Data Sources

CaseTracker Auto retrieves all data from official U.S. government sources. No third-party intermediaries are used.

Primary Data Sources

1. USCIS.gov - Case Status

Source URL: https://egov.uscis.gov/casestatus/

What we retrieve:

• Case status text (e.g., "Case Was Approved", "Case Received")
• Status description details
• Form type (I-130, I-485, I-765, etc.)
• Service center information

Update frequency: USCIS updates their system in real-time. Our app checks every 2-6 hours.

API used: USCIS public case status lookup (no authentication required for public case numbers)

Data accuracy: Same as what you see on USCIS website when you check manually

2. travel.state.gov - Visa Bulletin

Source URL: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin.html

What we retrieve:

• Current month Visa Bulletin (published monthly around 15th)
• Chart A (Final Action Dates)
• Chart B (Dates for Filing)
• All family-based categories (F1, F2A, F2B, F3, F4, IR)
• All employment-based categories (EB-1 through EB-5)
• Country-specific cut-off dates (China, India, Mexico, Philippines, All Other)

Update frequency: Monthly, typically around the 15th of each month. We check daily and notify immediately when new bulletin published.

Format: PDF and HTML table parsing

Historical data: We store historical bulletins for trend analysis (12-24 months)

3. ceac.state.gov - NVC/Consular Status

Source URL: https://ceac.state.gov/ceacstattracker/status.aspx

What we retrieve:

• NVC case status
• Case creation date
• Interview scheduled status
• Administrative processing status
• Case number format validation

Update frequency: CEAC updates business days. We check daily.

Limitations: CEAC only shows limited public information. Detailed status requires NVC login which we cannot access (for security/privacy).

4. nvc.state.gov - NVC Information

Source URL: https://nvc.state.gov

What we retrieve:

• General NVC processing information
• Document requirements
• Fee information
• Contact information
• Processing time estimates (when available)

Usage: Reference information for user education, not real-time tracking

Secondary Reference Sources

5. USCIS Processing Times

Source: https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/

What we use: Average processing times by form type and service center

Purpose: Provide context for expected wait times

6. Embassy Websites

Examples:

• Vietnam: vn.usembassy.gov
• Philippines: ph.usembassy.gov

What we use: Interview scheduling information, embassy-specific requirements

What We Do NOT Access

Important privacy limitations:

• ❌ Your USCIS online account (requires login)
• ❌ Your NVC CEAC portal login area
• ❌ Your email or correspondence
• ❌ Your personal documents
• ❌ Your financial information
• ❌ Internal USCIS systems (not public)

We only access publicly available data that anyone can view without login.

Data Update Schedule

Data Accuracy & Disclaimer

Accuracy: CaseTracker Auto displays the same information available on official government websites. We do not modify, interpret, or predict data - we only retrieve and display it.

Delays: There may be a delay of 2-6 hours between when USCIS updates a case and when our app detects the change (due to our automated checking schedule).

Errors: If government websites are down or experiencing technical issues, our app cannot retrieve data during that time.

Not legal advice: The data we display is for informational purposes only. Always verify critical information on official government websites and consult an immigration attorney for legal advice.

How Data Retrieval Works

USCIS Case Status

1. App sends your receipt number to egov.uscis.gov API
2. USCIS returns public case status
3. App parses the response
4. Status stored locally on your device
5. If status changed since last check, notification triggered
6. Complete history maintained in app database

Visa Bulletin

1. App checks travel.state.gov daily for new bulletin
2. When new bulletin published, PDF/HTML is parsed
3. Cut-off dates extracted for all categories
4. Data normalized and stored
5. Your priority date compared to current cut-off
6. Notification sent if relevant to you

Data Privacy

What we store:

• Your case receipt numbers (encrypted)
• Case status history
• Your priority date (if you enter it)
• Notification preferences

What we DON'T store:

• Your name or personal details (unless you provide in notes)
• Your USCIS online account credentials
• Any data from your documents
• Any non-public information

Storage location:

• Primary: On your iOS device (encrypted)
• Backup: iCloud (if enabled, encrypted)
• Never: Third-party servers

See Privacy & Data Security for complete details.

Official Source Links

Always verify critical information on official sites:

• USCIS.gov — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
• travel.state.gov — Department of State Visa Services
• nvc.state.gov — National Visa Center
• ceac.state.gov — Consular Electronic Application Center

Learn More

• What is CaseTracker Auto
• Privacy & Data Security
• How Auto Check Engine Works
• Frequently Asked Questions