How to Read a Green Card

A green card contains several names, dates, codes, and numbers. They may look similar at first, but they do different jobs. This field-by-field guide shows where to look, how to read the back, and how to tell the USCIS number from the green card number.

What information appears on the front of a green card

Start with the front of the card. This side shows the cardholder’s main personal details and immigration information.

You may see:

• Name: The cardholder’s family name and given name.
• Photograph: A photo of the permanent resident.
• Birth date: The cardholder’s date of birth.
• Country of birth: The country where the cardholder was born.
• Sex: The sex listed on the card.
• USCIS registration number: This is also called the Alien Registration Number or A Number.
• Immigration category: A code that identifies the basis or category under which the person received permanent residence.
• Card dates: Depending on the card version and layout, dates may include the date the card was issued and the date it expires.

The front may also include other printed information or security features. The exact placement can change from one version of the card to another. So if a field is not in the spot shown in an older green card image, check the rest of the card before assuming it is missing.

A simple way to read the front

Read the card in groups:

1. Identity: Name, photograph, birth date, country of birth, and sex.
2. Immigration record: USCIS registration number and immigration category.
3. Document information: Card dates and other card-specific details.

That order helps prevent a common mistake: treating the person’s immigration number as the same thing as the card’s own number.

For example, the USCIS registration number identifies the person in the immigration record. The green card number identifies the physical card. Both can appear on the same document, but they are not interchangeable.

How to read the back of a green card

The back contains more technical information. The most useful part for identifying the green card number is the machine-readable section.

This section is made of lines of letters, numbers, and symbols. It is designed so that card information can be read by a scanner or checked in a standard format. You don't need to understand every symbol to find the key details.

First machine-readable line

Look at the first line of the machine-readable section.

The line can contain codes such as C1 or C2, along with other characters. For the green card number, focus on the end of this line:

• The last 13 characters of the first line contain the green card number.
• The number is followed by two spaces.

Example method: Move to the first machine-readable line. Count from the right-hand side and identify the final 13 characters before the two spaces. Those characters are the card number.

Use the actual printed line on the card rather than trying to guess the number from the front. Depending on the card design, a number that looks prominent on the front may be the USCIS number instead.

Second machine-readable line

The second line includes the cardholder’s birth date in YY/MM/DD format.

That means:

• YY = the last two digits of the year
• MM = the month
• DD = the day

Labeled example:

A date written as `85/04/09` would be read as April 9, with the year shown using two digits.

The machine-readable date is not written in the same style people usually use in everyday conversation. Read the parts in order: year, month, then day.

Why the back can be confusing

The back is not laid out like a normal form. It combines human-readable information with data meant for machines. Some fields may be shortened, grouped together, or shown as codes.

If you are copying information for a form, enlarge a clear photo or scan and compare the characters carefully. Letters and numbers can be easy to mix up, especially in the machine-readable lines.

Don't guess if part of the line is damaged or unclear. A wrong character can make a form or record appear inconsistent with the card.

What the numbers and letters on a green card mean

A green card can show several kinds of numbers. The key is to identify the label and location before deciding what a number means.

USCIS registration number

The USCIS registration number is the person’s immigration registration identifier. It may also be called:

• Alien Registration Number
• A Number
• A-Number

These names refer to the same type of immigration identifier. The card may label it as a USCIS number, or it may use another version of the wording.

Immigration category

The category is usually a short code made of letters and numbers. It describes the immigration category connected to the person’s permanent residence.

Treat this as a category code, not as an account number or card number. It helps identify the immigration basis shown on the document, but the code by itself does not answer every legal question about a person’s status.

Dates

Dates on the card can relate to the person or to the document. The birth date identifies the cardholder. Other dates may show when the card was issued or when it expires.

The location and format can vary by card version. Check the label beside the date when one is provided. Don't assume every date on the card is the expiration date.

Machine-readable characters

The back may include letters and numbers that look like a long string rather than a normal sentence. These characters hold standardized card information.

For the questions most people have, the useful points are:

• The first line contains codes and other card information.
• The last 13 characters of that first line identify the green card number.
• The second line presents the birth date in YY/MM/DD format.

Not every character should be treated as a separate number that you need to copy into a form.

Where to find the green card number

The green card number is on the back of the card, in the machine-readable section.

Look specifically at the first machine-readable line. The green card number is found in the last 13 characters of that line, followed by two spaces.

This is the number to focus on when a form asks for the card number or document number, unless the form gives different instructions.

Don't use the most obvious number automatically

The number printed clearly on the front may be the USCIS registration number. That does not automatically make it the green card number.

A quick check:

• If the form asks for the person’s USCIS number, look for the USCIS registration number or A Number.
• If it asks for the green card number, check the last 13 characters of the first machine-readable line on the back.
• If the wording is unclear, read the form instructions closely instead of entering the first number you see.

Newer cards may place information differently, so the label and the machine-readable section matter more than a fixed picture of where a field “should” be.

USCIS number, Alien Registration Number, and card number: what to look for

These terms are easy to mix up because they can all appear on one card.

The first two terms point to the same kind of person-based immigration number. The green card number is separate.

Labeled example

Suppose a form asks for:

• USCIS number: Use the number shown as the USCIS registration number or A Number.
• Card number: Use the 13-character number at the end of the first machine-readable line.
• Date of birth: Use the birth date shown on the card. If you are reading the machine-readable line, remember that it uses YY/MM/DD.

The exact wording on a form can differ. Follow that form’s instructions if they explain a different field.

How green card designs changed in 2023 and later versions

A redesigned green card was introduced in 2023. One visible change is that the cardholder’s fingerprint is no longer displayed on the front of the redesigned card.

The redesign also means that information fields may appear in different places. A newer card may not match an older Green Card image 2023 or a sample made for an earlier version.

That matters when you are trying to identify:

• The USCIS registration number
• The immigration category
• The card dates
• The machine-readable lines
• The green card number

Use sample images as a general guide, not as a perfect map. The safest approach is to read the printed labels on your own card and then check the back for the machine-readable section.

A card issued in a later year may still look different from another card issued around the same time. If you search for what a green card looks like in 2026, be careful with images that show only one version. A picture cannot replace the information printed on the card you actually have.

Which card details are commonly needed for Form I-9

Form I-9 checks a person’s identity and authorization to work. When a permanent resident uses a green card for this process, the card itself contains the information that may be needed to complete the document details.

The fields most likely to cause confusion are:

• Card number: Use the green card number from the back, not automatically the USCIS number.
• USCIS number: Use the USCIS registration number or A Number when the form asks for it.
• Expiration date: Check the card’s date field carefully. Don't substitute the birth date or another printed date.
• Name: Copy the name as it appears on the card.
• Document information: Use the card in front of you and follow the current form instructions.

If a form asks for a document number and you are unsure which number it means, stop and check the wording. The green card number and USCIS number are different fields.

When a card-reading question is actually a separate immigration or legal question

Reading a green card can tell you what information is printed on the document. It cannot, by itself, answer every question about a person’s immigration status or legal situation.

For example, someone may ask whether a permanent resident can be deported. That is not a card-reading question. It depends on the person’s facts and current immigration law. The card alone cannot provide a reliable answer.

The same caution applies to questions about:

• Travel and reentry
• Renewal or replacement
• Conditional residence
• Criminal or immigration consequences
• Loss of permanent resident status
• Eligibility for another immigration benefit

For those issues, speak with a qualified immigration lawyer or another authorized immigration professional. Compare this guide with the fields on your own card, and get case-specific advice when the question goes beyond identifying a number, date, code, or label.