How to Create a USCIS Online Account: Setup, Backup Code, and Fees

To create a USCIS online account, go to myaccount.uscis.gov, choose the account type that matches how you’ll use it, register with a unique email and a strong password, set up two-factor authentication, save the backup code USCIS gives you, and answer five security questions. The whole process takes about ten minutes. Everyone who interacts with USCIS online needs their own account, including minors; shared or family accounts are not allowed.¹

Pick the Right Account Type First

USCIS offers three account types, and you cannot convert one into another later. Each email address can only be tied to a single account, so registering under the wrong type means starting over with a different email.²

Applicant, Petitioner, or Requestor. The standard account for filing an immigration benefit for yourself or sponsoring someone else. Most individuals need this one.
Legal Representative. For attorneys and accredited representatives filing and communicating with USCIS on behalf of clients.
Organizational. For companies and organizations handling H-1B electronic registrations, H-1B petitions, and related premium processing requests. An applicant account will not work for H-1B registration.²

What to Have Ready Before You Register

Gather these before starting so you can finish in one sitting:

A unique email address. It becomes your login and the main channel for official USCIS communications. No one else can use it for their own account.
A password of at least eight characters with at least one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, and one special character.¹
A two-factor authentication method. You can choose an authentication app, text message, or email.
Answers to five security questions. USCIS uses these for password recovery if you get locked out.¹

Walk Through the Sign-Up

Open the USCIS online portal and select the option to create a new account. Enter your email address. USCIS sends a confirmation email with a secure link; clicking it verifies your email and brings you to the Terms of Use, which you have to accept before continuing.

Create and confirm your password. Set up two-factor authentication by picking how you want to receive verification codes, then enter a test code to confirm the method works. USCIS will then generate a unique backup code. Write it down and store it somewhere safe. This code is what gets you back in if you ever lose the phone or email you used for two-factor verification.

Choose your five security questions, enter your answers, and select the account type. Submit, and the account is active. You can start filing forms or linking existing cases right away.¹

Save the Backup Code Somewhere You Can Find It

If you lose access to your two-factor method but still have the backup code, log in with your email and password, click “Try another verification method” on the verification code screen, and enter the backup code.³

If both the authentication device and the backup code are gone, there is no self-service fix. You have to submit a request through the USCIS “Need Help” form to reach the Technical Help Desk, and responses can take 10 business days or more. The Ombudsman’s office cannot help with account access. If a filing deadline is close, this is not a position you want to be in. Treat the backup code the way you’d treat a passport.⁴

Link Paper-Filed Cases After You’re In

If you already filed by mail, you can pull those cases into your online dashboard to check status, view notices, upload evidence, and respond to requests. From the account menu, select “Add a paper-filed case” and enter your receipt number, the 13-character code (three letters followed by ten digits) printed on your Form I-797C, Notice of Action.¹

If your receipt number begins with “IOE,” you’ll also need your Online Access Code (OAC), which appears on your USCIS Account Access Notice. Both together unlock the full range of online features for that case, including secure messaging and evidence uploads.¹

If Your Online Access Code Has Expired

Online Access Codes expire. To request a replacement, log in, select “Add a case to your account,” enter your receipt number, then on the next screen enter your expired OAC and date of birth. The system will show a link to request a new code. Click it, confirm your expired code, and submit. USCIS mails the replacement, and the process can take up to 30 days. If you need access sooner, use the “Need Help” form on the USCIS website to contact the Technical Help Desk.⁵

Filing Online Usually Costs $50 Less

USCIS charges $50 less for most forms filed online than for the paper version, and the discount applies automatically when an online option exists for your form. Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative) is $625 online versus $675 on paper. Form N-400 (Application for Naturalization) is $710 online versus $760 on paper.⁶

The discount does not apply to Form I-907 (Premium Processing), H-1B registration fees, Form I-821 (Temporary Protected Status), Form I-821D (DACA), or Form N-400 filed with a reduced-fee request. It also does not apply to certain forms already discounted for small employers or nonprofits.⁶

Not every form can be filed online yet. Before assuming a form has to go by mail, check the “Forms Available to File Online” page on the USCIS site; the list is updated periodically.⁷

1
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. How to Create a USCIS Online Account
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Organizational Accounts Frequently Asked Questions
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. How Can I Access My Account If I No Longer Have Access To My Two-Factor Verification Method
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U.S. Department of Homeland Security. New Tip Sheet on How to Avoid Getting Locked Out of Your USCIS Online Account
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. How do I Get a New Online Access Code
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Frequently Asked Questions on the USCIS Fee Rule
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Forms Available to File Online