The beneficiary’s travel document number on Form I-130 is the number printed on whatever passport, reentry permit, or refugee travel document the beneficiary used to enter the United States. If the beneficiary has never traveled to the United States, the field does not apply and you write “N/A.” That single distinction accounts for most of the confusion around this question, so it helps to know exactly where the field sits on the form and which document to pull the number from.
Where the Field Sits on Form I-130
The travel document number appears in Part 4 of Form I-130, which collects information about the beneficiary. Item Numbers 45 through 50 cover passport and travel document details, along with the beneficiary’s Form I-94 Arrival/Departure Record number, the date their authorized stay expires or expired, and related admission data.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-130 Instructions
These items are grouped together because they all describe how and when the beneficiary last entered the country. Whichever document the beneficiary used to travel here is the document whose number goes in the field.
When to Complete the Field and When to Write N/A
The I-130 instructions say to complete Items 45 through 50 only “if the beneficiary relative used a passport or travel document to travel to the United States.”1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-130 Instructions Many beneficiaries live abroad and have never entered the United States. In that case the field does not apply, and the general instructions direct you to type or print “N/A” for any question that does not fit the beneficiary’s situation. This is the ordinary situation for a relative being petitioned for an immigrant visa from abroad, and USCIS expects it.
The field does apply when the beneficiary is inside the United States, whether on a nonimmigrant visa, as a lawful permanent resident, or in another status, and used a travel document to enter. Even if the document has since expired, enter the information anyway. USCIS uses the number to cross-reference admission records and verify the beneficiary’s travel history.
Where to Find the Number
The document you draw the number from depends on what the beneficiary presented at their most recent entry.
Passport
For most beneficiaries the travel document number is the passport number. It appears on the biographical data page of the passport, usually in the upper right corner, and consists of letters and numbers. Use the passport the beneficiary presented at their most recent U.S. entry, even if it has since expired.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-130 Instructions If your beneficiary holds dual citizenship and has entered on different passports at different times, use the one that matches the most recent entry.
Reentry Permit
Lawful permanent residents who spend extended time abroad sometimes use a reentry permit instead of, or alongside, a passport. The reentry permit carries its own document number, separate from the holder’s Alien Registration Number. If the beneficiary used a reentry permit to reenter the United States, the number on that permit is the travel document number for the I-130. Permanent and conditional residents apply for a reentry permit when they expect to be outside the country for a year or more, because the permit protects their resident status during extended absences.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Travel Documents
Refugee Travel Document
Beneficiaries with refugee or asylee status may have traveled on a refugee travel document (Form I-571) issued by DHS. It functions similarly to a reentry permit and lets refugees and asylees leave and return without abandoning status.3Foreign Affairs Manual. 9 FAM 203.7 Refugee Travel Documents The document number is printed on the face of the I-571, and that is what goes in the field if the beneficiary used it at their most recent entry.
Passport Number vs. Travel Document Number
The two are often the same thing. If the beneficiary entered on a passport, the passport number is the travel document number. The form does not create separate item numbers for “passport number” and “travel document number.” Items 45 through 50 collectively cover whichever document the beneficiary used to travel to the United States.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-130 Instructions You only need a different number when the entry document was something other than a passport, such as a reentry permit or refugee travel document.
Do not confuse the travel document number with two other identifiers that show up in immigration paperwork. The visa foil number is printed on the U.S. visa stamp inside the passport and is a separate identifier. The A-Number, or Alien Registration Number, is what USCIS uses to track immigration records and appears on correspondence from DHS.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Immigrant Fee Payment – Tips on Finding Your A-Number and DOS Case ID Neither belongs in the travel document number field.
Locating the I-94 Number
The I-94 Arrival/Departure Record number is a separate field on the form (Items 46.b onward), not the travel document number itself, but people often look for both at the same time. Most travelers now receive an electronic I-94 rather than a paper card. You can retrieve a copy at cbp.gov/i94 by entering the beneficiary’s name, date of birth, passport number, and country of citizenship exactly as they appear in the travel document used at entry.5U.S. Customs and Border Protection. What to Do If Your I-94 Is Not Found Online If the passport shows multiple surnames, enter them all.
When the Beneficiary Is in the U.S. but Has No Travel Document
A harder situation comes up when the beneficiary is inside the United States but cannot locate or never received a travel document. They may have entered without inspection, lost their passport, or come from a country that does not routinely issue passports. USCIS regulations set out a framework for substitute evidence in these situations. When a required document does not exist or cannot be obtained, the petitioner must show why it is unavailable and then provide secondary evidence such as government-issued identity cards, birth certificates, or school records. If secondary evidence is also unavailable, two or more sworn affidavits from people with direct personal knowledge of the relevant facts can substitute. A written statement from the relevant government authority explaining why the record does not exist strengthens the case.6eCFR. 8 CFR Part 103 – Immigration Benefit Requests, USCIS Filing Requirements, Biometric Requirements, Availability of Records
Include a written explanation in the additional information section of the petition describing the beneficiary’s situation, what efforts have been made to obtain the document, and what alternative identification you are providing.
Double-Check Before You File
An honest typo will not create serious legal trouble; USCIS will likely issue a Request for Evidence asking for clarification. Intentional false statements are a different matter. Knowingly making a false statement on a federal immigration form is a crime,7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 1001 – Statements or Entries Generally and under federal immigration law anyone who uses fraud or willful misrepresentation of a material fact to obtain an immigration benefit becomes inadmissible to the United States.8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1182 – Inadmissible Aliens The practical point is to check every number against the physical document before filing.
Fixing a Wrong Number After You File
If you realize after submission that you entered the wrong travel document number, how you correct it depends on where the case stands. While the petition is still pending, a USCIS online account linked to the filing lets you upload a letter explaining the error along with a copy of the correct travel document. Without an online account, contact the USCIS Contact Center for guidance. If USCIS has already issued a Request for Evidence or scheduled an interview, provide the corrected information in response to that notice.9U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Immigration Documents and How to Correct, Update, or Replace Them
If the petition has already been approved and forwarded to the National Visa Center or a U.S. consulate, biographical corrections generally happen through the DS-260 immigrant visa application. Applicants who need to fix errors on the DS-260 must contact the National Visa Center to request that the form be unlocked for editing. In some situations tied to an already-approved petition, petitioners file Form I-824 to request USCIS take follow-up action. USCIS will not process an I-824 if the underlying petition has been denied or has expired.10U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-824, Application for Action on an Approved Application or Petition Keep copies of every correction letter and supporting document you send.