I-485 status message

“Case Is Being Actively Reviewed By USCIS” on Your I-485: What It Means

On an I-485, USCIS shows Case Is Being Actively Reviewed By USCIS[1][2] (some sources word it Case Is Being Actively Reviewed)

On an I-485 this message can sit between the background checks and a decision. USCIS policy is that adjustment applicants are interviewed unless USCIS waives the interview, which it decides case by case.[3]

Sources for this meaning

What it means

In the I-485 stages (Background checks): Results of the background and security checks come back to the case file.[4][5]

USCIS accepted the case and it is in the active queue to be processed.[2]

The message is neutral. It gives no timing and no outcome.[1]

Sources disagree. The meaning of FTA1 itself is disputed between case-tracker projects, and USCIS publishes no definition for it.[6][7]

What usually happens next

Next on an I-485 can be an evidence request, an interview notice, a transfer to another office or a decision. Not every case has every step.[2][3]

For how long cases usually take, see USCIS processing times. We do not state a timeline on this page.

What to do

Compare your wait with the published ranges for your form and office, and watch for notices from USCIS.[8]

Related event codes

Case-tracker projects report that the public status changed to this message after an FTA1 event, and community readings link the message to FTA0 as well. USCIS does not confirm either link.[6][7]

Forms it commonly appears for

This page covers the I-485. Read the general page for this message or follow the whole case on the I-485 Tracker.

Questions about this message

Will my I-485 have an interview after this message?

USCIS policy says adjustment applicants are interviewed by an officer unless USCIS waives the interview, which it decides case by case.

Source[3]

What can follow “actively reviewed” on an I-485?

The memo we cite lists a decision, a Request for Evidence or a file transfer to a different USCIS office as the usual next steps.

Source[2]

Sources

USCIS publishes no list of its status messages, so the titles come from the sources below. Checked . USCIS can change the wording without notice.

  1. [1]What Your USCIS Case Status Actually Means, Message by MessageHeadman Law Group
  2. [2]USCIS Case Status Overview (memo, October 2025)Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  3. [3]Policy Manual: Adjustment of Status, Interview GuidelinesUSCIS
  4. [4]NIEM 5.0 BenefitDocumentStatusCategoryCodeSimpleTypeNIEM
  5. [5]Preparing for Your Biometric Services AppointmentUSCIS
  6. [6]uscis-prober READMEGitHub: TheoLong
  7. [7]Silent Updates/Api codesLawfully community
  8. [8]Check Case Processing TimesUSCIS

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. CaseTicker is not affiliated with USCIS. Not legal advice.

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