications. All you will need to look up your case status is your 13-digit receipt number. To check your USCIS case status online:
- Navigate to USCIS’s case status page
- Enter your 13-digit receipt number
- Click the “Check Status” button
After clicking the button, the page will refresh and you will see an update with the current status of your case.
What Are the Different USCIS Case Statuses?
- My Case Accepted By The USCIS Lockbox
- My Fingerprint Fee Was Received
- My Case Was Updated To Show Fingerprints Were Taken
- My Request for Additional Evidence Was Sent
- My Request for Additional Evidence Was Received
- My Case is Being Actively Reviewed
- My Case Is On Hold
- My Case is Ready to Be Scheduled for An Interview
- My Case is Scheduled for An interview
- My Case Was Submitted For Quality Review Based On An Approval Recommendation
- My Case Was Approved
- My Card Was Mailed To Me
- My Card Was Picked Up By The United States Postal Service
- My Card Was Delivered To Me By The Post Office
- My Case Was Sent To The Department of State
- My Certificate Of Naturalization Was Issued
Who Can Check Their USCIS Case Status
If you have submitted a visa application, extension, transfer or a green card application to USCIS, you will be able to check your USCIS case status online. USCIS also offers case status tracking for:
- Form I-140
- Form I-485
- Form I-765
- Adjustment of Status (AoS)
- Advance Parole
- Employment Authorization Documents (EAD)
- Citizenship
The types of applications you can check in the USCIS website include:
- H1-B Applications
- Green Card Applications
Who Cannot Check Their USCIS Case Status Online?
A case status cannot be checked without a Receipt Number, also known as a Case Number. Your Receipt Number is a 13-digit number that begins with three letters, such as WAC or EAC. The Receipt Number is generated when a new Receipt Notice is created. Any Notice without a Receipt Number cannot be looked up on the USCIS website.
Alternate Methods for Checking Your USCIS Case Status
If you’d like to check your case status offline, there are several inquiry options available to you, including email, telephone, direct mail, or in-person at your local processing center. Note that these methods of inquiry can, in some instances, have long wait times to get a status update.
USCIS Case Status by Email
Another option for checking your USCIS case status is by inquiring via email. USCIS processing centers have unique email addresses. Check the list below for the contact information for your processing center:
- California Service Center: [email protected]
- Nebraska Service Center: [email protected]
- Texas Service Center: [email protected]
- Vermont Service Center: [email protected]
USCIS Case Status by Phone
To check your USCIS case status by phone, call 1-800-375-5283. You may inquire about your case status without a receipt number. Be warned, however, that wait times will depend on the volume of other callers inquiring about their case status. Wait time may be up to two hours or more.
USCIS Case Status by Mail
You may also inquire about your USCIS case status via direct mail. To get a case status update, you will mail an inquiry letter to your local USCIS field office (where you filed your petition) with the following information:
- full name
- birth date
- alien number (if applicable)
- date your application/petition was filed
- location your petition/application was filed
- receipt number (if you’ve received one)
If possible, include a copy of your receipt with your inquiry letter to facilitate the case status update process.
How to Check Your USCIS Case Status by in Person
Lastly, you can inquire in-person about the status of your USCIS case. This will require you to make an appointment with your local processing center. Appointments can be made regardless of whether you are currently in the U.S. or not. To schedule an appointment, visit the USCIS appointment scheduling page.
USCIS Case Status Processing Time
USCIS case processing times depend on the form that has been submitted and may vary in length from months to years. USCIS offers typical processing times for each type of application on their website.
To check the processing time for a specific form, you need to know:
- Petition/Form type
- Processing center
- Classification or basis of filing
For a full list of all the classifications and visa types, visit the USCIS Processing Time Information page.
Sign Up for Automated Case Status Updates
Checking your case status repeatedly over the course of months or even years can be tedious. But getting updates on your case status doesn’t have to be. Complete the form below to receive free automated USCIS case status updates.
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USCIS Case Status FAQ
Can I check my USCIS Case Status without a Receipt?
No, you cannot check your case status without a Receipt. If you do not have a Receipt, the status you are looking for will not be found online.
What is the USCIS receipt number?
A Receipt Number is a 13-character code that is used to identify and track applications and petitions for immigration benefits. It can be found on the I-797, Notice of Action
When will my USCIS case status be approved?
Different cases and forms take different amounts of time to process. A case can be processed in a few months or after more than a year, depending on the case. To look up the current processing time for a particular form, use the USCIS Check Case Processing Times page.
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