“Case Was Received”: what it means
USCIS has accepted your filing and given it a receipt number. Nothing has been reviewed yet.
What this status means
Your application or petition arrived, the fee was accepted, and USCIS created a case for it. The receipt number on your status page is the same one printed on your receipt notice (Form I-797C).
It confirms the filing is in the system. It does not mean an officer has looked at it or that anything in it has been checked.
What usually happens next
- Your receipt notice arrives by mail if it hasn’t already. If your form needs biometrics, a separate appointment notice usually follows.
- The status can stay on "Case Was Received" for a long time. That is normal while the case waits in line.
What to do now
- Keep the receipt notice somewhere safe. You need the receipt number for every inquiry.
- Check that your name, date of birth and address on the notice are correct, and ask USCIS to fix any typo early.
- If you move, update your address with USCIS so later notices reach you.
Read more
General information about how USCIS status messages are used, not legal advice. The notices USCIS mails you are the official record for your case.
