To check the status of a request with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), use their official Online Case Status tool and enter your receipt number. The result allows you to review the most recent update recorded, but it does not replace the instructions provided in the notifications that the agency sends regarding your application.
Where to find the receipt number for USCIS
The receipt number, identified in English as Receipt Number, appears on the notifications sent by USCIS regarding a request or petition. It is a 13-character identifier: three letters and ten numbers. It may start, for example, with IOE, MSC, or LIN.
Do not confuse it with the foreigner number or A-Number, your online account number, or the access code used to link a file. The official help regarding the receipt number explains its format and where to find it.
Each request or petition has its own identifier. If you are processing a and have multiple receipts, check each one separately. An update to one form does not equate to a decision regarding all the others.
How to check the status of the case online
Visit the USCIS Online Case Status, select Spanish if needed, and enter your complete receipt number. Omit the dashes; keep other characters, including asterisks, when they are part of the identifier displayed in your notification. Then click the button to check the status.
For this basic inquiry, you do not need to log in to an account. Read the entire message, including its date and any indications about documents sent or pending actions. Also, check that the mentioned form corresponds to the receipt you wanted to inquire about.
What do the USCIS messages mean?
Case received. Confirm that the agency has registered the application or request. This is not an approval notice. Keep the receipt notification as it contains information you will need to follow up on the process.
Case under review. A message like Case Is Being Actively Reviewed By USCIS indicates that the file is under review. By itself, it does not communicate a favorable decision or a resolution date: it does not allow one to conclude that approval will arrive in a few days.
Request for Evidence. A Request for Evidence, or RFE, indicates that USCIS is requesting documentation or information to continue the evaluation. Read the full notice and adhere to the timeline and format for response indicated; the summary shown on screen does not substitute for those instructions.
Biometric appointment or interview. Check the notification for the date, location, and what you need to bring. Having a scheduled appointment does not mean that the benefit is approved. If the system indicates that the notice was sent and you do not receive it, use the inquiry channels for delivery issues.
Approval or card shipment. These are distinct moments. An approval communicates a decision regarding the consulted form; a shipment notice informs you about the dispatch of the card. When USCIS provides a tracking number, use it to check the delivery.
Deny. Review the full decision to understand the reason and applicable instructions. Do not infer possible appeals or their deadlines solely from the status message; when you need to assess options for your case, consult an immigration attorney or accredited representative.
What does an online USCIS account provide?
The account allows access to additional features for eligible cases, such as checking notifications, receiving alerts, or sending secure messages. In its guidance on online accounts, USCIS explains how to add a case with a receipt number starting with IOE.
To link a case filed on paper, the option Add a paper-filed case requests the receipt number, the date of birth, and the Online Access Code sent in an access notification. That code is not the receipt number. If you are missing it or experiencing technical difficulties accessing your account, please use the USCIS account help; that form is not the general channel for inquiring about case delays.
Case status and processing time are not the same
The state informs about a recorded action; the processing time is intended to guide how long cases in a specific category have taken. To consult it, enter the processing times tool and select the form, category, and office or option that corresponds to your case.
According to the explanation by USCIS regarding these estimates, the published time reflects how long it took to complete 80% of the cases adjudicated over the previous six months. It is not a guaranteed resolution date nor does it mean that all files must be concluded within that time frame.
The same tool allows you to check when you can submit a query for delay, using the date on which you received your notification. Follow the date or the link provided: exceeding the time shown in the table should not automatically be confused with meeting the criteria to submit that query.
What to do if you don't have the receipt or the number isn't working
If you submitted the application online or linked it to your account, look there for the number and the notification. The USCIS FAQs also indicate that you can call the Contact Center if you no longer have the receipt number.
If the system does not recognize the identifier, compare it with the original document and check the letters, digits, and dashes. An inquiry error alone does not prove that the case has been denied. If the issue persists, contact USCIS with any available notifications, rather than assuming the outcome of the process based on the error.
What to do if USCIS sent a notification and it hasn't arrived?
First, check if the case status indicates a shipment and if the document is available in your account. The e-Request system distinguishes between notifications, cards, and other documents not received. Choose the correct category and review the indicated conditions and deadlines before submitting an inquiry.
If what you're missing is a card and it shows as sent, check the postal service tracking number. Do not apply the timeframes for a general inquiry about delays to an upcoming interview or a request for evidence: contact USCIS when the necessary notice is missing to fulfill an instruction.
If you have moved, update your address with USCIS using the appropriate procedure. The agency reminds you that changing your address with the Postal Service does not change it with USCIS. Make sure that the contact information for your applications is up to date.
How to call USCIS from the United States
The Contact Center number is 1-800-375-5283; the TTY service is 1-800-767-1833, according to USAGov in Spanish. Keep your receipt and the notification that prompted your inquiry handy. To enter case information, use official channels: do not post your full receipt number, access codes, or copies of notifications on social media.
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