Receipt number decoder · National Benefits Center

MSC receipt number: National Benefits Center

MSC receipts belong to the National Benefits Center (formerly the Missouri Service Center). Many paper filings received at a USCIS lockbox get an MSC receipt. The NBC prepares cases that need an interview and sends them to a local field office, which makes the decision.

Office
National Benefits Center
Type
National Benefits Center
Location
Lee's Summit, Missouri (Kansas City area)

Why MSC? The letters are from "Missouri Service Center", the National Benefits Center's former name.

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Read your MSC receipt number

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MSC: National Benefits Center.
Office
National Benefits Center
Type
National Benefits Center
Location
Lee's Summit, Missouri (Kansas City area)
Usually handles
Family-based green card applications (Form I-485); Work permits and travel documents filed with a green card application (I-765, I-131); Family petitions filed together with a green card application (Form I-130); Pre-processing cases before they go to a field office for interview.
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What MSC cases usually are

  • Family-based green card applications (Form I-485)
  • Work permits and travel documents filed with a green card application (I-765, I-131)
  • Family petitions filed together with a green card application (Form I-130)
  • Pre-processing cases before they go to a field office for interview
FormWhat it is
I-485Application to Adjust Status (green card)
I-765Application for Employment Authorization
I-131Application for Travel Document
I-130Petition for Alien Relative
N-400Application for Naturalization

Typical forms, not a complete list. USCIS moves workloads between offices over time.

  • An MSC receipt doesn't mean the NBC will decide your case. Cases that need an interview are usually transferred to a field office near you.

Example MSC receipt number

In MSC2290112345, MSC is the National Benefits Center, 22 is usually fiscal year 2022 (October 1, 2021 – September 30, 2022), 901 is the "computer workday" block and 12345 is the sequence number. That's the common reading of the format, not an official guarantee. This is an illustration, not a real case. See the receipt number decoder for the full format.

How long MSC cases take

The prefix alone doesn't tell you how long you'll wait. Timing depends on the form, the category and the office actually working the case, which can change after a transfer. Check USCIS processing times by form, see what your current status means on USCIS case status meanings, or look up your case below for an estimate based on similar cases we track.

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Check your MSC case status

Enter the full receipt number from your I-797 notice to see the current status, what it means and what usually happens next.

Your receipt number starts with MSC and has 10 digits after it. Free, no sign-up.

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MSC receipt number questions

What does MSC mean on a USCIS receipt number?+

A receipt number starting with MSC belongs to the National Benefits Center (the letters are from "Missouri Service Center", the National Benefits Center's former name). MSC receipts belong to the National Benefits Center (formerly the Missouri Service Center). Many paper filings received at a USCIS lockbox get an MSC receipt. The NBC prepares cases that need an interview and sends them to a local field office, which makes the decision.

Where is the National Benefits Center?+

The National Benefits Center is in Lee's Summit, Missouri (Kansas City area).

What forms come with a MSC receipt number?+

Commonly I-485, I-765, I-131, I-130, N-400, among others. USCIS moves workloads between offices over time, so treat this as typical rather than a complete list.

Will the National Benefits Center decide my case?+

Not always. The National Benefits Center prepares many cases, such as family-based green card applications, and sends those that need an interview to a local USCIS field office, which makes the decision. Your receipt number stays the same after a transfer.

How long do MSC cases take?+

It depends mostly on the form and category, not the prefix alone. See USCIS processing times by form, or enter your MSC receipt number on our status check for an estimate based on similar cases we track.

What do the digits in a MSC receipt number mean?+

They're commonly read as a 2-digit USCIS fiscal year, a 3-digit "computer workday" and a 5-digit sequence number. In MSC2290112345, 22 would be the fiscal year, 901 the workday and 12345 the sequence. This is common understanding, not an official guarantee.

General information, not legal advice. Office workloads change; confirm anything that affects your case with USCIS or an immigration attorney.

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