You can add a case you filed on paper to a USCIS online account. USCIS says: "Even if you file by paper, you can add paper-filed cases to your account." You sign in at myaccount.uscis.gov, choose the option to add a paper-filed case from the My Account menu, and enter your receipt number and date of birth, plus your Online Access Code if you know it. If you do not have the code, USCIS describes a way to request a new one.
Why add a paper-filed case
Once a paper-filed case is in your account, USCIS says you "can then see your case status and history." For a paper-filed case with a receipt number that begins with "IOE" and an Online Access Code, USCIS says you can add the case to your account and "be able to see case status and history, send secure messages, view notices, upload additional evidence, and respond to Requests for Evidence." That sentence is specific to that situation, so check your own receipt notice to see whether it applies to you.
The same account is the one described in our guide to checking your USCIS case status.
What you need before you start
- A USCIS online account. USCIS says: "If you have an existing account, go to myaccount.uscis.gov to log in. If you do not have a USCIS online account, you will need to create one." Its page on how to create an account walks through that.
- Your receipt number. USCIS describes it as "a unique number that applies to your specific case with USCIS." For a paper-filed case, it is the USCIS receipt number for that case. Our article on the receipt number format shows what to look for.
- Your date of birth. USCIS's access code page lists it among the information you enter on the Add a Paper-Filed Case to your Account page.
- Your Online Access Code, if you know it. USCIS refers to the code you received on your USCIS Account Access Notice. If you do not know it, the page has a box to check: "I do not have my Online Access Code." USCIS also says attorneys and representatives who want to add eligible paper-filed applications use that code when they first create their online account.
The steps
USCIS words the menu choice differently on its two pages, and one of those pages was last reviewed in July 2024, so the wording on your screen may differ from what is written here. Follow the screen and the current USCIS pages if they disagree.
- Log in at myaccount.uscis.gov, or create an account if you do not have one.
- Find the add-a-case option. The account creation page says: "click on 'My Account' and then 'Add a paper-filed case' in the drop-down menu." The access code page says to select "Add a case to your account" from the My Account dropdown menu or from the Welcome To Your USCIS Account page.
- On the Add a Paper-Filed Case to your Account page, enter your existing Online Access Code if known, or check the box "I do not have my Online Access Code." Then enter the USCIS receipt number for the paper-filed case and your date of birth. The account creation page mentions only the receipt number, so if the screen asks for more, follow the screen.
- Once the case is added, the account creation page says you can see your case status and history.
If you do not have your Online Access Code
USCIS says you can reset your Online Access Code if it is expired or if you do not know it. After the steps above, you reach the Request a New Online Access Code page and enter your last name. USCIS says: "If your request was successful, a success message will appear on your account homepage and we will email you a new Online Access Code." If it was not, an alert tells you that some of the information you entered was incorrect.
When a case does not link
USCIS gives two explanations on its access code page for why a paper case may not link to your account.
- The online account number was missing from the paper form. USCIS says this usually happens when you did not include your online account number on the paper form, which causes its case management system to create a new account for that case. USCIS says you would need to use a new email address and create a new account to access that case online.
- Someone else used your code. USCIS says it is possible that someone else used your Online Access Code, such as a legal representative or family member, and suggests checking with them.
USCIS also says plainly: "Unfortunately, we cannot merge cases in different online accounts to one account." If a case ends up in a second account, you cannot combine the two.
What this does not change
Adding a paper case to an account does not change the case itself. It changes how you can see it and what you can send. Your mailed notices still matter, and so does keeping your address current. Our status pages explain common wording you may see once the case is visible, such as case was received.
The USCIS pages cited here do not list which form types can or cannot be linked, so this article does not either. If your case will not link, contact USCIS or ask an attorney who handles your case.
Common questions
Can I use an online account if I filed on paper?
Yes. USCIS says: "Even if you file by paper, you can add paper-filed cases to your account."
What if I lost my Online Access Code?
USCIS says you can reset the code if it has expired or if you do not know it, using the steps on USCIS's access code page and your last name.
Can I merge two accounts?
No. USCIS says it cannot merge cases in different online accounts to one account.
What can I do with the case once it is added?
For a paper-filed case with an "IOE" receipt number and an Online Access Code, USCIS says you can see case status and history, send secure messages, view notices, upload additional evidence, and respond to Requests for Evidence.
Official sources
- USCIS: How to Create a USCIS Online Account
- USCIS: How Do I Get a New Online Access Code?
- USCIS: Tips for Filing Forms Online
GreenLight is not affiliated with USCIS or the U.S. government. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.