Check Your U.S. Citizenship Application Status

What You Need to Check Your Citizenship Status

Have your USCIS receipt notice ready. After USCIS accepts a citizenship application, it sends a receipt notice, usually labeled Form I-797C, Notice of Action. The notice shows the receipt number used to track the case.

A receipt number has 13 characters: three letters followed by 10 numbers. It is not the same as an Alien Registration Number, USCIS online account number, or Social Security number. Use the receipt number connected to your naturalization application.

It also helps to have these details nearby:

• The name and date of birth used on the application
• The application form number
• The date USCIS received the application
• Your USCIS online-account email address, if you have an account
• Recent notices about biometrics, an interview, evidence, or an oath ceremony

Keep the full notice private. Someone helping you check citizenship status generally needs the receipt number, but you should not post notices or account credentials publicly.

Check Your Citizenship Status Online

The quickest way to check the citizenship status is usually the official USCIS Case Status Online tool. You can use the tool without signing in.

1. Open {site} and find the Case Status Online tool.
2. Locate the receipt-number box.
3. Enter all 13 characters from your receipt notice.
4. Leave out dashes, but include any other characters shown on the notice.
5. Select the button to check the case.
6. Read the status message and note the date of the latest update.

Enter the three letters at the beginning as letters, not similar-looking numbers. For example, check carefully for a zero that could look like the letter O. Do not add spaces before or after the receipt number.

The result normally summarizes the latest recorded action and may tell you to follow instructions in a mailed notice. It does not replace the notice itself. If the online message and a notice appear different, follow the instructions on the notice and ask USCIS for clarification.

Check Through Your USCIS Online Account

A USCIS online account can show the case history, notices, and actions that may not fit in the short public-status message. To check my citizenship status this way, open {site}, find the USCIS online-account sign-in option, and enter the email address and password connected to the account.

After signing in, open the account home page or the section listing your cases. Select the citizenship or naturalization case with the matching receipt number. Review the current status, case history, documents, notices, and any requested actions.

Look especially for a new notice, interview information, a request for evidence, or a task with a response instruction. Open the notice itself and read every page. A short status label may not contain the deadline or full directions.

If a paper-filed case is not displayed, use the option to add a paper-filed case. Enter the receipt number and, when requested, the online access code from the USCIS account-access notice. Do not create a second account merely because the case is missing from the first one.

Other Ways to Check Your Case

If online status is unavailable or unclear, contact the official USCIS Contact Center using the verified contact information shown on this page. Have the receipt number, application form, filing date, and personal identifying details ready. USCIS may verify your identity before discussing a specific case.

The telephone system offers automated help. Say that you need case-status information and follow the prompts. Automated and live support may show the same basic update as the online tools, so explain whether your problem is a missing notice, conflicting information, an account issue, or a case that cannot be found.

USCIS also provides a virtual assistant on its official site. It can guide you to the relevant self-service tool and may offer additional contact options when available.

Local USCIS offices generally do not provide walk-in case checks. If an in-person appointment is appropriate, request it through the USCIS Contact Center and follow the appointment instructions USCIS gives you. Bring identification and relevant notices to any scheduled appointment.

What Common Status Messages Mean

Status wording varies, but these common categories explain where the case stands:

• Case received: USCIS accepted the filing and created a case record.
• Biometrics scheduled or completed: USCIS scheduled identity checks or recorded that step as completed.
• Case actively reviewed: USCIS is reviewing the file. This message does not identify when the next action will occur.
• Interview scheduled: USCIS issued an interview notice. Read the notice for the location, date, and required items.
• Request sent: USCIS needs information or evidence. The notice explains what is required and how to respond.
• Decision or notice issued: USCIS sent a formal notice. Read that notice for the actual decision or next instruction.
• Oath ceremony notice sent: USCIS issued ceremony instructions. Use the notice for the official details.

A status message is a snapshot, not a promise about timing or the final result. Some steps may appear briefly, appear in a different order, or be described with different words.

If You Cannot Access Your Status

If the tool says the receipt number is invalid, compare every character with the receipt notice. Confirm that you entered three letters and 10 numbers, removed dashes, and did not enter an account number or Alien Registration Number. Try again after removing accidental spaces.

If your account is locked, use the password-reset or account-help option on the USCIS sign-in screen. Check the email account associated with your USCIS account, including its spam folder. Use the official technical-help request if password recovery does not restore access.

If the case is missing from your account, first check it in the public Case Status Online tool. Then verify that you signed in with the email address used when the application was filed or the case was added. Use the paper-case option and the account-access notice when applicable.

If the status has not changed, review your documents tab and physical mail for a notice. Make sure USCIS has your current mailing address. When a notice appears to have been sent but never arrived, use the official missing-notice inquiry or contact the USCIS Contact Center. Save any inquiry confirmation and keep copies of all notices.