Things that Every Applicant Should Know About USCIS Receipt Number
No doubt there several people immigrating to the United States and out of them there are also several immigrants who do not have enough details about the USCIS receipt number.
The receipt number is referred to as the unique 13 character identification code given to every applicant applying for immigration to the US which is used by USCIS to track your case. To get further details about the receipt number. Continue reading.
What is a USCIS receipt number?
USCIS received number is defined as the special 13 character case number that the USCIS allots to all the people who filed the immigration-related documents. This case number is defined as the receipt number for your case. This number is basically used to track cases. The first three characters of your receipt number indicate which USCIS center is managing your case.
Suppose the USCIS California Service Centre manages your case, then your first three characters of your receipt number will start from WAC. If the USCIS Nebraska service center processes your case, then the first three characters of your receipt number will begin from “LIN.”
If your application is processed by the Texas service Centre (TSC), the first three characters of your receipt number will begin with SRC. If the Vermont service Centre processes your immigration application, then the first three characters of your receipt number will begin with EAC.
If the national benefit Centre is processing your application, then the first three digits of your receipt number could begin with “MSC” or “NBC.”
However, if your application is processed online by the USCIS, then the first three characters of your receipt number will begin with “IOE.” These are the first three unique characters which will be accompanied by the ten-digit number, which will then develop into your complete USCIS receipt number.
Also, make sure the documents that you are submitting to USCIS should be in English if the documents are in any other language rather than English it’s better to hire a USCIS translation service for translation of immigration documents in English.
How do I find my USCIS receipt number?
When USCIS receives your immigration-related application, then they will send your receive notice. You can find the receipt number on your receipt notice. You can allocate the receipt number on the upper left corner of the receipt notice.
Your receipt number where either start from “MSC,” “NBC,” “IOE,” “WAC,” “SRC,” “LIN,” or “EAC” (these unique characters will define which USCIS Centre is processing your application), and then it will be followed by ten numbers.
You can use your receipt number to check the current status of your application.
What is a USCIS receipt notice?
After you submit your immigration-related document to the USCIS, then USCIS will send you
Receipt of the notice mentioning that they have received your application. USCIS will notify you by sending you an update on an official form I-797C, Notice of Action. You will receive this form number at your mail address which you provided while filling the application.
It will take up to 2 to 3 days to send you a notice after submitting the application. Form I-797C is referred to as your receipt notice. Don’t be in a misconception that this form is proof that USCIS has approved your application and now you are eligible to get an immigration benefit.
This form is just for notifying you that USCIS has accepted or denied your application (In case your application is accepted they will update you for the next process in the notice). You can also get the receipt number on the green card. For complete details related to the green card, you can refer to the green card guide.
Moreover, if you are applying for the green card through marriage-based green card then you will be required to submit marriage green card documents in the English language.
How do I read my USCIS receipt number?
You do not have to struggle more to understand your USCIS receipt number to use it to check your current application status. It is very easy, no doubt, for those applying for immigration might get curious to understand the USCIS receipt number for the first time.
However, the USCIS service center usually coordinates the receipt number with the center code that manages the processing of your application, unique case number, fiscal year, and computer workday when USCIS checks your application. To completely understand your USCIS receipt number, you can look at its below-given points.
Service Center
The first three letters of your USCIS received number indicate the USCIS Center handling your case. The first three letters at the beginning of your receipt number are like the codes, indicating different service centers. Here are the codes for every USCIS service center that manage your immigration applications:
IOE – USCIS Electronic Immigration System (ELIS)
EAC – Eastern Adjudication Center(Vermont service center)
WAC – Western Adjudication Center (California Service Center)
LIN – Lincoln Service Center (Nebraska Service Center)
NBC – National Benefits Center
MSC – Missouri Service Center (National Benefits Center)
SRC – Southern Regional Center (Texas Service Center)
Fiscal Year
After that three letters service Centre code, the other two letters show about the specific fiscal year when the USCIS opened your case. The United States government fiscal year is not the same as the fiscal year of the regular calendar as they use different fiscal years for immigration purposes.
Fiscal year starts from the 1st October and ends after 12 months. Let us understand with the help of an example. Suppose the California service center is managing your case and they got your migration-related application in the month of November of USCIS fiscal year 2017. In that case, your receipt number will be as WAC 17 XXX XXXXX.
Computer Workday
After that, the other three numbers represents the computer working day on which USCIS checked your case. Computer workday counts all the regular days, excluding holidays and weekends. For example, WAC 17 018XXXX means California service Centre checked your case on the 18th computer working day of the 2017 USCIS fiscal year.
Case Number
The last five numbers of the receipt number are the unique case number that USCIS allot to your case. The arrangement of the number will be done based on the internal counting system, which one of the USCIS service centers processing your case has in place. For example, WAC 17 018 10000 means your application was the 10,000 application opened by the California service Centre in the 2017 USCIS fiscal year.
After reading all the above-given parts of the USCIS receipt number, you can fill up and submit your immigration application without any stress!
How do I use my USCIS receipt number to check my application status?
The primary thing for USCIS receipt number comes in use is for checking the status of your application and your case status throughout your application process. Case status is based on the type of case and its average processing timeline.
Therefore, using your receipt number to check your application status will give you an idea of how much time your application will take to get processed and what to do if your application takes too long. Mentioned below are some of the ways through which you can check your current application status.
How to check your USCIS case status online.
The easiest way to check your application’s current status is online by using the USCIS receipt number through the USCIS online status tracker.
Now you know how to check your status online, so you can also create your USCIS online account to regularly receive the case updates directly to you to your Email ID as it is available.
Listed below are some of the steps you need to follow to check your case status online.
- The first thing you need to do is to visit the USCIS case status checker.
- You are required to change your receipt number in the dialogue box under the “Enter your receipt number.”
- Now you are required to key in your receipt number without giving spaces or dashes between any of the characters.
- Tap on the check status button.
- After that, the page will itself show you the case status.
How to check your USCIS case status by phone or email
You also have the option to get your case status by calling or emailing to USCIS.
In order to check for the case status through phone, you are required to call 18003755283 and follow the asked steps.
However, when you call on this number, you will be talking to the system. You will not directly connect to the USCIS officer, which means you must first follow these asked steps to get connected with the officer. In addition, you will be required to give your receipt number on-call, so ensure that when you call, you have your receipt number with you.
There are several people who are preferring to check the status of the application through the mail, then listed below are some of the email address depends on the type of Center who is managing your application.
- Texas Service Center — ncscfollowup@dhs.gov
- California Service Center — csc-ncsc-followup@dhs.gov
- Vermont Service Center — ncscfollowup@dhs.gov
- Nebraska Service Center — nsc@dhs.gov
If USCIS sends your case to the National Visa Centre at the Department of State for the next process, you can’t get the status of your application through email. Instead, you will require checking your application status with the National Visa Centre.
How to use the USCIS online account system
Some of the immigration-related documents, for example, form I-90, application to replace permanent replacement card, in this situation USCIS manages all these cases through USCIS online accounts system.
In such a case, USCIS will automatically make your online account and provide you with the welcome letter that contains all your account details. When creating the Account on USCIS online system, you will get ten update related to your application on the email ID linked to your online account.
However, USCIS will also forward the case update notices to your provided mailing address.
How to use the USCIS e-Request portal
If you are looking to get more inquiries related to your case status. You can still submit an inquiry form through the USCIS E-request portal. However, you can only file the inquiry if you meet the below-mentioned points:
- You can only file the inquiry if your cases are out of the standard processing time.
- You are only allowed to file inquiries if you move to another mailing address and you require to update your address USCIS.
- You can submit an inquiry if you still do not receive any of the document related to your cases, such as employment authorization document, green card or biometric appointment notice to your mail,
- If you mistakenly made an error in your application and want to correct it.
Conclusion
The above-given information is sufficient to help you understand the receipt number and where to find it, and how the receipt number is useful for your application.
Also do not forget to hire a USCIS translation service especially if you are coming from Spain and your documents are in the Spanish language. There are several agency that provides you best language translation service from Spanish to English,
FAQs
What does Uscis receipt notice mean?
In the receipt notice, USCIS will include that your petition if you did not apply properly. They can mention that they have accepted the petition and update you with the further process. It depends on the application.
How can I check my case status without a receipt number?
If you do not have a receipt number, you can still check the current status of your application through phone by calling 1-800-375-5283. Moreover, your call might be kept on waiting because several callers call at this number for the same reason.
There is no exact time for how much your call will be kept on waiting as it depends on how many callers are inquiring about their case status. The estimated waiting time might be up to two hours or more.
What happens after Uscis receipt notice?
This notice is also known as Form I-797C, Notice of Action. It takes at least 2 to 3 weeks after submitting the application. If there is an error in your application, then USCIS will send you the notice action to reject your application, or they may also send you the Request for Evidence in which you will be asked to send some additional or missed items.
How long does it take to get my USCIS receipt number?
It would take up to 2 to 3 weeks to receive the receipt number from the USCIS after submitting your application. Though it’s not your exact duration when you receive your receipt notice and number as it varies from the type of application you have filed and on which you have filed it.
You have the option to check for the present status of your USCIS form processing times for the type of immigration application on the USCIS website.
Can I call USCIS to get my receipt number?
Yes, you have the option to call the USCIS to receive your receipt number. 18003755283 is the USCIS phone number. At this number you can call and ask for your receipt number. If you properly explain your present situation to the USCIS executive, they can help you get your receipt number.
Several people opt to schedule an appointment with one of the USCIS officers in person to ask about their case. You have the option to do this only if you set your InfoPass Appointment with USCIS.
At the time of appointment, you can communicate with the USCIS executive by one-to-one interaction by visiting the USCIS local office. You can ask them some of the general queries related to your application, including your application’s status about your receipt number.
As of now, InfoPass appointments are not available due to the COVID-19.