Your receipt number is how USCIS identifies your case. Every petition and application gets one, and it stays the same from the day USCIS accepts your filing until the case is finished. Anything you do to check on your case, online or on the phone, starts with it.
USCIS receipt number format: what it looks like
A USCIS receipt number has 13 characters: three letters followed by ten digits.
EAC 12 345 67890 is how it's sometimes printed. When you type it anywhere, enter it as one string without spaces or dashes: EAC1234567890.
What the three letters mean
The letters at the start show where your case was first received. A few you'll see often:
- EAC
- Received at the Vermont Service Center.
- WAC
- Received at the California Service Center.
- LIN
- Received at the Nebraska Service Center.
- SRC
- Received at the Texas Service Center.
- IOE
- Filed online through a USCIS online account (the digital filing system).
- MSC / NBC
- Received by the National Benefits Center, which handles many green card cases.
This only tells you where the case started. It doesn't tell you how fast it will move, or whether anything is wrong. Cases are often moved between offices, so don't read too much into it.
Where to find yours
- Your receipt notice (Form I-797C). This is the first letter USCIS sends after they accept your filing. Look for Receipt Number in the top left, or near the top of the page.
- Later notices. Biometrics appointment notices, requests for evidence and approval notices all carry the same number.
- Your USCIS online account. If you filed online, the number is listed with the case.
- Your lawyer or preparer. If someone filed for you, ask them. They'll have it on file.
Don't mix it up with other numbers
Your receipt number is different from your A-Number (the 9-digit Alien Registration Number) and from your case or confirmation number on other forms. If a field asks for 13 characters starting with three letters, that's the receipt number.
What to do with it
Use it to check your case status on uscis.gov, or add it to the USCIS Case Tracker app so your phone watches the status for you. You can also add your family's receipt numbers, if they've given you permission, and follow all the cases in one place.
The app only needs the receipt number. It doesn't ask for your Social Security number, passport number or any payment details.