What Is Form I-797? I-797 vs I-797A vs I-797B vs I-797C, and What Each One Proves

Your receipt, your approval and your new I-94 can all arrive on a page titled I-797. Here is how to tell which one you are holding and what it actually proves.

Part of our guide to the OPT I-765 application.

The I797 form, officially Form I-797 Notice of Action, is what USCIS sends whenever something happens on your case. You never file it; it is USCIS writing back. The letter after "I-797" tells you what kind of notice you hold. A plain I-797 is usually an approval with no I-94 attached. An I-797A is an approval that carries a replacement I-94. An I-797B is an approval for someone who will get a visa stamp at a consulate abroad. An I-797C is a receipt, transfer, rejection or appointment notice, and it proves only that USCIS has your file, not that anything was approved.

Status line, as of October 14, 2026. In effect: the final rule ending automatic EAD extensions, published and effective 2026-10-14; it finalizes an interim rule that has applied to renewals filed since 2025-10-30. Proposed, not law: removing USCIS deference to prior I-129 approvals (published 2026-10-14, comments close 2026-11-13) and eliminating the 60-day worker grace period (comments close 2026-11-10). Blocked: the F-1 Duration of Status rule, postponed and enjoined by a federal court on 2026-09-14; DHS appealed on 2026-09-30, and the appeal does not revive it. None of these changes the look of an I-797, but one changes what an EAD renewal receipt lets you do.

What the I-797 form is (and what it is not)

USCIS uses Form I-797 and its lettered variants on almost every filing: the I-129 your employer files for H-1B, your OPT or STEM OPT I-765, an I-539 for H-4 or a change of status, and later the I-140 and I-485. Notices arrive by mail and, for many filings, in your USCIS online account.

An I-797 is not a visa (you still need a valid stamp for most re-entries), and it is not always proof of status: only approvals of a change or extension of status, with their I-94, speak to your status inside the US. Your own notice and most recent I-94 govern over anything published here; USCIS's Form I-797 types and functions page is the source of truth.

The I-797 family at a glance (as of October 2026)

USCIS also lists an I-797F, a transportation letter issued overseas so an applicant can travel; most students and H-1B workers never see one.

I-797C, the receipt notice: what it proves and what it does not

The I-797C (often searched as i797c) is the notice you will see most. Soon after a filing, USCIS sends an I-797C titled "Receipt Notice" with your receipt number, received date and form type. Later I-797Cs can be biometrics appointment notices, transfer notices (your case moved offices) or rejection notices (for example a wrong fee, a missing signature, or an edition USCIS no longer accepts).

The receipt number is how you track the case on USCIS case status online, and how you compare against posted processing times. For a walkthrough of the receipt itself, see the USCIS receipt notice and case status explained.

When a receipt notice matters more than usual

In a few situations the law ties a consequence to a properly filed case, which is why HR asks for the I-797C:

1. H-1B portability (AC21). An H-1B worker who meets the portability conditions can begin working for a new employer once USCIS receives a non-frivolous I-129 for them; the I-797C is the evidence of that filing. Whether you meet the conditions is a question for the new employer's immigration attorney.
2. A pending same-employer H-1B extension. A timely filed extension can let you keep working for your current employer for a limited period past your I-94 date while USCIS decides; the receipt proves timely filing. Your employer's attorney confirms the dates.
3. EAD renewals filed on or after 2025-10-30. The final rule ending automatic EAD extensions (in effect since its 2026-10-14 publication) covers renewals filed on or after 2025-10-30, including H-4 EADs. For those filings, the renewal I-797C does not extend the old card. The H-4 EAD itself is not being rescinded. Our explainer on the final rule ending automatic EAD extensions has the detail; for how a STEM OPT receipt is treated, ask your DSO.

One travel point that strands people: do not travel while an OPT or STEM OPT I-765 is pending. The receipt notice does not protect your re-entry. Our guide to traveling on OPT with a pending I-765 explains why.

I-797 for H-1B: I-797A vs I-797B

Most "I-797 H1B" questions come down to which approval your employer's petition asked for.

• I-797A (change or extension of status). If you are inside the US (say, STEM OPT moving into H-1B, or an H-1B extension or employer change) and the petition requested a change or extension of status, the approval is an I-797A with a tear-off I-94 showing your new class and dates. That I-94 shows your status until you travel.
• I-797B (consular notification). If the petition asked USCIS to notify a consulate, the approval is an I-797B with no I-94. You take it to your visa interview, and H-1B status begins when CBP admits you.

For stamping: interview waivers ("dropbox") are gone for H-1B, H-4, L-1, F-1 and J-1, third-country stamping ended 2025-09-06 (apply in your country of nationality or legal residence), and domestic H-1B renewal is not back. Check the live travel.state.gov wait-times page, not a forum number. Our I-797A vs I-797B comparison covers why employers choose one or the other.

The I-765 approval notice (employment authorization approval notice)

When USCIS approves an I-765 (post-completion OPT, the STEM OPT extension, an H-4 EAD or another category), you typically get an I-797 approval notice, often called the "employment authorization approval notice", and separately the EAD card (Form I-766) with an I-797D mailer. The notice shows the category approved (such as (c)(3)(B) for OPT or (c)(3)(C) for STEM OPT) and the validity dates granted, which can differ from what you requested.

For OPT, Study in the States guidance is that you may start work only once you have the EAD and its start date has arrived. The card, not the notice, is what employers use for Form I-9. If the card is lost or delayed, talk to your DSO, and check the current I-765 page for fees before filing anything.

The I-539 approval notice

An I-539 approval notice is usually an I-797A with a new I-94, because the I-539 extends or changes status for someone already in the US: H-4 dependents extending alongside an H-1B worker, or changes such as H-4 to F-1.

F-1 students do not use the I-539 to extend their stay right now. The Duration of Status rule that would have required it is blocked by the 2026-09-14 court order, so D/S admission and the 60-day F-1 grace period still apply, and USCIS accepts the 08/28/24 I-539 edition, not the 09/15/26 one. The I-539 filing location changed on 2026-10-07 (forms postmarked by 2026-11-09 are still accepted at the prior locations); see our note on the I-539 address change and confirm on the I-539 page.

How to read any I-797, field by field

1. Notice type, top right. "Receipt Notice", "Approval Notice", "Request for Evidence", "Rejection Notice" or an appointment notice.
2. Form number and lettered variant. Usually printed at the bottom left (I-797, I-797A, I-797B, I-797C).
3. Receipt number. Three letters for the processing office (such as EAC, WAC, LIN, SRC or IOE) followed by ten digits. Use it for case status and in every message to USCIS.
4. Received date and notice date. The received date is when USCIS got the filing; the notice date is when the notice was issued.
5. Petitioner and beneficiary (or applicant). On an H-1B notice the petitioner is the employer and the beneficiary is you. Check the spelling of your name and your date of birth.
6. Class and validity dates. On approvals, the classification (for example H-1B) and the validity period.
7. The I-94 strip (I-797A only). Your admission number, class and "until" date. Compare it with your passport and your online I-94.

Later notices in the green card process follow the same layout. See what each section of the I-140 approval notice means and how to read your I-485 approval notice.

What changed in 2026 that affects your notices (as of October 14, 2026)

Common mistakes

• Reading "Receipt Notice" as approval. An I-797C is a timestamp. Read the notice-type line first.
• Using the I-94 on an old I-797A after traveling. Your most recent electronic I-94 governs. Download it from the CBP I-94 site after every entry.
• Treating an EAD renewal receipt as an extension. For renewals filed on or after 2025-10-30, it is not.
• Starting OPT work on the approval notice alone. Wait for the EAD and its start date, and ask your DSO if the card is late.
• Ignoring name or date errors. Raise them with your attorney (H-1B, I-539) or DSO (OPT) right away.
• Throwing away old notices. Later petitions and green card filings can ask for your status history. Keep every I-797.

Frequently asked questions

Is an I-797C receipt notice proof of legal status?

No. An I-797C proves that USCIS received a filing or scheduled an appointment, and the notice itself says it grants no status or benefit. In a few situations the law attaches consequences to a properly filed petition, such as H-1B portability, but your I-94 and your approval notices are what show status.

What is the difference between an I-797A and an I-797B?

An I-797A is issued when USCIS approves a change or extension of status for someone inside the US, and it carries a replacement I-94 at the bottom. An I-797B is issued when a petition is approved for consular notification, so it has no I-94 and the worker uses it to apply for a visa abroad. An I-797B alone does not change your status inside the US.

Can I start working with only an I-765 approval notice?

For OPT and most other EAD categories, the EAD card (Form I-766) is the work authorization document and the approval notice confirms the decision. Study in the States guidance is that OPT employment begins only once you have the EAD and its start date has arrived. If the card is late, talk to your DSO before you start work.

Does the I-94 on my I-797A still count after I travel?

Each time you leave and are readmitted, CBP creates a new electronic I-94, and the most recent record is the one that governs. Download it from the CBP I-94 website after every entry and compare it with your approval notice. If the dates do not match, raise it with your employer's immigration attorney well before the earlier date.

This article explains how USCIS notices work; it is not legal advice. For anything that depends on your own dates, ask a licensed immigration attorney (H-1B, H-4, I-539) or your DSO (OPT, STEM OPT, SEVIS).

Your approval notice is the paperwork side of a job search. For the other side, finding employers that sponsor before your OPT clock runs down, talk to F1Jobs.