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How to Check Your U.S. Citizenship Application Status

All the ways to find out where you are in the U.S. citizenship process

An immigrant checks you U.S. citizenship application status

How can I track my U.S. application for naturalization status?

  • Online
  • By mail
  • By phone
  • In-person

After you have applied for U.S. citizenship with Form N-400, the waiting begins. Depending on your location in the United States, you could be waiting between a few months to more than two years, because some U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) field offices in bigger cities often have longer processing times than other locations.

The U.S. government provides wait time estimates that vary based on the USCIS field office that handles your naturalization application. The field office that your case is assigned to will depend on your U.S. residential address.

There are several different options available to check your U.S. citizenship application status, especially if you want to update your mailing address or see your estimated wait time. There are four ways to check your application status: online, by phone, by mail, and in person.


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How to Check U.S. Citizenship Application Status Online

USCIS online case status tracker

Checking your U.S. citizenship application status online is the easiest and fastest way to find out information about it. There are two ways that you can check your application status: USCIS case status online tracker and MyUSCIS.

USCIS case status online tracker

  1. Find the Receipt Number for your U.S. citizenship application. (See “Receipt Numbers” below.)
  2. Visit the USCIS “Case Status Online” tracker.
  3. Enter your Receipt Number.
  4. Click “Check Status.”

The case status online tracker provides the latest information about your application, but it does not give you all details. It is just a status checker, so to get more information you should use MyUSCIS.

MyUSCIS

  1. If you applied online, you will have used and created an account on MyUSCIS to complete your application. If you applied by mail, you can visit MyUSCIS to create an account and access your information.
  2. Log in to MyUSCIS, and choose your U.S. citizenship application from the dropdown menu.
  3. You will then have access to the latest information about your case, as well as the estimated time for it to be processed. There are also copies of letters or notices that were sent about your application.
  4. You can also use MyUSCIS to update your address or other information, and access resources for the citizenship test.

About U.S. citizenship application receipt numbers

For each form you submit to USCIS, you will receive a unique code called a “Receipt Number” that consists of 3 letters and 10 numbers, such as ABC1234567891. Look for it in the notification letter that you received when USCIS accepted your Form N-400.

Important:

When entering your receipt number, leave out the dashes/hyphens (-) and spaces but do include other characters, such as asterisks (*), if they’re part of your receipt number.

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How to Check U.S. Citizenship Application Status by Mail

An immigrant checking her U.S. citizenship status by mail

Make sure that you provide a reliable mailing address and check your physical mailbox regularly. The U.S. government automatically mails all official notifications to the mailing address you provided on your Form N-400 or the mailing address in your MyUSCIS account, depending on which you updated most recently.

You can change your mailing address at any time by logging in to, or creating, a MyUSCIS account and updating your mailing or contact information. You can also find more information about changing your mailing address by referring to USCIS guidelines.

We’ve joined forces with RapidVisa. Together we can help you complete your citizenship application and guide you all the way to the finish line. We’ll help you stay on top of interview preparation, follow-on forms, and every other important milestone along the way.


How to Check U.S. Citizenship Application Status by Phone

An immigrant checking his U.S. citizenship by phone

If you want to check your application status by phone, be prepared to call and wait. Phone lines are very busy and wait times are very long. USCIS recommends you use the online tools in MyUSCIS before calling them. If you want to speak to someone and your issue cannot be resolved right away, your request will be sent to an Immigration Services Officer.

Call the USCIS Contact Center: 1-800-375-5283. If you’re deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech impairment, call TTY 1-800-767-1833.

Information you’ll need:

  1. Your USCIS Receipt Number
  2. Your A-Number, or “Alien Registration Number” (if any)
  3. Your name
  4. Your birth date

We’ve joined forces with RapidVisa. Together we stay with you throughout the naturalization process — from the moment you file your citizenship application all the way to your Oath of Allegiance ceremony.


How to Check U.S. Citizenship Application Status in Person

USCIS field office

InfoPass appointments that let you check on your case status in person are no longer an option for U.S. citizenship applications. Instead, USCIS will schedule in-person appointments for applicants who need a service that cannot be provided by phone or email.

For example:

  • If someone needs proof of their immigration status to work or travel
  • When temporary visitors’ period of lawful stay is about to expire, and they need to show “satisfactory departure”
  • Emergency travel documents

To make an in-person appointment, call the USCIS Contact Center: 1-800-375-5283. If you’re deaf or hard of hearing or have a speech impairment, call TTY 1-800-767-1833.


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Frequently Asked Questions

Checking your citizenship status starts with verifying your USCIS case status using their online tool at egov.uscis.gov. You can learn more about this topic in the guide above.

There are only two ways to become a U.S. citizen. You must have been born in the United States, or must have completed the U.S. naturalization process to become a “naturalized citizen”. Both have the same rights and responsibilities, the only exception being that one must be born in the United States to become a U.S. President.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security only allows those who have applied or petitioned for immigration or an immigration benefit to check the status of their case online. Employers can and must request proof of citizenship, such as a U.S. passport or birth certificate. Otherwise, you can submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request here.