CASE RECEIPT NUMBERS
The numbering system on receipts has significance. The system varies somewhat depending on the software system used to process the case. Those systems are enumerated below for you use.
A case processed in CLAIMS3 – LAN version is structured as follows:
LIN 99 001 50001
LIN represents the office location where initially received into the electronic system. In the example, LIN indicates Lincoln, Nebraska or NSC. Cases that are received at another Service Center but processed at the NSC will generally carry the originating office number.
EAC = St. Albans, Vermont or Vermont Service Center
SRC= Dallas, Texas or Texas Service Center
WAC= Laguna Niguel, California or California Service Center
99 represents the fiscal year in which the case was received.
001 represents the computer workday in the fiscal year on which the fee was taken. Generally 001 is October 1st, the first working day of the fiscal year. 265 generally is a computer work day in September. This is NOT truly a julian date because no “computer work day” exists if the center does not receipt cases on any particular date, e.g. most Saturday’s, all Sunday’s and holidays.
50001 represents the particular case number. In this case, it is the first case received in CLAIMS3 LAN on that particular workday.
A case processed in CLAIMS3 Mainframe has a similar structure:
LIN 99 001 00001
All is the same as the CLAIMS3 LAN version except the particular case number. The LAN version commences with 5: The mainframe version commences with 0. * The significance of this difference is that electronic case status information is NOT available to the public for the mainframe cases. Only I-751s and I-829s are/have been receipted in this version.
A case processed in CLAIMS4 (currently only N-400’s) has a different structure. It has two significant numbers. The first (application identification number/APP ID) is a series letters, numbers and a symbol. LIN*000000006 is an example of an APP ID. This is strictly sequential and does not change at the fiscal year. This is the number to refer to when seeking information regarding this case.
The other relevant number is the number printed on the reverse of the financial statement (check, money order, etc) used for paying the fee. It is the payment identification number (PAY ID). Its structure is: LIN$000000004. This too is purely sequential, and is not the same number as the “APP ID”. It may be followed by some other numbers such as:
LIN$000000004 (1)
LIN$000000004 (2).
The significance of this is sequencing is that more than one financial instrument was used to pay the fee for one application. For instance, if an N-400 applicant submitted two checks to pay for the N-400 fee and the fingerprint fee, the sequence might be as listed above, each check/money order bearing one of the sequenced numbers. The case would only have one “APP ID” however: (for example LIN*000000006).
The “PAY ID” number may not be used for case status in the automated information system, however the “APP ID” can be used. The “PAY ID” can be used for seeking status information when talking with an INS representative.
