Checking your USCIS case status is simple once you know which number to use and where your case sits. Most of the confusion comes from mixing up the numbers on your notices, or from expecting to see an H-1B petition that belongs to your employer.
As of October 29, 2026, this guide explains how the online tool works, what it shows, and how status works at each stage of an H-1B case.
- The online case status tool requires your 13-character receipt number.
- A receipt number has three letters, such as EAC, WAC, LIN, SRC, NBC, MSC or IOE, followed by 10 numbers.
- Enter it without dashes, but include asterisks if they appear on your notice.
- A USCIS online account can show up to the last five actions on your case.
- H-1B registration statuses include Submitted, Selected, Not Selected, Denied and Invalidated failed payment.
- A beneficiary is not a recognized party in a petition proceeding, so the employer receives the I-129 notices.
What do you need to check your case status?
Your receipt number. USCIS says "to check your case status using our online tool, you have to have your case receipt number." It is "a unique 13-character identifier that USCIS provides for each application or petition it receives," and it "consists of three letters followed by 10 numbers." USCIS adds that "you can find it on notices of action USCIS has sent you" (USCIS, Checking Your Case Status Online).
The letters at the start vary. The glossary lists examples: "EAC, WAC, LIN, SRC, NBC, MSC or IOE" (USCIS, Glossary). Your A-Number and your USCIS online account number are different numbers and are not what the tool asks for.
How do you enter the receipt number?
Exactly as shown, minus dashes. USCIS says "when entering your receipt number, you should omit dashes," but "you can include all other characters, including asterisks ('') if they are listed on your notice as part of the receipt number" (USCIS, Checking Your Case Status Online).
What does the tool show?
The latest step. "The online system will show the last action taken on your case and will let you know the next steps, if applicable." You can check more than one case "by entering a new receipt number in 'Enter Another Receipt Number' field" (same).
For more detail, USCIS recommends an online account. "The personalized account allows you to receive your most recent case updates including up to the last five actions on your case, simplifies case management, and access to your electronically filed applications." USCIS adds, "It is free and easy to use!" (same). Our guide to I-797 notices and case status explains what each type of notice means.
How does H-1B case status work?
In two stages, with different tools.
Stage 1: the registration. For cap-subject H-1B cases, "registrants' online accounts will display a registration status" for each beneficiary registered (USCIS, H-1B Electronic Registration Process):
| Status | What USCIS says it means |
|---|---|
| Submitted | "The registration has been submitted and is eligible for selection." |
| Selected | "Selected to file an H-1B cap petition." |
| Not Selected | "Not eligible to file an H-1B cap petition based on this registration." |
| Denied | Invalid passport or travel document information, or multiple registrations for the same beneficiary by the same registrant |
| Invalidated failed payment | "The payment method was declined, not reconciled, or otherwise invalid." |
A registration that is not picked in an initial round stays the same: "the status of registrations that are not selected as part of any initial random selection process, and not denied or invalidated, will remain as 'Submitted'" (same). Our guide to the weighted H-1B lottery covers how selection now works.
Stage 2: the petition. Once selected, the employer files Form I-129, and that petition gets its own receipt number. This is the number you enter in the case status tool.
Why don't H-1B workers get the notices directly?
Because the petition belongs to the employer. The regulation says "a beneficiary of a petition is not a recognized party in such a proceeding" (8 CFR 103.2(a)(3), eCFR). USCIS sends the receipt and decision notices to the petitioner and its representative. If you want to track your H-1B petition, ask your employer or its attorney for a copy of the receipt notice so you have the receipt number.
How fast can an H-1B petition be decided?
With premium processing, the regulation sets "15 business days" for a petition for an H-1B specialty occupation worker (8 CFR 106.4(e)(2), eCFR). That is a timeframe for USCIS to act, not a promise of approval: if more evidence is needed, "the 15-, 30-, or 45-day premium processing time period will stop and reset" (USCIS, How Do I Request Premium Processing?). Our guide to responding to an RFE covers what to do if one arrives.
What if you filed online?
Your receipt number will start with IOE, and you also get an account number. USCIS form instructions say "you will only have a USCIS Online Account Number (OAN) if you previously filed a form that has a receipt number that begins with IOE," and "if you filed the form online, you can find your OAN in your account profile" (USCIS, Form I-485 Instructions). An online filing also shows its status inside your account, so you can follow the case there or in the public tool using the IOE receipt number.
How do you track a green card case with several forms?
One receipt number per form. Because USCIS issues a receipt number "for each application or petition it receives" (USCIS, Glossary), an employment-based green card case can have several at once: one for the I-140, one for the I-485, and one each for a work permit and travel document if you file them. Each moves on its own timeline, so an approval on one does not mean the others are finished.
Keep a simple list of each receipt number, the form it belongs to and the date you filed it. Check each one separately in the tool, or add them all to your online account. If you are moving from H-1B to a green card, our guide to the H-1B to green card timeline shows which forms usually come at each stage.
What if your status does not change?
First compare your wait with the published processing time for your form. The case status page points to other online tools, including "how to submit an inquiry about your case (e-Request), case processing times and how to locate a USCIS office." For anything else, USCIS says you can "call the USCIS Contact Center at 1-800-375-5283" (USCIS, Checking Your Case Status Online).
Keep your address current while you wait, since notices are mailed to the address on file. USCIS's case status page itself includes "helpful reminders to keep your address current and how to submit inquiries" (same).
What this means for you
- Find the receipt number on your notice and enter it without dashes.
- Create a free USCIS online account to see up to five recent case actions.
- For H-1B, check the registration status first, then the I-129 receipt number.
- Ask your employer or its attorney for a copy of your I-129 receipt notice.
- Use e-Request or the Contact Center if your case runs past normal processing times.
- Keep your mailing address up to date with USCIS.
Where to start
If you are tracking an H-1B or employment-based case and thinking about a long-term green card plan, our free evaluation at /evaluate/ checks whether a self-petition path such as EB-1A or the NIW fits your profile, and Frank, our AI assistant at /frank, helps you build the evidence. Petitions are reviewed and filed by our partner law firm, Lai & Turner.
Sources
All checked October 29, 2026.
- USCIS, Checking Your Case Status Online. Receipt number format and entry; what the tool shows; online account; e-Request; Contact Center.
- USCIS, Glossary. Receipt number prefixes.
- USCIS, H-1B Electronic Registration Process. Registration statuses.
- USCIS, Form I-485 Instructions. IOE receipts and the Online Account Number.
- 8 CFR 103.2(a)(3) (eCFR, current text). Beneficiary not a recognized party.
- 8 CFR 106.4(e) (eCFR, current text). H-1B premium processing timeframe.
- USCIS, How Do I Request Premium Processing?. Clock stops and resets after an RFE.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check my USCIS case status?
Use the receipt number from your USCIS notice. Enter the 13 characters in the online case status tool, without dashes but including any asterisks shown on the notice. The tool shows the last action taken and the next steps, if any. You can also create a free USCIS online account, which shows up to the last five actions on a case.
How do I check my H-1B case status?
It depends on the stage. Before the petition, the registration status appears in the registrant's online account as Submitted, Selected, Not Selected, Denied or Invalidated failed payment. After the employer files Form I-129, the petition has a receipt number, which you can enter in the case status tool if your employer or its attorney shares it with you.
Why can't I see my H-1B petition notices?
Because the petition belongs to the employer. The regulation says a beneficiary of a petition is not a recognized party in the proceeding, so USCIS sends notices to the petitioner and its representative. Ask your employer or its attorney for a copy of the receipt notice, which gives you the receipt number for checking status online.
What does Submitted mean on an H-1B registration?
USCIS says Submitted means the registration has been submitted and is eligible for selection. A registration that is not selected in an initial selection round, and is not denied or invalidated, stays as Submitted. Only a Selected registration allows the employer to file an H-1B cap-subject petition for that fiscal year.
My case status has not changed in months. What can I do?
Compare your wait with USCIS processing times for that form and office. If your case is outside the normal time, USCIS lets you submit an inquiry through its e-Request tool, or you can call the USCIS Contact Center. If timing matters, check whether the form is eligible for premium processing, which sets a guaranteed timeframe for USCIS to take action.
Green Card Guide AI is not a law firm and this article is not legal advice. It describes evidence-building strategy in general terms; your attorney determines what belongs in your petition and how it's argued.
