General

information F1

How do I know what 

services are available 

after I file?

When USCIS receives your application or petition, we process 

your case in the order received by application type to be fair to all 

our customers. If you want to check on your case after filing, USCIS 

offers a variety of services for you to follow up on your application 

or petition.

Case Status Questions

First check our Case Status Onlie at: www.uscis.gov

•	Online Questions: When your application is received 

by a USCIS Lockbox facility or a USCIS Service Center, we will 

mail you a receipt notice. The receipt notice will have all of the 

important information you need about your case. With your 

receipt number, you can check the status of your case on www.

uscis.gov and also register on our Web site for automatic case 

status updates while we process your case. 

•	Processing Times: Applications are processed by visa 

preference category in the order they are received. Average 

processing times for all applications are posted on our Web 

site. Processing times are an estimate of how long it will take 

to process your case from start to finish. Each case is different; 

so some cases may take longer than others to process. If you 

use your receipt number to check your case status and track 

the processing of your case, please remember that we will only 

research your case if it is beyond our current processing times. 

Processing times are updated monthly, and you can check 

processing times by visiting www.uscis.gov.

Check on your case by calling Customer Service at: 

1-800-375-5283

If you cannot find information on your pending case on our Web 

site, please call Customer Service. We recommend that you have 

your receipt number or “A number” available so we can research 

your case. If Customer Service is unable to find any current 

information on your case, they will send an electronic message to 

the local office that has your case. You should receive a response to 

your question within 30 days from the local office.

Schedule an InfoPass Appointment

If Customer Service is unable to assist you with the information you 

need on a pending application, or you have a time-sensitive issue such 

as a personal emergency, you can schedule an InfoPass appointment 

for your local office to inquire about your case. To make an InfoPass 

appointment, go to www.infopass.uscis.gov. You will need access 

to a computer with an Internet connection and Internet Explorer 4.0 

or above, Netscape 4.0 or above, or other similar browser.

Visit our Web site at www.uscis.gov to:

•	Change your address if you move and have a pending

application;

•	File Form AR-11, Change of Address, or Form AR-11SR, 

Change of Address Special Registration, which you can complete 

online;

•	Obtain immigration forms and mailing instructions;

•	Check the status of a pending application or petition;

•	Find out current processing times for various applications or

petitions;

•	Obtain information on premium or accelerated processing;

•	Read our “How Do I...” customer guides;

•	Read our Guide to Naturalization and review naturalization exam 

information and citizenship study materials;

•	Obtain information on immigration laws and regulations;

•	Find general immigration information.

Call Customer Service at: 1-800-375-5283... (Hearing 

Impaired TDD Customer Service: 1-800-767-1833)

•	If you absolutely cannot appear for a scheduled appointment;

•	To change your address when you have a pending application and

you are unable to do so on our Web site at www.uscis.gov;

•	For assistance with filing Form AR-11, Change of Address, or 

Form AR-11SR, Change of Address Special Registration;

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•	If you filed a Form I-130, Petition for an Alien Relative, as a 

permanent resident, and then became a U.S. citizen;

•	If you mailed your application or petition more than 10 days ago

to a USCIS Lockbox facility, and you have not yet received 

a receipt notice in the mail;

•	If you mailed your application or petition more than 30 days

ago to a Service Center and you have not yet received a receipt 

notice in the mail;

•	If you find an error on the last notice, document, or certificate

we recently sent to you;

•	To obtain immigration forms, and you do not have access to a

computer and printer;

•	If more than 30 days have passed since you received your

Welcome Notice after becoming a permanent resident, and you 

have not yet received your Permanent Resident Card;

•	If more than 75 days have passed since you filed Form I-765, 

Application for Employment Authorization, and there are no 

public advisories from USCIS (published on the USCIS Web site) 

that affect your case type;

•	If Case Status Online says that we approved or denied your 

case more than 14 days ago, and you have not yet received our 

approval or denial notice;

•	If you have a pending Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant 

Worker, and you need to change the names of the persons on 

the petition or the port of entry where they will be applying for 

their visa;

•	If you want to request that original documents submitted with

your case be returned to you.

A Few Things to Remember 

• What You Need When You Call—Tracking information on 

individual cases is only available to customers whose cases have a 

receipt number. We manage other cases based on your account, 

using an A-number (starting with “A,” followed by an eight- or ninedigit number). For these cases, you can monitor processing time for

your type of case, but not your individual case.

• If You Want to Pay for Faster Processing—Premium 

Processing Service provides faster processing of certain 

employment-based petitions and applications. Specifically, USCIS 

provides 15-calendar-day processing if you wish to use this 

service or USCIS will refund the premium processing fee and 

the case will continue to receive faster processing. We know 

that circumstances can change; so this program is available 

even after you file. For more information about which forms

are eligible for premium processing, see our Web site at www.

uscis.gov or call Customer Service. 

•	Exceptional Circumstances for Expedited Handling—We 

recognize that exceptional circumstances can require special 

handling of a case. All requests for expedited handling are 

reviewed case-by-case and, when circumstances warrant, are 

granted at the discretion of the Director, USCIS. The criteria are

as follows:

- Severe financial loss to company or individual; 

- Extreme emergency situation; 

- Humanitarian situation;

- Nonprofit status of requesting organization in furtherance of 

the cultural and social interests of the United States;

- Department of Defense National Interest Situation (Note:

Request must come from an official U.S. Government entity 

and state that delay will be detrimental to our Government.);

- Potential loss of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits;

- USCIS error;

- Compelling interest of USCIS.

If your case is at a local office at the time you need to make 

your emergency request, please go to the local office in person 

to make your request. Please be sure to take all supporting 

documentation with you.

If your case is at one of our Service Centers or the National 

Benefits Center, please call Customer Service at 1-800-375-

5283 to receive further instructions on where and how to send 

your request.

• Keep Us Informed About a Change of Address—Please 

remember that unless you are a U.S. citizen, you must report 

any change of address. Use Form AR-11, Change of Address, 

or Form AR-11SR, Change of Address Special Registration.

This is separate from updating the address on your application 

or petition. See our Web site at www.uscis.gov to update 

your mailing address or obtain additional information, or call 

Customer Service for assistance.

Key Information

Key USCIS forms referenced 

in this guide 

Form #

Petition for Alien Relative I-130 

Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker I-129

Application for Employment Authorization I-765

Change of Address AR-11

Change of Address Special Registration AR-11SR

Other U.S. Government Services–Click or Call

General 

Information

www.usa.gov 1-800-333-4636

New 

Immigrants

www.welcometoUSA.gov

U.S. Dept.

of State

www.state.gov 1-202-647-6575
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For more copies of this guide, or information

about other customer guides, please visit 

www.uscis.gov/howdoi. 

You can also visit www.uscis.gov

to download forms, e-file some applications, 

check the status of an application, and more. 

It’s a great place to start!

If you don’t have Internet access at home 

or work, try your local library. 

If you cannot find what you need, please 

call Customer Service at: 1-800-375-5283 

Hearing Impaired TDD Customer Service: 

1-800-767-1833

Disclaimer: This guide provides basic information 

to help you become generally familiar with our 

rules and procedures. For more information, or 

the law and regulations, please visit our Web 

site. Immigration law can be complex, and it is 

impossible to describe every aspect of every 

process. You may wish to be represented by 

a licensed attorney or by a nonprofit agency 

accredited by the Board of Immigration Appeals.