In progress · Received
Case Was Received
What it means
USCIS has accepted delivery of your filing, logged it, and generated a receipt number beginning with a three-letter service center code. The status confirms that your package and fee were received; it does not mean an officer has read a single page. It also fixes two things that matter later: the received date (which is normally your priority date in preference categories) and the office responsible for the case.
Check your case free
No sign-in required. One receipt at a time.
When it usually appears
Usually 2-4 weeks after a paper filing, and often within days for online filings through myUSCIS. Forms filed together in one package (for example I-485, I-765 and I-131) each get their own receipt number and advance independently.
How long it usually lasts
Highly variable. Premium-processed forms can move within days, while ordinary queues can sit for weeks or months. The only reliable benchmark is the USCIS Processing Times page for your exact form and office, not anecdotes from other applicants.
Suggested next steps
Keep the paper I-797C receipt notice safe; it evidences your priority date and is painful to replace. Check that the name, date of birth and form type printed on it match your filing, and ask USCIS to correct any error right away. Add the receipt number to MyCases so status changes reach you automatically, and keep your mailing address current in case a biometrics notice is issued.
Frequently asked questions
How long until something happens after Case Was Received?
Many applicants see a biometrics appointment or a move into active review within a few weeks, but differences between forms and service centers can run to months. Compare against the current official Processing Times range.
What do the first three letters of my receipt number mean?
They identify the office handling the case (EAC, IOE, WAC, LIN, SRC, MSC and others). That determines which processing-time range applies and where your notices are mailed from.
The receipt notice has a typo. What now?
Contact USCIS to correct name or date-of-birth errors immediately. Errors left uncorrected tend to follow the case all the way onto the approved document.
Stop refreshing USCIS by hand
MyCases polls USCIS on a schedule and pushes any status change to your email, Telegram or WeChat Work the moment it appears. Free forever.
General information only, not legal advice. Official USCIS notices in writing always take precedence.
About this information
- · MyCases is an independent product and is not affiliated with USCIS or any US government agency.
- · Information comes from publicly available USCIS channels.
- · It is informational only — not legal advice, and not a prediction of approval or timing.
- · Official written notices and USCIS records control.