For Form I-9, the permanent resident card number you enter in the Document Number field is the 13-character code printed on the card itself: three letters (such as SRC, LIN, WAC, or IOE) followed by 10 digits. It is not the shorter USCIS Number (A-Number) shown on the front of the card. Mixing up these two numbers is one of the most common I-9 mistakes, and it counts as a substantive error that can draw a fine during an audit.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification
Card Number vs. USCIS Number
A green card displays two different identifying numbers, and they do different jobs.
The USCIS Number, also called the A-Number or Alien Registration Number, is a seven- to nine-digit number assigned to the person. It stays with that individual for life. Every immigration filing, every replacement card, every interaction with USCIS uses the same A-Number. On cards issued after May 2010, it appears on the front, labeled “USCIS#.”2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. A-Number/Alien Registration Number/Alien Number3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Number
The card number is different. It is a 13-character code tied to the physical card, not the person. If a resident loses the card and gets a replacement, the new card carries a new card number, even though the A-Number is unchanged. This is the number Form I-9 asks for.
A quick test: if the number is 13 characters and starts with letters, it is the card number. If it is shorter (seven to nine digits, often written with a leading “A”), it is the USCIS Number and belongs in a different field, not in Document Number.
Where to Find the Card Number
The card number’s placement depends on when the card was issued. On cards issued before May 2017, it typically appears on the back. On cards issued from May 2017 onward, including the version introduced in January 2023, the position can shift slightly with the design, but the number is on the card and is still 13 characters long.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. 13.1 List A Documents That Establish Identity and Employment Authorization
Look for the format: three letters, then 10 digits, with no spaces or hyphens. Those first three letters correspond to the USCIS service center that produced the card.
What to Enter in Section 2
The Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551) is a List A document, meaning it proves both identity and work authorization on its own.5eCFR. 8 CFR 274a.2 – Verification of Identity and Employment Authorization An employee who presents a valid green card does not need to show anything else, and asking for more can expose the employer to a discrimination claim.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-9 Acceptable Documents
In the List A column of Section 2, enter:
- Document Title: Permanent Resident Card (or Form I-551)
- Issuing Authority: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (or USCIS)
- Document Number: the 13-character card number
- Expiration Date: the date printed on the card
Leave List B and List C blank. Filling in any other column when a List A document has been presented creates a form error. The employer or authorized representative must physically examine the card and complete Section 2 within three business days of the employee’s first day of work for pay.7U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Completing Section 2, Employer Review and Attestation The card must appear genuine and reasonably relate to the person presenting it.8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. 4.0 Completing Section 2 – Employer Review and Verification
Fixing a Wrong Number
If you already entered the USCIS Number instead of the card number, or made any other data-entry mistake, the fix is straightforward. Draw a single line through the incorrect entry, write the correct information nearby, then initial and date the correction. Do not use correction fluid and do not erase. The original entry should remain readable.9U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Guidance for Employers Conducting Internal Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 Audits
If a Section 2 has so many errors that corrections would make it unreadable, redo that section on a fresh Form I-9 and staple it to the original with a signed, dated note explaining why. Use the actual date of the correction. Never backdate.
Do Not Reverify an Expired Green Card
p>This one catches employers off guard. You should not reverify the work authorization of a lawful permanent resident when the green card expires. Permanent residents have indefinite work authorization that does not depend on the card’s printed expiration date. The card is proof of a status that itself does not expire unless revoked through a legal proceeding.10U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. 7.1 Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR)
Asking a permanent resident for an updated card after the old one expires can violate federal anti-discrimination law. The Department of Justice has flagged this practice as potentially unfair documentary practice.11Department of Justice. IER’s Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) If a valid green card was presented at hire, do not calendar the expiration date and do not ask for a new card later.
Conditional Cards and Receipt Notices
Conditional permanent residents receive a two-year green card and must file Form I-751 (marriage-based) or Form I-829 (investor) to remove the conditions. While that petition is pending, USCIS extends the card’s validity for 48 months beyond the printed expiration date and sends a Form I-797 receipt notice confirming the extension.12U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-751 and I-829 48 Month Extension
For I-9 purposes, this combination changes the document category. The expired conditional card together with the I-797 receipt is treated as a List C document (item 7), not a List A document. The employee also needs to present a List B document for identity. When a new receipt notice arrives with an updated extension date, cross out the old expiration date in Section 2, write in the new one, and initial the change. Reverify before the extension period ends.
Penalties for Getting the Number Wrong
Entering the wrong document number is a substantive error, not a paperwork technicality. Substantive I-9 errors carry civil penalties from $288 to $2,861 per form under the most recent inflation adjustment.13Federal Register. Civil Monetary Penalty Adjustments for Inflation The range is per form, so an employer with dozens of I-9s carrying the same mistake can face a large aggregate exposure. Penalties for knowingly hiring unauthorized workers or engaging in discriminatory documentary practices run considerably higher.14U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Penalties
Every completed I-9 must be kept for three years after the date of hire or one year after employment ends, whichever is later.15U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. 10.0 Retaining Form I-9 Paper, scanned, or electronic forms all satisfy the requirement when they meet federal formatting standards.16eCFR. 8 CFR 274a.2 – Verification of Identity and Employment Authorization Because those forms sit in a file for years before anyone reviews them, the moment to catch a card-number mistake is when you complete Section 2, or during an internal audit before ICE arrives.