Case status
What is the difference between an NVC case number and a USCIS receipt number?
Updated · Not legal advice
The USCIS receipt number (3 letters + 10 digits, on your I-797 notice) tracks a petition or application at USCIS. The NVC case number is assigned by the State Department's National Visa Center after USCIS approves a petition for consular processing, and it is what you use in CEAC.
| USCIS receipt number | NVC case number | |
|---|---|---|
| Issued by | USCIS | National Visa Center (State Department) |
| Format | 13 characters: 3 letters + 10 digits | Starts with letters for the embassy or consulate, then numbers |
| Found on | Form I-797 notices | NVC welcome letter or email |
| Check status at | USCIS Case Status Online | CEAC Visa Status Check |
Why your USCIS status stops changing
Once USCIS approves a petition and sends it to NVC, the USCIS status usually stays at the approval or "sent to NVC" step. Progress after that shows in CEAC, not in Case Status Online.
Quick answers
- Can I check my NVC case with my USCIS receipt number?
- No. CEAC uses the NVC case number. NVC can find your case using the receipt number if you contact them.
- How do I track my mother's I-130 and NVC case together?
- Track the I-130 receipt number at USCIS until approval, then the NVC case number in CEAC. Our tracker follows the USCIS side and sends the change by email.
- What do the letters in a receipt number mean?
- They identify the USCIS service center or system that received the case. See receipt number format.
What to do next
Add your receipt number and get an email the day your status changes.
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Checked: November 12, 2026