Avoid Common E-Filing Mistakes

Submitting Your Application More Than Once
Please Note: Every time you successfully submit an E-Filing application, your Credit Card or bank account is charged for that application’s fee. USCIS is NOT able to refund payment caused by customer error. For more information, see the Fee Payment Disclosure Statement.

• You received a Confirmation Receipt Number, or
• You have already submitted your payment information
  
• If you are not sure if you have submitted the payment information successfully, wait 2 business days and check with your Credit Card merchant or banking institution to confirm if payment has been taken from your account.
  o
• If payment has been taken, you should receive a Form I-797, Notice of Action, by mail from USCIS within 10 days, which indicates your application was successfully submitted – DO NOT Re-File Your Application.

Please note that it may take 48 business hours for your Credit Card or bank account to be debited and 72 hours before you can track your application through Case Status Service Online.

Call Customer Service Center at 1-800-246-0046 if:

• You believe you have submitted your application but
  
• You did not receive a Confirmation Receipt Number
  
• Your case remains in the “Action Needed Status” on the My Forms screen, or
  
• You were charged for the fee (and have checked with your Credit Card merchant or banking institution to confirm) but have not received your Form I-797, Notice of Action, by mail within 10 days of filing your application.
  

Be prepared to provide the following information when calling:

• E-Filed Receipt Number (if available)
  
• Payor’s Full Name;
  
• Payment Type (bank account or Credit Card). (Do Not Provide Your Credit Card/Bank Account Number);
  
• Applicant’s Full Name;
  
• Form Type, and
  
• Date and time of E-Filing submission.

Please ask to have a member of the E-Filing Program Management Team review your information and contact you about your case.

Please note that it may take 48 business hours for your Credit Card or bank account to be debited and 72 hours before you can track your application through Case Status Service Online.

Saving A Copy of Your Application/Confirmation Receipt Notice

How to Create the Application and Receipt Notice Files

• Once your application fee payment has been successfully processed, the E-Filing system will display your Confirmation Receipt Number on the screen. Please write down the Confirmation Receipt Number prior to clicking the "FINISH" button to generate a PDF.
  
• Click on the "FINISH" button located on the Confirmation Receipt notice screen. The E-Filing system automatically creates an electronic PDF copy of your application and Confirmation Receipt notice.
  
• We recommend that you print copies of these documents and/or save them to a floppy disk or to your computer’s hard drive for future reference.

Proof of Filing

• You will need a copy (electronic or paper copy) of your application and Confirmation Receipt notice for your records.
  
• You will also need to provide a copy of the Confirmation Receipt notice when:
  
• Submitting supporting documents, or
  
• Having your biometric information captured.
  

If you did not write down or print your Receipt Number from the Confirmation Receipt notice screen, please wait approximately 10 days for the arrival of your Form I-797, Notice of Action, in the mail. Form I-797 will have your Receipt Number printed on it.

If you do not receive your Form I-797, Notice of Action, in the mail within 10 days, call the National Customer Service Center for assistance at 1-800-246-0046..

Please note that it may take 48 hours for your Credit Card or bank account to be debited and 72 hours before you can track your application through Case Status Service Online.

Delays In Mailing In Supporting Documentation

• USCIS cannot process your case without its supporting documentation (if documentation is required). Please send in your documents soon after you have E-Filed your application. For sending your supporting documentation, please follow the instructions listed under Submitting Supporting Documentation.

Understanding E-Filing System Messages

"Action Needed" Status

If the words “Action Needed” appear next to your case under the “Status” column of the My Forms screen, the payment for your form may not have processed completely. DO NOT RE-FILE. You MUST select “View/Edit/Delete” for more information on the status of your form and further instruction. Or, you may follow the steps outlined below:

Verify with your Credit Card merchant or banking institution whether or not a payment was taken for your application.

Call the National Customer Service Center at 1-800-246-0046.
Indicate that your E-Filed case is in "Action Needed Status."

Be prepared to provide the following information, if requested by the NCSC, when calling in regards to an "Action Needed" case:

• Payor’s Full Name;
• Payment Type (bank account or type of Credit Card), Do Not Provide Your Credit Card/Bank Account Number
• Applicant’s Full Name;
• Form Type;
• Date and time of E-Filing submission; and
• Indicate whether or not payment was taken by your Credit Card merchant or banking institution for your application.The NCSC will have a member of the E-Filing Program Management Team review your payment and application receipt and contact you, if necessary, about your case.
  

Please note that once your application has been successfully submitted, your application WILL NOT SHOW on the "My Forms" page.

"System Busy" Message

If you received a Receipt Number on the Confirmation Receipt notice screen before getting the "System Busy" message, you have successfully submitted your application and payment information.

• DO NOT file the same application again, unless filing for a different beneficiary.
  
• If you did not write down your Receipt Number from the Confirmation Receipt notice screen, the Receipt Number will be on Form I-797, Notice of Action, which will arrive by mail within 10 days.
  
• If you got the "System Busy" message before receiving a Receipt Number on the Confirmation Receipt notice screen, wait 2 business days and check with your Credit Card merchant or banking institution to determine if payment has been taken from your account.
  

If payment has been taken, you should receive a Form I-797, Notice of Action, by mail within 10 days, which indicates your application was successfully received by the USCIS.

If payment has not been taken, call the National Customer Service Center

for assistance at 1-800-246-0046.

Be prepared to provide the following information when calling:

• Payor’s Full Name;
  
• Payment Type (bank account or Credit Card), Do Not Provide Your Credit Card/Bank Account Number
  
• Applicant’s Full Name;
• Form Type; and
  
• Date and time of E-Filing submission.
  

USCIS will have the E-Filing Program Management Team review your information and contact you about your case.

System Failures After Clicking the "FINISH" Button

If you received a Receipt Number on the Confirmation Receipt notice screen during your session prior to the system’s failure, you have successful submitted your application and payment information.

• DO NOT file the same application again, unless filing for a different beneficiary.
  
• If you did not write down your Receipt Number from the Confirmation Receipt notice screen, the Receipt Number will be on Form I-797, Notice of Action, which will arrive by mail within 10 days.Please note that it may take 48 business hours for your Credit Card or bank account to be debited and 72 hours before you can track your application through Case Status Service Online.
  

Information Source: U.S. State Department