USCIS case data guide
How to Read USCIS JSON: Events, Flags and Missing Fields
Read the status and source first, then separate case-record dates from event timestamps. Event codes and flags provide context only within the data supplied. The free reader organizes supported fields locally and preserves unknown meanings.
Official sources and what they support
- USCIS — Case Status Online ↗
Official case-status verification for a receipt; not a specification of account JSON or event codes.
- USCIS — Contact Center: online accounts and case assistance ↗
Account support, case-linking assistance and official case-information channels.
- USCIS — Torch API Developer Portal ↗
The official Case Status API and developer onboarding; distinct from our user-import workflow.
Our import steps, field checks and timestamp calculations describe this product. These sources do not certify our software or provide an official mapping of internal account endpoints.
What JSON shape is supported?
The reader accepts a case object or an object wrapped under data. Detailed events should be an array. A recognized status-only export can be read with reduced detail. The combined import limit is 1 MB and event arrays are bounded at 2,000 entries.
Copy the full response rather than just one line. HTML sign-in pages, null and incomplete JSON cannot be treated as valid case exports.
What do the main fields represent?
updatedAtTimestamp is the supplied record date, while eventTimestamp can identify an event date. createdAtTimestamp may concern creation of the event record. Status text, notice dates and document dates have their own scope.
actionRequired is a supplied flag, not a complete inventory of deadlines. An empty notices or documents array describes this response; it does not prove that no official correspondence exists.
How are event-code meanings explained?
Supported definitions are checked against the published NIEM Screening code list. They describe recorded operations and may not capture every use of a code in a modern account system. Unlisted codes remain unknown.
For example, fingerprint activity does not establish favorable background checks, and card production does not establish delivery. Check actual notices for the actions that affect you.
How should I compare two exports?
Use exports of the same application. Confirm full receipts yourself before relying on a comparison; a stored receipt suffix is insufficient proof of identity. Compare added events, changed flags and recognized notice or document rows.
Missing rows can be caused by different response coverage. The report compares retained categories and dates, not original document identities or PDF contents.
What leaves my browser?
Free analysis uses browser memory. Saving a case or preparing a private report is a separate action requiring sign-in and consent. Only the reviewed redacted fields are submitted by that flow.
Remove credentials and avoid pasting unrelated documents. Our support team needs a field name and general description, not complete case JSON or your USCIS login.
What does a simplified export look like?
Fictional illustration with invented dates. This is not a case record or a guarantee of the current USCIS response format.
{
"data": {
"formType": "I-485",
"updatedAtTimestamp": "2026-09-18T14:00:00Z",
"actionRequired": false,
"events": [
{
"eventCode": "FNB",
"eventTimestamp": "2026-09-15T09:15:00Z"
}
]
}
}Additional technical references
Official resources control case instructions. Community schema observations describe a limited observed format and are identified separately.