Track your new employer's H-1B petition from receipt to approval, and know the moment your transfer goes through.
Use the receipt number from the I-797C your new employer or its attorney shared with you. Free, no sign-up.
Want automatic updates? Get alerts on WhatsApp after you check.
USCIS updates cases at random hours and the letter takes a week to arrive. We check your case every few hours and message you the moment it moves.
USCIS accepted your filing and sent a receipt notice (Form I-797C).
Next: Keep the receipt number. Biometrics, if needed, usually come next within a few weeks.
An officer is working on your case. It's a normal step, not a sign of a problem.
Next: This status can last weeks or months. The next update is often an approval, an interview or a Request for Evidence.
USCIS needs more documents before it can decide. The letter lists exactly what is missing.
Next: Respond by the deadline on the notice, usually 87 days. Many people have an immigration attorney review the response.
USCIS has your answer to the Request for Evidence and the case is back in line for review.
Next: The next update is usually the decision, though it can take a few weeks or longer.
USCIS approved your case. The approval notice is in the mail.
Next: If a card comes with this benefit, expect a 'Card Is Being Produced' and 'Card Was Mailed' update next.
USCIS denied the application or petition. The notice explains why.
Next: Depending on the case you may be able to appeal, file a motion or refile. Talk to an immigration attorney quickly; deadlines are short.
There's no separate transfer form. Your new employer files its own Form I-129 petition for you, usually asking for a change of employer, and it gets a brand new receipt number. Your old employer's approval doesn't move over; it simply stops being the job you're working under.
Because you were already counted under the H-1B cap, a transfer generally doesn't go through the lottery again. The new employer can file at any time of year.
Under the H-1B portability rules, you can generally start working for the new employer once USCIS has received a properly filed petition, without waiting for approval. That usually requires that you were lawfully admitted, were in valid status (or a period of authorized stay) when the petition was filed, and haven't worked without authorization.
If the transfer is later denied, permission to work for the new employer ends. Because the conditions depend on your history, confirm with your new employer or its immigration attorney before you resign or start.
The first status you'll see is 'Case Was Received', which is the moment that matters for portability. After that, the case waits for an officer unless your employer paid for premium processing, in which case USCIS commits to act within 15 business days.
Keep the receipt notice and the approval notice somewhere safe. You'll need them for future extensions, visa stamping and, later, a green card application.
Ask your new employer or its attorney for the receipt number on the I-797C receipt notice, then enter it above. You'll see the current status, what it means and the history, and you can turn on alerts.
Generally yes, once USCIS has received the petition, if you meet the portability conditions, such as being in valid status when it was filed. Confirm with your new employer or its attorney first.
Your authorization to work for the new employer ends, and your options depend on whether your previous status is still valid. Talk to an immigration attorney quickly if this happens.
Many people wait at least until the receipt arrives, and some wait for approval. It depends on your risk tolerance and status history, so discuss timing with your new employer's attorney.
Usually not. If you've already been counted under the H-1B cap, a change of employer petition is generally cap-exempt and can be filed any time of year.