USCIS updates you on your petition with a series of fixed, standard messages, from “Case Was Received” to “New Card Is Being Produced.” Each message represents what has happened on your file.
Beyond Border attorneys have filed over 4,000 cases across O-1, EB-1, EB-2NIW, and L-1 cases and can guide you if your case is delayed. This article is written from practical experience filing cases and will explain what each message means.
Here’s what each message you may see means for your petition;
This is the first message you will see, and it means USCIS has received your application and issued a receipt number. You may also see other updates confirming that they have received your payment or biometric fee.
Your official receipt notice includes three things to keep in mind: Your filing date, your receipt number, and the office handling your file. Note the receipt date, as you will need it to check whether your case is delayed.
These messages mean the same thing: USCIS is adjudicating your application. During this stage, the office reviews all the documents you submitted, checks that you completed the form thoroughly and may run background or security checks. This review can take anywhere from a few business days to several months, depending on your form and the field office handling your case.
Case Is Still Being Processed by USCIS" and "Case Is Being Actively Reviewed by USCIS" do not mean an officer is actively reviewing it at this time. It just means it has moved past the intake stage and is now under the review stage.
This status update requires immediate action because missing a deadline can cost you your case. Under recent news, USCIS is no longer required to issue an RFE for an incomplete case or application. But if you receive one, you have up to twelve weeks to respond, while a Notice of Intent to Deny allows up to thirty days. Missing this date will almost certainly lead to a denial.
“Case Was Approved” means USCIS has officially granted your request. If your filing involves an Employment Authorization Document or Green Card, this is followed by a message “New Card is Being Produced.” This implies that your physical card has entered production.
If your card does not arrive in the mail after a reasonable period, you can submit a non-delivery service request to follow up.
“Your Case Status is Unavailable at this Time” is not an update from USCIS directly. It's often a system glitch and resolves on its own. If it persists, confirm that you are entering the correct receipt number, exactly as printed.
“Case Transferred” means your file has moved to a different office. This changes the processing time for your case.
A Receipt Number is a unique 13-character identifier USCIS provides for each application or petition it receives. It is formatted as 3 letters (such as EAC, WAC, LIN, SRC, NBC, MSC, or IOE) followed by 10 numbers.
The letters represent the initial service center that issued the receipt notice during intake. Cases can move between service centers but the prefix does not change.
The receipt number, also called the Card number or green card number, is found on the back of your permanent residence card. You will find the document number near the block of machine-readable text along the bottom. It is the longest combination of letters and digits on the card. Our guide on identifying your permanent residence number explains the differences in detail.
Before looking into premium processing or an expedited request, consider submitting a service request. According to the USCIS Policy Manual, you can submit a service request, and the staff will record and forward unresolved inquiries to the office handling your case.
Examples of self-generated requests you can create include;
You can submit these requests through your USCIS online account or by mailing a hard copy to a USCIS field office. USCIS handles service requests on a first-in, first-out basis, and aims to resolve them in 15 calendar days.
If you don’t receive any message or notice in 30 days, the next channels are the USCIS Contact Center, live chat, your congressional representative’s office, or the CIS Ombudsman.
To expedite your case, you can file for premium processing or submit an expedited request depending on what is available for your petition or application.
If premium processing is available for your petition or application, USCIS won’t consider an expedited request. Premium processing is available for Form I-129 and for every Form I-140 classification, and requires USCIS to issue a decision in 15 business days. The action can be approval, denial, or a request for evidence. Premium processing does not guarantee approval; it only guarantees a faster USCIS response.
Additionally, if USCIS issues an RFE or a notice of intent to deny, the clock stops. It will restart with a new timeframe after you submit your response. In practice, if you file a petition on premium processing and receive an RFE, within day 7 of the 15-day processing time, the timeline stops. Another 15-business days begin counting after you submit your response. Our guide on USCIS premium processing times breaks down the timelines for each form.
To qualify for the expedited processing, you must meet at least one of the following criteria;
USCIS sets a high bar for severe financial loss. For a company, it means the business is at risk of failing. Even with that, needing a work permit on its own is not enough to qualify for an expedited request.
Most clients reach out to ask whether their case is delayed or what they can do differently. We provide a same-day response and will let you know what you can do, or whether filing for premium processing is a better option.
Our attorneys at Beyond Border have filed over 4,000 cases across O-1, EB-1, EB-2NIW, and L-1 categories with a 98% approval rate. If your case has been stuck in the reviewed stage for longer than normal, we can help. Schedule a free consultation with Beyond Border today.
Yes, it is; it accurately reports the last event recorded against your receipt number. It does not show how much progress a USCIS officer has made; it only shows which stage your petition is currently in.
USCIS does not publish frequent case status updates. Updates are recorded when there is a recordable event on your petition. It is not updated daily or weekly.
IOE is one of the three-letter prefixes USCIS uses; it implies your case is being handled online. Other prefixes used include EAC, WAC, LIN, SRC, NBC, and MSC. The prefix reflects where USCIS received your case, not where it is currently being handled.
Yes, you can, through premium processing. But this only applies if your form and classification are eligible. If not, check if you’re eligible for the expedited service request, which is free and discretionary.
USCIS does not publish a decision timeframe for the expedite itself. Nonetheless, expedited services are a prioritized request type.
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