Where Is the Resident Card Number

If a form asks for your resident card number, don’t automatically enter the 9-digit number on the front of your Green Card. On a current Permanent Resident Card, the card or document number is usually on the back, near the bottom.

The mix-up happens because several numbers appear on the same card. They identify different things, and forms don’t always use the same wording. The quickest way to avoid an error is to match the form’s exact label with the number’s location and length.

Where the resident card number appears on a current Green Card

On a current Permanent Resident Card, look at the back of the card. Near the bottom, you’ll see a long line of letters and numbers. The resident card number is generally described as a 13-character alphanumeric code.

“Alphanumeric” simply means it uses both letters and numbers.

On cards issued after the May 2010 redesign, the document number may be the last 13 characters of the long code along the bottom. Depending on how the characters are printed, the code may be hard to spot at first. Turn the card over and look for the long machine-readable line rather than focusing only on the large text near the top.

A current card may show:

• A long code near the bottom on the back
• Letters mixed with numbers
• A 13-character section that serves as the document or card number
• Other printed details that are not the number a form is requesting

The wording can vary. A form may call this the document number, card number, Permanent Resident Card number, or I-551 number. In many cases, those labels point you to the same back-of-card number.

How to identify the 13-character document number on the back

Start with the long code printed near the bottom of the card’s back. Count the characters in the section the form asks for.

For a current Permanent Resident Card, the document number is described as 13 characters long. It can contain letters and numbers. In many current layouts, it is the final 13 characters in the long code.

Use this quick process:

1. Turn the card over.
2. Find the long code near the bottom.
3. Look at the final 13 characters, if the code is printed as one longer line.
4. Check that you’re reading letters and numbers correctly.
5. Enter the code exactly as printed, unless the form gives different instructions.

Some characters can look alike. For example, a letter may look similar to a number when the card is viewed on a phone or photocopy. Don’t add spaces or punctuation unless the form specifically asks for them.

The key point is location: the 13-character document number is associated with the back of a current Permanent Resident Card. The 9-digit number on the front belongs to a different category.

The difference between the card number, document number, USCIS number, and alien registration number

These terms are close enough to cause trouble, but they don’t all mean the same thing.

Card number or document number

The card number is the number tied to the physical Permanent Resident Card. On current cards, it is generally the 13-character code on the back.

Forms may use “card number” and “document number” for this same piece of card information. The form’s wording still matters, so check the field carefully.

USCIS number

The USCIS number is a unique 9-digit number assigned to an individual by the Department of Homeland Security. It appears on the front of a Permanent Resident Card.

Because it is easy to see, people often enter it when a form asks for a document number. That can be the wrong choice. The USCIS number identifies the person, while the document number identifies the card document.

Alien registration number

An alien registration number, often called an A-number, is another immigration identity label that may appear on forms. The exact field matters because a form asking for an alien registration number is asking for a different item than one asking for the card’s document number.

Don’t decide based only on the fact that both numbers appear in immigration paperwork. Read the label:

• Document number or card number: usually the 13-character number on the back
• USCIS number: the 9-digit number on the front
• Alien registration number: use the number requested by that exact field
• Receipt number: use it only when the form specifically asks for a receipt or case number

The safest habit is to avoid treating “permanent resident number,” “USCIS number,” and “document number” as automatic synonyms. Different forms may use these terms in different ways.

Is the 9-digit number on the front your resident card number?

Usually, no—not if the form is asking for the document number or card number.

The 9-digit number on the front is identified as the USCIS number. It is assigned to you as an individual. The resident card’s document number is the 13-character alphanumeric code found on the back of a current card.

Here’s the front-versus-back check:

If a website asks for “USCIS number,” enter the 9-digit front number. If it asks for “document number,” turn the card over and look for the 13-character code.

Where to look on Green Cards issued before the 2010 redesign

Older Permanent Resident Cards may not follow the current back-of-card layout. For cards issued before the 2010 redesign, the card number may appear on the front, usually in the lower half.

That means the card’s issue date and design matter. If you’re holding an older card and cannot find a 13-character code on the back, don’t assume you’re looking in the wrong place. Check the lower portion of the front instead.

Older cards may also use different spacing, labels, and print layouts. A number that is clearly the card number on an older design may not sit in the same spot as it does on a newer card.

For an older card:

1. Check the lower half of the front.
2. Look for a number tied to the card itself, rather than the 9-digit USCIS number.
3. Compare the number’s length and label with the form.
4. If the form specifically requires a 13-character current document number, don’t guess. Follow the form’s instructions or ask the agency handling it.

Which number to use for I-9, airline, and other forms

The right number depends on the exact field.

Employment and I-9 paperwork

Employment paperwork may ask for a document number connected to the Permanent Resident Card. When that happens, use the card’s document number—not the 9-digit USCIS number—unless the form clearly asks for the USCIS number.

The document number is generally the 13-character code on the back of a current card. If an employment form asks separately for a USCIS number or alien registration number, complete those fields using their own labels.

Airline forms

An airline booking or check-in form may ask for a green card number, Permanent Resident Card number, or document number. Those labels usually point to the card number itself.

For a current Green Card, check the back near the bottom and use the 13-character code. This is commonly what people mean by the green card number for an airline form.

Airline systems can have strict formatting rules. Enter the characters in the order shown. If the site rejects the entry, check whether it wants the USCIS number instead, since the wording on travel forms can vary.

Other immigration or government forms

Read each field separately. One page may ask for your USCIS number, while another asks for your document number. Don’t copy the same number into every box just because both numbers appear on the card.

When a form uses “I-551 Permanent Resident Card number,” it is referring to the number connected to the Permanent Resident Card document. For a current card, look on the back for the 13-character number.

What to do if the number is difficult to read or the card is unavailable

First, use the physical card if you have it. A phone photo, scan, or photocopy may blur similar-looking letters and numbers.

Try these checks:

• View the back of the card in bright, even light.
• Zoom in on the long code near the bottom.
• Compare confusing characters with other clear characters on the card.
• Count the characters before submitting the number.
• Check whether the form wants 9 digits or 13 characters.

If the card is unavailable, don’t replace the number with a guess. Check any clear copy you already have, but remember that a copy may not show every character accurately. If the form is tied to employment, travel, or an immigration case, contact the office or organization named in the instructions and ask which number they require.

Also be careful with a replacement-card or case receipt number. That number belongs to a filing or case record. It is not automatically the same as the document number printed on your Permanent Resident Card.

Quick reference: card number locations and names

Use this table when you’re moving between different forms:

If your card was issued before the 2010 redesign, check the lower half of the front because the number may be located there instead.

Before you submit anything, read the exact field label one more time. Then compare it with the front-versus-back reference: 9 digits on the front usually means USCIS number; 13 characters on the back usually means document or card number.