What Is Visa Number in Us Visa

If a U.S. immigration or travel form asks for your visa number, look at the actual visa stamp or foil in your passport. The number you need is usually the red number near the bottom-right side of the visa. On newer U.S. visas, it is generally eight digits long.

It can be easy to confuse this number with the visa type, a control number, or the two lines of letters and numbers at the bottom. This quick guide shows you what to look for.

What the visa number on a U.S. visa means

A U.S. visa number identifies that particular visa document. It is sometimes called a visa foil number because the visa is printed on a special foil placed inside your passport.

The number belongs to the visa itself. It is not the same as:

• Your passport number
• Your visa classification, such as B1, B2, F1, or H1B
• The date your visa expires
• Your visa application or control number
• The machine-readable line at the bottom of the page

A U.S. visa lets you travel to a U.S. port of entry and ask the Department of Homeland Security for permission to enter. The visa does not, by itself, guarantee entry. For forms that ask for the visa number, though, the main task is simple: identify the number printed on the visa foil.

Where to find the visa number on the visa stamp

Start with the visa page inside your passport, not the passport’s personal information page.

On a newer U.S. visa, check the lower-right part of the visa. The number is usually printed in red ink. It may sit among other printed information and can be hard to spot at first, especially if the visa has a colorful background.

Try this:

1. Open the passport to the page with the U.S. visa.
2. Ignore the passport number and the long text lines at the bottom.
3. Look toward the bottom-right area of the visa.
4. Find the number printed in red.
5. Check whether it has eight digits or an older letter-and-number format.

The exact design can vary. A visa issued several years ago may not look exactly like a newer one. If the number is not in the expected spot, check the whole visa foil carefully before assuming it is missing.

Reading the number’s appearance

The most common format on newer U.S. visas is an eight-digit number in red. For example, it may look like:

`12345678`

That example is only a format example, not a number to use on a form.

The color is one of the best clues. Look for a red number rather than a black number or a line made up of letters and symbols. The red print may be small, but it is generally placed near the lower-right edge of the visa.

Older U.S. visas may use a different format. Instead of eight digits alone, the visa number may begin with a letter and continue with numbers, such as:

`A1234567`

The exact letter and digits on your visa will be different. The key point is that an older visa may not match the newer eight-digit pattern. Do not reject a letter-and-number combination simply because it is not eight digits.

Visa number versus visa type, control number, and machine-readable line

Several numbers and codes can appear on the same visa. Here is how to separate them.

Visa type or classification

The visa classification describes the reason for travel or the visa category. Common examples include:

• B1 for certain business visits
• B2 for tourism or other visitor travel
• F1 for academic study
• H1B for a type of temporary employment

This code tells you the visa category. It is not usually the visa number.

A visa may also show B1/B2 together. That means the document covers both listed visitor classifications. It does not change which number is the visa number. Look for the red number near the bottom-right area.

Control number

A visa can include another printed number used for document or processing purposes. Forms and visa layouts may label or position these details differently.

If a number is labeled control number, do not enter it when the form asks specifically for the visa number. Look for the red visa number instead.

Machine-readable line

Near the bottom of the visa, you may see two lines filled with capital letters, digits, and `<` symbols. This is the machine-readable line, often shortened to MRZ. It is designed for scanners to read the document.

It can look like a long string of random characters. It is not the visa number field most forms mean when they ask for your U.S. visa number.

The safest visual test is:

• Red number near the lower right: usually the visa number
• Long lines with letters, digits, and `<` symbols: machine-readable line
• B1, B2, F1, and similar codes: visa classification

How older U.S. visas may display the number

If your visa was issued under an older design, the number may appear as a letter followed by several digits. It may also be placed differently from the lower-right position used on many newer visa foils.

That is why searching only for an eight-digit number can cause trouble. Instead, use all three clues:

• Check for red printing.
• Look across the lower part of the visa.
• Allow for a letter-and-number format.

Do not use the passport number just because it is easier to find. The passport number identifies the passport. The visa number identifies the U.S. visa attached to it.

If you have an older visa in a still-valid passport, use the number shown on that visa when the form asks for the visa number. Do not replace it with a number from a newer passport unless the form asks for something else.

Where to look on a B1/B2 visa card or visa foil

People often ask, “Where is the visa number on the B1 B2 card?” In many cases, they are referring to the U.S. visa foil in the passport rather than a separate plastic card.

For a B1/B2 visa, first find the area showing the classification B1/B2. That is the visa type, not the visa number. Then look near the bottom-right portion of the same visa for the red number.

On newer documents, it is generally an eight-digit number. Older documents may use a letter followed by numbers. Since visa designs can differ, use the actual document in front of you rather than relying on a sample image or assuming every B1/B2 visa has the same layout.

The wording “B1/B2 card” does not create a separate number format. The useful question is still: which red number identifies this visa foil?

What to enter when a form asks for your visa number

When a form asks for your U.S. visa number, enter the red number printed on the visa foil. Copy it carefully from the document.

Before submitting, check:

• Did you use the red number?
• Did you copy every digit?
• If your visa is older, did you include the starting letter?
• Did you avoid entering the passport number?
• Did you avoid copying the machine-readable line?
• Did you avoid entering B1, B2, or B1/B2 as the number?

If the form accepts only digits but your older visa has a letter-and-number format, read the form’s own instructions before changing anything. Do not drop the letter simply because the field looks numeric unless the form clearly tells you to do so.

What to do if you cannot identify the number

First, check that you are looking at the visa foil and not the passport information page. Then inspect the bottom-right area in good light. A phone camera or a closer view may help you tell red ink from the background, but use the original document for the final check.

If you see several numbers, compare their color, location, and labels. The number you want is generally the red one associated with the visa foil, not the control number or machine-readable text.

If the visa is damaged, the number is unreadable, or the layout does not match these general clues, avoid guessing. Check the instructions for the form or ask the relevant U.S. government office handling the application. Keep the form’s requested field in front of you and compare it with the red number on the actual visa foil before you submit your information.