Where Is the Visa Number on B1 B2 Card 2025

Where Is the Visa Number on B1 B2 Card 2025

The answer depends on which B1/B2 document you have. A B1/B2 visa foil is attached to a page in your passport. A DSP-150 Border Crossing Card is a separate physical card. They both relate to B1/B2 travel, but their numbers appear in different places.

That difference explains why you may see conflicting instructions about the where is the visa number on B1 B2 card question.

First identify which B1/B2 document you have

Start by looking at the document in front of you.

DocumentWhat it looks likeWhere to look for the relevant number
B1/B2 visa foilA visa sticker or foil placed inside your passportThe red number in the lower-right corner
DSP-150 Border Crossing CardA separate physical U.S. Border Crossing CardThe 12-character number in the machine-readable zone on the back

A DSP-150 is both a Border Crossing Card and a B1/B2 visitor visa. It is often called a BCC.

A passport visa, by contrast, is the visa foil attached to a passport page. It isn't the same physical document as a Border Crossing Card, even though both are connected with B1/B2 visitor travel.

Before copying anything, check whether the form asks about:

  • A visa in your passport
  • A Border Crossing Card
  • A document number
  • A BCC number
  • A visa number

The label matters because the correct number may change with the document type.

Where the visa number appears on a B1/B2 visa in a passport

If your B1/B2 visa is printed on a page inside your passport, look at the lower-right area of the visa foil.

The visa number is printed in red. It is described as an eight-character code.

This is the number many people mean when they ask, “Where can I find the visa number on my U.S. visa?” In this case, you do not need to search the passport’s personal-information page or copy the passport number. Focus on the visa sticker itself.

A quick check:

  1. Open your passport to the page with the B1/B2 visa.
  2. Find the lower-right corner of the visa foil.
  3. Look for the red eight-character number.
  4. Copy it exactly as shown.

The red code may be easy to miss because the visa contains several other dates, names, and identifying details. If a form asks for the visa number and you are entering information from a passport visa, this red number is the one to check first.

Do not replace it with your passport number. A passport number identifies your passport. The red code identifies the visa foil.

Where the number appears on a DSP-150 Border Crossing Card

A DSP-150 is a physical B1/B2 visa Border Crossing Card, also called a U.S. Border Crossing Card or BCC.

For this card, the relevant number is found on the back. Look at the machine-readable zone, often shortened to MRZ. This is the block of characters designed for document readers to scan.

The BCC number is also called the visa number in some instructions. It is described as a 12-character number in the machine-readable zone on the back of the card.

So, if a form asks for the:

  • BCC number
  • Border Crossing Card number
  • Border crossing card number for I-94
  • Visa number for a Border Crossing Card
  • DSP-150 visa number

check the machine-readable area on the back of the card and look for the 12-character number.

This is different from the red eight-character code on a visa foil in a passport. Both documents can relate to B1/B2 travel, but you should not use the passport-visa format for a DSP-150 or the card format for a passport visa.

Visa number, document number, and BCC number: how the terms overlap

These labels can sound interchangeable, but they don't always point to the same number.

A document number is the unique number that identifies the document. The wording is broad. A form may use it for a visa, a card, or another travel document.

A BCC number identifies the Border Crossing Card. In the information used for a DSP-150, the BCC number is also referred to as the visa number. It appears as a 12-character number in the machine-readable zone on the back of the card.

A visa number may mean either:

  • The red eight-character code in the lower-right corner of a B1/B2 visa foil in a passport, or
  • The 12-character BCC number on the back of a DSP-150 card

That is why searching for “where is the visa number on B1/B2 visa” can produce two different answers. The phrase may refer to two different documents.

Use this simple rule:

> Match the number to the document named on the form.

If the form says “visa in passport,” use the red number on the visa foil. If it says “Border Crossing Card” or “BCC,” use the 12-character number from the back of the DSP-150.

What the machine-readable zone on the card is used for

The machine-readable zone is the part of the Border Crossing Card that can be read by scanning equipment. It contains document information in a format made for automated checks.

For your form, its main importance is simple: this is where the 12-character BCC number is located.

Don't assume the most prominent number on the front of the card is the number the form wants. The instructions may point specifically to the machine-readable zone on the back.

If the characters are hard to read, compare them carefully with the card. Some letters and numbers can look similar when printed in a compact line. Avoid guessing. A wrong character can cause the information you enter to disagree with the document.

How to enter the number on travel and immigration forms

First read the field label and any instructions beside it. Then identify your document type before typing.

If you have a B1/B2 visa in your passport

Use the red eight-character visa number in the lower-right corner of the visa foil when the form asks for the visa number.

Do not enter:

  • Your passport number
  • Your visa application number
  • A date
  • A number from the passport information page

Those may appear near the visa information, but they identify something else.

If you have a DSP-150 Border Crossing Card

If you have a DSP-150 Border Crossing Card

Use the 12-character BCC number from the machine-readable zone on the back when the form asks for a Border Crossing Card number, BCC number, or the visa number connected with the card.

If the form uses the general phrase document number, read the form's instructions closely. The right entry depends on whether the field is asking about your passport, visa, or Border Crossing Card.

For online forms, enter the characters in the format requested. If the instructions do not explain how to handle spaces or other marks, do not make up a format. Check the relevant official instructions before submitting.

Common mistakes when copying a B1/B2 number

Common mistakes when copying a B1/B2 number

The most common error is choosing the wrong document. A person sees “B1/B2” and assumes every related number is found in the same place. It isn't.

Watch for these mistakes:

  • Using the passport number: This identifies the passport, not the visa foil or BCC.
  • Using the red visa number for a DSP-150: The red eight-character code belongs to the passport visa format.
  • Using a card number for a passport visa: The 12-character BCC number belongs to the Border Crossing Card.
  • Looking only at the front of the BCC: The relevant number is identified in the machine-readable zone on the back.
  • Copying a date instead of the document number: Visa foils and cards show several types of information.
  • Guessing unclear characters: Stop and compare the number with the document or check the official form instructions.
  • Ignoring the field wording: “Visa number,” “document number,” and “BCC number” can overlap, but the form may define which document it means.

So, where is the visa number on a B1 B2 card? If “card” means a DSP-150 Border Crossing Card, look on the back for the 12-character number in the machine-readable zone. If you mean a B1/B2 visa foil in a passport, look for the red eight-character number in the lower-right corner.

When the number still isn't clear, review the relevant official form instructions before submitting your visa or Border Crossing Card number.

RM

Written by Ryan Mitchell

Ryan Mitchell is a U.S. visa consultant who helps individuals and families better understand the U.S. visa application process. He provides practical guidance on visa requirements, documentation, interview preparation, and common application questions, with a focus on making the process easier to understand.