“Case Was Withdrawn”: what it means
USCIS recorded a request to take the case back. It closes without being approved or denied.
Checked against USCIS guidance on October 17, 2026. The sources are listed at the end of this page.
What this status means
Someone asked USCIS to stop work on the case and USCIS has recorded it. An applicant or a petitioner can withdraw, so on a case filed for you by an employer or a relative, the request can come from whoever filed it rather than from you.
The case ends without a decision on the merits. USCIS says a withdrawal may not be retracted, its acknowledgement of the withdrawal cannot be appealed, and filing fees are not refunded.
What it means for your form
- I-130 (family petition)
- If the relative who filed withdraws an approved petition before you travel to the United States or before your green card is approved, the approval is revoked.
- I-140 (employment petition)
- An approved I-140 that the employer withdraws 180 days or more after approval generally stays approved.
What usually happens next
- USCIS closes the case and adjudicates nothing further. Anything that was pending only because this case was pending stops being pending too.
- Going ahead after a withdrawal means filing again from the start, with a new fee. USCIS says the priority or processing date of a withdrawn request cannot be carried over to a later one.
3 steps · Checklist
Next steps: Case Was Withdrawn
What to do now, as a checklist you can save and tick off.
Contact USCIS if you didn’t ask for this
If you did not ask for this, contact USCIS promptly. On an employer or family filing, the person who filed can withdraw it without your agreement.
Check what else depended on this case
Check what else rested on the withdrawn case, such as work authorization or travel permission filed alongside it.
Get advice before withdrawing anything
Speak to an immigration attorney or accredited representative before withdrawing anything, and straight away if a withdrawal you did not expect affects your status.
Free, and yours to edit — tick items off on the web or in the MyCheck app.
Can I undo a withdrawal?
No. USCIS’s rule is that a withdrawal may not be retracted. To go ahead, you file again with a new fee.
Do I get my fee back?
No. USCIS filing fees are non-refundable, including when you withdraw.
Read more
Sources
General information about how USCIS status messages are used, not legal advice. The notices USCIS mails you are the official record for your case.
