Your receipt number stays on your device. Your account sync stays opt-in.
GreenLight was built for people who want privacy without losing continuity. Receipt numbers stay local. If you create an account, only the general case details needed for history, alerts, and cross-device access are synced.
GreenLight vs. other trackers
Most immigration tools treat your case data as their product. GreenLight doesn't.
| What | GreenLight | Other Trackers |
|---|---|---|
| Receipt number | ✓Never — stays in your browser only | ✗Stored on their servers |
| Case dates & timeline | ✓Local by default; synced to secure cloud only if you sign in | ✗Cloud database (always) |
| Field office location | ✓Local by default; synced only if you sign in | ✗May be shared with third parties |
| Your name or identity | ✓Email only if you create an account | ✗Often required for core features |
| Status decoder input | ✓Not logged by default; stored only if you save it to history | ✗May be stored & analyzed |
How it works technically
Your device, your data
When you set up a case — receipt number, filing date, field office — it is first written to your browser's localStorage. Your receipt number never leaves your device. If you sign in, general case details (case type, dates, field office) are synced to a secure database to enable alerts — but never linked to a receipt number.
Decoder input: not logged by default
Common statuses decode locally in your browser. If the local decoder misses, the text passes through GreenLight's decoder API for a fallback explanation. We do not log or store that pasted text by default, and it only becomes saved data if you intentionally add it to your case history later.
Status alerts: anonymous
If you opt into Pro email alerts, we store your email address and general case details (case type, dates, field office) to send relevant alerts. Your receipt number never leaves your browser — the alert system never needs it. Case details are never linked to a receipt number and are never shared with third parties.
What we DO collect
We're telling you this because honesty matters. Here's everything we collect — no fine print.
When you log a status, we record an anonymous data point (case type + milestone + days elapsed) with no user ID, no receipt number. This powers the community benchmarks.
Email is used for status alerts and digests. If you create an account, general case details (case type, filing dates, field office) are stored securely to power alerts and cross-device access. Your receipt number is never stored on our servers. You can delete your account at any time.
Page views and button clicks — no personally identifiable information. This helps us understand which features are useful so we can keep improving the product.
Privacy FAQ
No. Your receipt number is stored exclusively in your browser's localStorage and never transmitted to GreenLight's servers. You can verify this by opening your browser's DevTools (F12) → Application → Local Storage.
Not by default. GreenLight does not log or store your pasted status text during decoding. If the local decoder cannot recognize the message, the text passes through GreenLight's decoder API to generate a fallback explanation. It is only stored if you explicitly log that status to your history after signing in.
Your email address if you sign up, subscription status, limited analytics, and anonymized milestone data for community benchmarks. If you create an account and use the case tracker, general case details and any statuses you intentionally log are stored securely to enable alerts and cross-device access. Your receipt number is never stored on our servers — ever. No A-numbers, no government identifiers.
Never. GreenLight does not sell, rent, or share your data with attorneys, advertisers, or any third parties. Revenue comes exclusively from subscriptions.
See it in action
Paste your USCIS status and get a plain-English explanation — no account needed, nothing stored.
Try the Status Decoder →Free forever · No account required · No data stored
This page is a plain-language summary of our privacy practices and is not a legally binding privacy policy. For the full legal privacy policy, see our Privacy Policy. GreenLight is not affiliated with USCIS, DHS, or any U.S. government agency.