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USCIS Case Tracker — User Guide

Everything you need to get started with the Chrome extension.

Add to Chrome — Free

Contents

  1. Install the extension
  2. Add your first case
  3. Understanding case status
  4. Status change notifications
  5. Batch scan ±10
  6. If checks return errors (hash update)
  7. Pro plan

1Install the extension

  1. Click Add to Chrome — Free above (or search "USCIS Case Tracker" in the Chrome Web Store).
  2. Click Add extension in the confirmation dialog.
  3. The extension icon appears in your Chrome toolbar. Pin it for easy access: click the puzzle-piece icon → pin USCIS Case Tracker.

2Add your first case

  1. Click the extension icon to open the popup.
  2. Type your receipt number in the Receipt # field (e.g. LIN2190210941).
  3. Optionally type a label (e.g. "My I-485") so the card is easier to identify.
  4. Click Add. The extension immediately checks the status — a browser tab opens briefly to load egov.uscis.gov, then closes automatically.
You can track as many cases as you need — I-485, I-140, I-539, I-765, and any other form type.

3Understanding case status

Each case card shows:

  • Receipt number and optional label
  • Form type and action date — e.g. I-485 · Jan 18, 2024
  • Current status in blue — the latest USCIS action text
  • Last checked — how long ago the extension refreshed this case

Click a card to expand it and read the full USCIS status description.

Cases showing N/A mean USCIS returned "At this time USCIS cannot provide you with information for your case" — this is normal for recently-filed or IOE cases; try again later.

4Status change notifications

The extension refreshes all tracked cases automatically every 2 hours in the background. When a case status changes, Chrome shows a notification like:

USCIS Status Changed

LIN2190210941: Card Was Mailed

Make sure Chrome notifications are allowed for the extension: Chrome Settings → Privacy and security → Notifications.

5Batch scan ±10

Batch scan checks the 10 cases before and 10 cases after a given receipt number in one pass — useful for understanding how your service center is processing nearby cases.

  1. Sign in using the Sign in button at the bottom of the popup (Google or GitHub account — the same account you use on hilites.today).
  2. Type any receipt number in the Receipt # field.
  3. Click Scan ±10.
  4. A progress bar shows live updates as each case is fetched (500 ms between requests to stay within USCIS rate limits).
  5. Results appear as case cards. Click + on any row to add it to your tracked list.
Free accounts include 5 batch scans. Upgrade to Pro ($5.99 one-time) for unlimited scans.

6If checks return errors

USCIS's website is built on Next.js. Occasionally USCIS deploys an update and the internal API hash changes, causing the extension to return HTTP 403 errors for every case.

Quickest fix — auto-detect:

  1. Open the popup → click the ⚙ gear icon.
  2. Click Detect. The extension opens egov.uscis.gov, scans its scripts for the new hash, and saves it automatically.
  3. Click ↻ to refresh your cases.

Even quicker: visit egov.uscis.gov and look up any receipt number using their search form. The extension silently captures the new hash from that request and heals itself — no settings needed.

7Pro plan

The Pro plan unlocks unlimited batch scans for a one-time payment of $5.99 — no subscription, no renewal.

  • Sign in from the extension using the same Google or GitHub account.
  • Go to hilites.today/pricing and click Buy Pro — $5.99.
  • After payment, reopen the extension. The "5 / 5 free scans left" badge disappears and batch scan works without limits.
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