Track your I-130 case status
The I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, is how a U.S. citizen or permanent resident starts a family member's immigration case. Approval can take many months, and USCIS won't tell you when something changes — you have to keep checking. TrackPetition watches your I-130 and emails you the moment it moves.
What the I-130 is
An approved I-130 establishes the qualifying relationship (spouse, child, parent, or sibling) and sets the priority date that governs the wait, especially in the family-preference categories. It's the foundation step before a green card via I-485 adjustment (inside the U.S.) or consular processing (abroad).
Processing time & premium processing
Processing time depends heavily on the category: a petition for an immediate relative (spouse, parent, or unmarried minor child of a U.S. citizen) isn't subject to annual caps, while the family-preference categories are and can wait years. It also varies by service center. Premium processing is not available for the I-130 — and even after approval, a preference-category relative still waits for a visa number under the monthly Visa Bulletin, which varies by category and country of birth.
Processing times change constantly — for the current figure for your specific form and category, check the official USCIS processing-times tool.
USCIS median processing time
as of FY25 Q3
14.4 months · Immediate Relative Range: 10.8–15.7 months · 9 quarters
hover a quarter for its value
By category · FY25 Q3
- Immediate Relative: 14.4 mo
- All Other Relative: 36.5 mo
Source: USCIS quarterly all-forms reports · current live figures →
Common USCIS statuses
You'll usually see statuses such as "Case Was Received", "Case Is Being Actively Reviewed", "Request for Additional Evidence Was Sent", "Case Was Approved", or "Case Was Transferred" to another office. USCIS often re-words the same underlying step; we collapse those re-phrasings so you're only alerted on real movement.
Why tracking matters
For immediate relatives an approval opens the next step right away; for preference categories the priority date matters for years. Either way, an RFE has a firm deadline. Same-day alerts mean you never discover an approval or an evidence request late.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I check my I-130 case status?
- Enter your USCIS receipt number (EAC, LIN, SRC, WAC, MSC or IOE) in the free check to see the latest status from USCIS, then confirm your email so TrackPetition alerts you on any change.
- Can I track more than one I-130 for my family?
- Yes. You can watch multiple receipt numbers from one account — useful when you've filed petitions for several relatives.
- Does an approved I-130 give my relative a green card?
- No. It establishes the relationship and priority date; the green card comes later through I-485 adjustment of status or consular processing, subject to visa availability.
- Is I-130 tracking free?
- The receipt-number check and email alerts are free — best-effort, we try to check about once a day. For reliable, more frequent checks (more than 70 times a week) plus WhatsApp and Telegram, a paid plan is available.
Related case types
TrackPetition watches every USCIS case type with a receipt number.
TrackPetition is an independent case-status notification service by Startup58 LLC — not a law firm, and not legal advice or legal assistance. For guidance on your case, consult a licensed immigration attorney. We are not affiliated with USCIS or any government agency. Free tracking is best-effort: we try to check your case about once a day. For reliable, more frequent checks (more than 70 times a week) plus WhatsApp and Telegram alerts, a paid plan is available.
Stop refreshing USCIS. Let us watch your I-130.
Enter your receipt number, confirm your email, and get an alert the moment your status changes.