You may have filed a green card application and now you wonder about the status of the application. You are able to check the status of your green card application through several ways including by mail, online, email, by phone and in person. The steps to check your green card status of each way will be explained below.
Checking the Status of Green Card by Mail
If you apply from within or outside the US, you can check the status of your green card by mail. So, you have to check your mailbox regularly and make sure that you have given the correct address so that the information will be sent to you properly. It is because the U.S. government will send the notification to the mailing address that you gave on the form I-130 or form I-140, form I-485 if you apply from within the US, and form DS-261 if you apply from outside the US.
What do we have to do if our address has changed after you applied for the green card? If so, you have to inform the government within 10 days. You can update your address online through USCIS if you applied from within the US. However, you can send a message to the NVC with your new address or call 1-603-334-0700 if you applied from outside the US.
Checking the Status of Green Card Online
We can say that this method is the easiest way to check your green card status. If you applied within the US, here are the steps to check your green card status online.
- First, you have to find your Receipt Number.
- After finding it, then access USCIS Case Status Online tracker page.
- There, you have to enter your Receipt Number. For your information, you can find a receipt number in the notification letter, Form I-797C that you got when USCIS accepted your form I-485. In the number, there are letters and 10 numbers.
- And then, you need to click the Check Status button.
If you applied for the green card outside the US, here are the steps to check your green card status online.
- First, you need to find your Immigrant Visa Case Number.
- After that, you need to visit the NVC’s Consular Electronic Application Center site.
- And now, you need to click on the Check My Visa Application Status option.
- There are three fields where the first field requires you to enter your Visa Application Type and here you need to choose the Immigrant Visa (IV) option.
- After that, you have to enter your Immigrant Visa Case Number. For your information, the case number can be found in the notification letter or email that you got from the NVC after USCIS has accepted your form I-130. The case number consists of 3 letters where it is followed by 10 numbers.
- And then, in the last field, you have to enter the code which is generated by the system.
- At last, click on the red Submit button.
Checking the Status of Your Green Card by Email
Same as the previous methods, if you want to check the status of your green card by email, the method depends on the way that you use to apply the green card. If you applied within the US, you cannot check the status of your green card by email. However, if you applied outside the US, you can ask about your green card status to the NVC by using an online form. The form can be accessed at here. You need to give your information including your name, NVC Case Number or USCIS Receipt Number, your birthday, and the name of your sponsoring relative or employer.
Checking the Status of Your Green Card by Phone
If you applied for a green card within the US, you are able to check the status by calling the USCIS Contact Center at 1-800-375-5283. If you are hard of hearing, deaf or have a speech impairment, you are able to call TTY 1-800-767-1833. When checking it by phone, you need your name, birthday, USCIS Receipt Number and your A-Number or Alien Registration Number if any.
How about applying outside the US? If you applied outside the US, you are able to call the NVC at +1-603-334-0700. You may have to wait at least 30 minutes on hold because of high call volumes. When you check by this method, you will have to inform your name, your birthdate, your email address, the name of your sponsoring relative or employer and NVC case number or USCIS receipt number.
Checking Green Card Status in Person
You are also able to check your green card status in person. However, it can only be done if you applied for your green card within the US. If you applied in the US, you were able to check your green card status by scheduling an in-person “InfoPass” appointment at a USCIS field office, but it could be done until September 30th, 2019. If you want to check the status of your green card in person after the date, you can try to call the USCIS Contact Center at 1-800-375-5283 or if you have problem with your hearing or have a speech impairment, you can call TTY 1-800-767-1833. And then, you need to choose the option for speaking with a Tier 1 representative. If the Tier representative cannot help you, you will be directed to a callback service. Then you will be put in line to speak with a Tier 2 representative. However, if the Tier 2 representative also cannot help you, they will help you to make a schedule for in-person appointment at the local USCIS field office.
A bookworm and researcher especially related to law and citizenship education. I spend time every day in front of the internet and the campus library.
