Find out how to check your visa status and how you can renew, extend or change a visa. If your visa or arrival/departure record is lost or stolen, find information on what steps to take for getting another one. Also, learn what you can do if your visa application is denied.
On This Page
- Check the Status of a Visa Application
- How to Change, Extend, or Renew a U.S. Visa
- Loss or Theft of a Visa or Arrival/Departure Record
Check the Status of a Visa Application
To check the status of your U.S. visa application:
- United States: Use the online visa status check tool for immigrant or non-immigrant visas.
- Abroad: Contact the U.S. Embassy or consulate where you filed your application.
Visa Denials
U.S. consular officers have decision-making authority regarding nonimmigrant visa applications. If the consular officer denies your application, ask them to explain why. While you are not eligible to reapply for a visa if the officer denies your application, you can apply for a waiver instead.
How to Change, Extend, or Renew a U.S. Visa
Find out how to change, extend, or renew your visa.
Visa Changes (Adjustments) and Extensions
Contact U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to find out if you can:
- Apply to adjust your status online.
- Extend your stay in the United States.
Visa Renewals
You must renew your visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad. Only diplomatic visa holders and their dependents may renew them in the United States.
Loss or Theft of a Visa or Arrival/Departure Record
If you lost your visa or the Arrival/Departure Records (a Form I-94) to enter the U.S., the Bureau of Consular Affairs has guidance on reporting and re-issuance of travel documents:
- File a police report and get the number of the report and the officer's name.
- Request replacement of a lost/stolen arrival/departure record (Form I-94).
- Report the lost/stolen visa or Form I-94 to your embassy.
- Report and apply for a replacement of your visa lost/stolen to the U.S. Embassy or consulate abroad.
Important Tip: Make a copy of your passport biographic page, U.S. visa and admission stamp or your I-94 admission number.
Last Updated: October 24, 2022
TopThe United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) processes hundreds of thousands of immigration applications each year, and it’s a slow process for each one. This leaves many immigrants wondering how they can check the status of their immigration applications.
Many immigration applicants are eager to know their status. Unfortunately, prolonged wait times can keep them standing by in limbo. But while the process may be slow, checking the status of your immigration application is not. Here’s what you need to do.
Get Your Receipt Number
Before you can check your immigration application status, you need your receipt number. This is a 13-character number assigned to your application once the USCIS receives it. You can use this number to talk with the USCIS about your immigration application.
It may take up to a few weeks to get the form that has your receipt number. If you haven’t received it in 30 days, contact the USCIS by phone or by email to inquire about your receipt number.
Check the Status of Your Immigration Application Online
The USCIS allows you to check the case status of any application on their website. All you need is your receipt number. When you enter the receipt number, do not include the dashes but include all other characters.
If you enter your information correctly, the USCIS website will reveal the current status of your application. This is the easiest way to check the status of your immigration application.
Check the Status of Your Application by Phone
You can also check the status of your application by calling the USCIS directly. You must call the USCIS National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283. They will ask you for your receipt number and provide you with the latest details on your application.
How Long Will It Take for My Application to Be Complete?
Unfortunately, that’s a question all applicants want to know but not many people can answer. It all depends on the type of application you filed, how many applications are pending, and how backed up the USCIS office is at the time you filed.
Fortunately, the USCIS provides estimates! Go to the USCIS processing times page and select the form and the office you send it to in the drop downs. Click “get processing time” and you’ll receive an estimate of how long it will take to finish your application.
If you’ve been waiting longer than this time and you haven’t seen any updates using the online tool, that’s the time to reach out to USCIS directly by phone about your immigration application status.
Checking an Application Sent to a Lockbox
If you have a question about an application mailed to the Chicago, Dallas, or Phoenix Lockboxes you can email the USCIS at to inquire about the status of your application.
You will need the form number, your receipt number if you have it, the petitioner and/or applicant name, and your mailing address. Do not include Social Security numbers in emails. If you haven’t received a receipt number in 30 days after mailing your application, use this method.
Get a USCIS Account
If you already have a receipt number, consider making a USCIS account on their website. This will serve as a one-stop-shop for all of your immigration inquiries and update tools. You can get immigration application status information, update your address, and much more.