Enter your receipt number for instant status + a plain-English explanation of what it means and what to do next.
Enter your USCIS receipt number from Form I-797 (Notice of Action). Format: EAC2390123456 — 3 letters + 10 digits.
Fetching status from USCIS…
Your receipt number (also called a case number or application receipt number) is the 13-character code at the top of every USCIS notice. It's how USCIS tracks your case throughout the immigration process.
The 3-letter prefix identifies the service center processing your form. This determines your processing timeline — some centers are faster than others.
The first 2 digits after the letters indicate the fiscal year (23 = FY2023, 24 = FY2024, 25 = FY2025, 26 = FY2026). This matters for H-1B and green card processing.
For H-1B cap cases, your receipt date determines your place in the lottery. For I-485, it determines your priority date in the visa bulletin queue.
USCIS case status updates use specialized language that can be confusing. Here's what each status means in plain English.
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Every USCIS filing receives a 13-character receipt number printed on Form I-797 Notice of Action. The format is three letters followed by ten digits — for example, EAC2390123456. The three-letter prefix identifies the USCIS service center that received your petition: EAC is the Eastern Adjudication Center (Vermont Service Center), WAC is the Western Adjudication Center (California Service Center), LIN is the Nebraska Service Center, SRC is the Texas Service Center, MSC is the National Benefits Center, IOE is USCIS Lockbox, and NBC is the National Benefits Center. The four digits after the prefix encode the fiscal year and week the receipt was issued, which helps estimate processing time relative to the service center's current queue.
If you filed through an employer or attorney, your receipt number appears on the I-797C Notice of Action they received — not automatically forwarded to the beneficiary. Beneficiaries can access USCIS case status using only the receipt number, with no login required at uscis.gov/casestatus.
Case Was Received — USCIS accepted your filing and assigned a receipt number. No action has occurred yet; the case is in the queue. For I-765 EAD applications, you should see biometrics scheduling within 1–3 weeks. For I-140 petitions, "received" may persist for several months depending on service center workload.
Request for Evidence Was Sent — USCIS mailed an RFE to the address of record. If you filed through an attorney, the RFE goes to the attorney's address. You have 87 days from the RFE notice date to respond. Check your attorney's records or USPS tracking immediately — the RFE letter contains the specific deficiencies and the exact deadline.
Decision Notice Was Mailed — USCIS approved or denied the petition. The physical notice is in the mail. For approvals, this may be an I-797 Approval Notice or, for I-765, the EAD card itself. For denials, the notice explains the basis and, in most cases, your appeal options (filing a motion to reopen/reconsider with USCIS, or an appeal with the Administrative Appeals Office).
Case Was Transferred and a New Office Has Jurisdiction — Your case moved to a different service center for adjudication, typically to balance workload across offices. The new service center's processing time applies from the transfer date. Processing time estimates reset to the receiving service center's queue.
Fingerprint Fee Was Received — For applications requiring biometrics (I-485, I-765, I-131), USCIS collected the biometrics fee. An ASC appointment notice should follow within 1–3 weeks.
The official USCIS case status page returns the raw status string with no explanation of what it means, what typically happens next, or how long you should expect to wait. This tool translates each status into plain English, provides estimated wait times based on current USCIS processing data for your service center and form type, flags whether your case is outside normal processing time (which enables you to submit a case inquiry or contact the USCIS Contact Center), and saves your receipt numbers so you can track multiple cases without re-entering them.
For cases beyond the published processing time, USCIS allows you to submit a case inquiry online. You must wait until your case is outside the posted processing time range before submitting — submitting early generates an automated response with no action. This tool automatically flags when your case crosses that threshold.