How to Visa Number Check

The number you need depends on what you’re trying to do. A U.S. visa stamp has a visa number, but it may also show a Registration Number, which is an A-number. Your other immigration papers may use USCIS# instead. A visa application status page may ask for a case number, such as a DOS Case ID.

These numbers are connected to your immigration records, but they are not interchangeable. Start by matching the number to the exact label on your document.

Visa number, A-number, USCIS number, and DOS Case ID

Here’s the quickest way to separate the terms:

The main source of confusion is that one visa document can show more than one of these numbers. For example, a visa stamp may have a red visa number and a separate Registration Number. The first identifies the visa. The second is your A-number.

So, if a form asks for your visa number, don’t enter the number that begins with “A” unless the form specifically asks for your A-number or Registration Number.

Finding the number printed on your U.S. visa stamp

Open your passport to the page with the U.S. visa. The visa number usually appears in red near the lower-right area of the visa stamp.

It may be easy to miss because the stamp contains many other details, including:

• Your name
• Passport information
• Visa category
• Date of birth
• Visa issue and expiration dates
• Entries allowed
• A Registration Number, if one is shown
• Other printed codes and information

Look for the red number rather than scanning every number on the page. This is generally the number people mean when they ask, “How do I check my visa number?”

For a B1/B2 visa

A B1/B2 visitor visa is normally placed in your passport as a visa stamp or foil. The visa number on a B1/B2 visa is usually the red number near the lower-right portion of that stamp.

That number is different from:

• Your passport number
• The visa expiration date
• The number of entries allowed
• Your A-number or Registration Number
• The case number used during the visa application process

If an online form asks for the visa number, enter the red number as printed. Don’t replace it with your passport number or the number beginning with “A.”

What the A-number means on a visa

An A-number is an Alien Registration Number. It is a personal immigration record number, not the same thing as the visa number itself.

On a U.S. visa, the A-number may appear beside the label Registration Number. This is the number to use when a form asks for your A-number, Alien Registration Number, or Registration Number.

The format is:

• The letter A
• Followed by 8 or 9 numbers

For example, an A-number may look like A123456789. The example is only meant to show the format. Use the exact number on your own document.

Some documents may leave out the letter “A” when displaying the number. If that happens, check the label and the form instructions carefully. Don’t guess based on the length alone. A number’s label matters as much as its appearance.

Is the Registration Number the A-number?

Yes. When a U.S. visa shows a field called Registration Number, that field refers to the A-number.

This answers a common question: What is the A-number on a visa? It is the Alien Registration Number shown as the Registration Number. It is separate from the red visa number printed elsewhere on the visa.

Telling the A-number, USCIS number, and DOS Case ID apart

These three labels can appear in different places, so compare both the wording and the format.

A-number

An A-number starts with A and has 8 or 9 numbers after the letter.

You may see it called:

• A-number
• Alien Registration Number
• Registration Number
• A#

If you’re trying to answer “How can I check my A-number?”, first look at the official document that may contain it. On a visa, check the Registration Number field. On other immigration documents, look for an A-number or USCIS# label.

USCIS number

A USCIS number is commonly shown as USCIS#. On immigration documents, this usually refers to the same identifying number as the A-number.

The USCIS# often begins with “A” and is followed by 8 or 9 numbers. Even so, follow the wording on the form you’re completing. If the form asks for a USCIS number, use the number next to USCIS#. If it asks for a visa number, use the red visa number instead.

DOS Case ID

A DOS Case ID is tied to a visa case handled through the U.S. Department of State. It has a different pattern:

• 3 letters
• Followed by 9 or 10 numbers

For example, it may look like three letters followed by a long string of digits. It does not have the same format as an A-number.

The DOS Case ID is generally the kind of number you may need when checking the progress of a visa application. It is not the red visa number on an already issued visa, and it is not the same as the A-number.

A side-by-side format check

When you’re unsure, use this quick comparison:

• Red number on visa stamp: visa number
• “Registration Number” with A plus 8 or 9 digits: A-number
• “USCIS#” with A plus 8 or 9 digits: usually the A-number
• 3 letters plus 9 or 10 digits: DOS Case ID

Don’t select a number just because it is the longest one on the page. Immigration documents can contain several long numbers.

Checking a visa application with the right case number

A visa status checker usually asks you to identify the visa type first. You’ll generally need to choose either:

• Immigrant visa
• Nonimmigrant visa

After that, the checker asks for the relevant case number.

The case number is not automatically the same as the visa number printed in your passport. If you are checking an application that is still being processed, look for the case information connected with that application. The DOS Case ID is the number that follows the three-letter and 9- or 10-digit pattern.

A simple process looks like this:

1. Open the official visa status checker you were told to use.
2. Select immigrant or nonimmigrant visa.
3. Find the case number on your official visa paperwork.
4. Enter the number exactly as shown.
5. Check the result for spelling, number order, and status details.

If the system rejects the number, don’t immediately try your passport number, visa number, or A-number. First confirm what the page calls for. A case-status tool may not accept those other identifiers.

Visa number check after a visa has been issued

If your goal is simply to find your issued visa number, you may not need a case-status tool at all. Look at the visa page in your passport and find the red number near the lower-right area.

A status checker and a visa document answer different questions:

• The visa number identifies the visa printed in your passport.
• The case number helps identify the application being processed.
• The A-number identifies your immigration record.
• The passport number identifies your travel document.

Keeping those jobs separate prevents most entry errors.

How these numbers appear on common immigration documents

Different documents may display different labels for the same type of number.

U.S. visa stamp

A visa stamp may show:

• A red visa number near the lower right
• A Registration Number, which is the A-number
• Visa category details
• Passport and personal information
• Dates and entry information

The red visa number and the Registration Number are two different fields.

Form I-797C

A Form I-797C notice may contain an A-number or another USCIS-related identifier. Look for the printed label instead of assuming that every long number is your A-number.

A notice can also include a receipt number or other case information. Those numbers serve different purposes, so use the one named by the form or online tool.

Employment Authorization Document

An employment authorization card may show a USCIS#. This commonly refers to the A-number. It may also contain a card number, category, dates, and other printed details.

If a form asks for your USCIS number, check the field marked USCIS#. Don’t use the card number unless the form specifically asks for it.

Green Card

A permanent resident card may also show a USCIS#, which is generally the A-number. The card can contain several other numbers, including a card number and document dates.

Again, the label is the key. “USCIS#” points to the A-number. It does not mean every number printed on the card is your USCIS number.

What to do when a number is missing, shortened, or hard to read

Some documents use different labels. Others may print a number in a way that makes one digit or letter hard to see. Take these steps before entering anything:

1. Check the exact label. Decide whether the form wants a visa number, A-number, USCIS#, or case number.
2. Compare the format. An A-number begins with “A.” A DOS Case ID has three letters first.
3. Look at the original document. A scan, photocopy, or phone picture may hide a digit.
4. Check similar characters carefully. A letter and number can look alike, especially in small print.
5. Don’t add or remove digits to make the number fit. Use what the official document actually shows.
6. Try the number in the field that matches its label. Don’t use a different identifier just because it is easier to read.

If part of a number is unreadable, compare it with another official document that displays the same label. For example, an A-number may appear as a Registration Number on one document and as a USCIS# on another.

Be careful with shortened displays. Some systems may show only part of a number, but that does not mean you should shorten the number when entering it elsewhere. Follow the instructions on the specific form or status checker.

Quick checklist before entering a number into a status checker

Before you submit the number, pause and check:

• [ ] Am I entering the number the page requested?
• [ ] Is this a visa number, A-number, USCIS#, or DOS Case ID?
• [ ] Did I select the correct visa type: immigrant or nonimmigrant?
• [ ] Does the number match the label on my official document?
• [ ] If it is an A-number, does it begin with “A” and have 8 or 9 numbers?
• [ ] If it is a DOS Case ID, does it begin with 3 letters and continue with 9 or 10 numbers?
• [ ] Did I avoid substituting my passport number?
• [ ] Did I check every digit before submitting?

The safest way to check a visa number is to compare the number and its printed label on the official document before entering it into the relevant visa status checker.