WAC receipts come from the California Service Center, one of USCIS's main service centers. It is well known for employment petitions such as H-1B, along with family and humanitarian cases.
Why WAC? The letters are commonly said to come from "Western Adjudication Center", an older name.
We've started it with WAC. Type the 10 digits from your notice to see what they mean. It all happens in your browser.
| Form | What it is |
|---|---|
| I-129 | Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker |
| I-130 | Petition for Alien Relative |
| I-539 | Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status |
| I-765 | Application for Employment Authorization |
Typical forms, not a complete list. USCIS moves workloads between offices over time.
In WAC2390112345, WAC is the California Service Center, 23 is usually fiscal year 2023 (October 1, 2022 – September 30, 2023), 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.
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.
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 WAC and has 10 digits after it. Free, no sign-up.
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A receipt number starting with WAC belongs to the California Service Center (the letters are commonly said to come from "Western Adjudication Center", an older name). WAC receipts come from the California Service Center, one of USCIS's main service centers. It is well known for employment petitions such as H-1B, along with family and humanitarian cases.
The California Service Center is in Laguna Niguel, California.
Commonly I-129, I-130, I-539, I-765, among others. USCIS moves workloads between offices over time, so treat this as typical rather than a complete list.
Often, but not always. USCIS transfers cases between offices to balance workloads, and cases that need an interview go to a field office. Your receipt number, including the WAC prefix, stays the same after a transfer.
It depends mostly on the form and category, not the prefix alone. See USCIS processing times by form, or enter your WAC receipt number on our status check for an estimate based on similar cases we track.
They're commonly read as a 2-digit USCIS fiscal year, a 3-digit "computer workday" and a 5-digit sequence number. In WAC2390112345, 23 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.