Stage: Background checks

FTA0 on Your USCIS Case: What It Means

FTA0Database checks receivedPublished definition

USCIS received database check results. This does not indicate a decision on your case.

What it means

The NIEM code list of USCIS benefit document statuses describes FTA0 as DATABASE CHECKS RECEIVED.

FTA0 records that results of background database checks came back to USCIS. It is not a decision, and it does not say whether anything was found.

Applicants in the linked community discussion report repeated FTA0 events. Their experiences differ; a repeated code is not a reliable countdown to a decision.

What usually comes next

Further checks or officer review may follow; this code does not show when.

Which forms it appears on

The linked NIEM entry does not identify which forms use this code. We do not infer a form list from the code alone.

Questions about FTA0

Why does my case show FTA0 more than once?

Applicants in the linked community discussion report repeated FTA0 events. The NIEM definition identifies received database checks, but does not explain repeated entries or predict a decision.

Does a third FTA0 mean approval is near?

Some applicants read it that way, but it is a forum reading, not a USCIS rule. Others report waiting after it. Use the code as a sign that checks came back, not as a timeline.

Is FTA0 the same as biometrics?

No. Fingerprints have their own codes, such as FNB (fingerprints taken). FTA0 records that database check results were received.

Sources

Not legal advice. CaseTicker is not affiliated with USCIS. A code is a short system label, not a decision: your notices from USCIS are what count. For a Request for Evidence, a deadline or a denial, talk to a licensed immigration attorney or accredited representative. Read the disclaimer or how we write meanings.

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