Follow your National Interest Waiver petition and hear the moment USCIS approves it, issues an RFE or decides it.
Use the receipt number from the I-797 notice for your NIW I-140. 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.
USCIS received your premium processing request (Form I-907), so the case now has a guaranteed timeframe for USCIS to act.
Next: USCIS commits to an action (approval, denial, Request for Evidence or Notice of Intent to Deny) within the premium timeframe: 15 business days for many petitions, longer for some categories.
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.
A National Interest Waiver is an EB-2 petition (Form I-140) that skips the job offer and the PERM labor certification, so you can file for yourself. USCIS decides whether your work is in the national interest, which is why NIW petitions are document-heavy and RFEs are common.
NIW receipt numbers usually start with SRC, LIN or IOE. The petitioner, often you, gets the receipt notice.
A Request for Evidence on an NIW usually asks for more proof of the merit of your work, your track record, or why waiving the job offer benefits the U.S. You get a deadline printed on the notice, and the case waits until USCIS receives your response.
Premium processing can be requested for many NIW petitions with Form I-907. It makes USCIS act faster, but it doesn't make approval more likely.
An approved NIW sets your priority date, the date USCIS received the I-140. When that date is current in the Visa Bulletin for EB-2 and your country, you can file the I-485 or go through a consulate. If your date is already current, you may be able to file the I-485 together with the I-140.
Enter the I-140 receipt number for your NIW above. You'll see the current status, what it means, and the history, and you can turn on alerts for any change.
With premium processing, USCIS acts within its set business-day window. Without it, timing varies. CaseTracker Personal estimates your decision date from real I-140 cases decided in the last year.
Not necessarily. Many NIW petitions are approved after an RFE. Read it carefully, note the deadline, and talk to an immigration attorney about the response.
No. It approves the petition and sets your priority date. The green card comes from an I-485 or an immigrant visa when your date is current.
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