Also known as an A-Number, your Alien Registration Number is a seven- to nine-digit number that can be found on a variety of documents from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) or the former INS. USCIS uses the Alien Registration Number to track the immigration files for immigrants (and some nonimmigrants). It’s also a critical piece of information when preparing new USCIS forms to request immigration benefits. If your A-Number is fewer than nine digits, insert a zero after the “A” and before the first digit to create a nine-digit number. For example, “12345678” would become “A012345678.”
U.S.-born citizens and many nonimmigrant visitors do not have alien registration numbers.
Find A-Number on a Green Card
If you have a permanent resident card (green card), you can find your Alien Registration Number on the front side. (The number is also embedded within the characters on the backside as well.) In the example below, the A-Number is listed as “000-001-001” underneath USCIS#.
The sample green card below was issued between 2004-2010. The A-Number is listed as “000-000-000” next to A#.
USCIS does not assign everyone an A-Number. USCIS creates an Alien Registration Number for every permanent resident. Generally, they do not assign the number to nonimmigrant visitors. Nonimmigrants include anyone that is in the United States on a temporary basis. B1/B2 visas are nonimmigrant visas for visitors. However, USCIS may assign the Alien Registration Number to certain classes of nonimmigrants that have been granted employment authorization or other benefits.
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Find A-Number on an EAD
If you do not have a green card, you may be able to find your Alien Registration Number on other immigration documents such as an Employment Authorization Document (work permit). In the example below, the A-Number is listed as “000-000-811” underneath USCIS#.
Find A-Number on Immigrant Visa
You can also find an Alien Registration Number on an immigrant visa. Your immigrant visa, also called a visa stamp or visa foil, is found in your passport. Your A-Number is identified as the “Registration Number” in the top right portion of the visa stamp.
Note: The visa pictured above is an immigrant visa. It’s different than a nonimmigrant visa. A nonimmigrant visa does not contain an Alien Registration Number.
Find A-Number on Notice of Action
Some versions of the Notice of Action may contain the Alien Registration Number. In the I-797C (biometrics notice) below, the A-Number is located in the top/right of the document next to USCIS#.
Find A-Number on Immigrant Data Summary
If you applied for your green card through consular processing (applied for green card at a U.S. embassy or consulate), you probably had an Immigrant Data Summary stapled to the front of your immigrant visa package. You can find your A-Number at the top of the Immigrant Data Summary, as shown in the picture below.
Find A-Number on Immigrant Fee Handout
Again, if you applied for your green card through consular processing, the immigration officer probably gave you a USCIS Immigrant Fee handout. This document provides instructions on how to pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee and includes your A-Number in the top right corner, as shown below.
