How to check your USCIS case status, and what to do if it is taking too long
After you file with USCIS, waiting is the hardest part. Here is how to follow your case and what you can do if it seems stuck.
General information only, not legal advice. If your case is urgent or unusually delayed, an immigration attorney or DOJ-accredited representative can advise on options such as an expedite request.
Find your receipt number
It is on the receipt notice (Form I-797C) that USCIS sends after it accepts your filing. It has 13 characters: three letters followed by 10 numbers, for example starting with IOE, EAC, WAC, LIN, SRC, NBC or MSC. When you type it online, leave out the dashes.
Check your status
- Use Case Status Online with your receipt number.
- A free USCIS online account shows more detail and can send you updates, and you can use it even for some paper filings.
Is it taking too long?
- Go to USCIS processing times, choose your form, category and office.
- Enter your receipt date. The tool tells you whether your case is outside normal processing time.
- If it is, you can submit an inquiry through e-Request or call the USCIS Contact Center.
USCIS may treat a case as actively processing if, in the past 60 days, you got a notice, answered an RFE or saw an online update.
Other options
- Expedite request: for urgent reasons that meet USCIS criteria.
- Premium processing: available for some forms only, for a fee. See what premium processing is.
- Your congressional representative’s office can also make an inquiry for you.
Need help organizing your documents?
One Path Finder can help you gather and organize documents where permitted by law. We are not a law firm and can’t tell you what applies to your case. Contact us to start a conversation. For legal advice, ask us for a referral to our partner law firm.