Your A-Number, or Alien Registration Number, is printed on every major immigration document you hold: your green card, your work permit, the immigrant visa in your passport, the fee handout you received at your consular interview, and every Notice of Action USCIS has mailed you. On documents issued after May 10, 2010, it carries the label “USCIS Number” instead of “A-Number,” but it is the same identifier.1USCIS. USCIS Number Where exactly to look on each document is below, along with what to do if you no longer have any of them.
What the Number Looks Like
The A-Number is the letter “A” followed by seven, eight, or nine digits. Newer documents almost always show eight or nine.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Immigrant Fee Payment: Tips on Finding Your A-Number and DOS Case ID If your older paperwork shows a seven-digit version, that number is still valid; USCIS pads it with leading zeros when a nine-digit format is required.
Do not confuse the A-Number with a USCIS receipt number, which is a 13-character string starting with three letters like IOE or MSC. The receipt number tracks one application. The A-Number identifies you across every filing you ever make.
On Your Green Card
Current green cards print the A-Number on the front, under the label “USCIS Number,” near the photograph.3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. 13.1 List A Documents That Establish Identity and Employment Authorization The digits run as a continuous string with no spaces or dashes.
Older card designs place the number on the back and label it “A#.” The digits themselves are the same number and remain valid for life.
On Your Employment Authorization Document
Your EAD (Form I-766) shows the A-Number on the front, again labeled “USCIS Number,” sitting above the category code and expiration date.3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. 13.1 List A Documents That Establish Identity and Employment Authorization If you have held several EADs over the years, the USCIS Number is identical on each one.
There is also a 13-character card number printed elsewhere on the EAD. That number identifies the physical piece of plastic, not you. Employers completing Form I-9 or running E-Verify record the two numbers in different fields, so copying the wrong one causes processing delays.
On the Immigrant Visa in Your Passport
When a U.S. embassy or consulate issues you an immigrant visa, it is affixed to a page in your passport as a Machine-Readable Immigrant Visa. Your A-Number appears on the stamp, typically preceded by the letter “A.”3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. 13.1 List A Documents That Establish Identity and Employment Authorization The MRIV also acts as temporary proof of permanent residence for one year from your date of admission.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Temporary I-551 Stamps and MRIVs
A separate number printed in red ink on the visa is the visa foil number. That identifies the physical visa, not you. When paying fees or filling in forms, copy the A-Number, not the red foil number.
On the USCIS Immigrant Fee Handout
At your consular interview, the officer gives you a handout about the USCIS Immigrant Fee. Your A-Number and Department of State Case ID are printed in the top right corner.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Immigrant Fee Payment: Tips on Finding Your A-Number and DOS Case ID You need both to pay the fee online, and USCIS will not print your green card until the fee is paid.
If you never received the handout or lost it, contact the embassy or consulate that issued your visa to request a copy.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Immigrant Fee Payment: Tips on Finding Your A-Number and DOS Case ID
On USCIS Notices of Action
Every time USCIS acts on a case, it mails a Form I-797C Notice of Action confirming receipt, rejection, transfer, or an appointment.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-797: Types and Functions The A-Number sits in the header, labeled “A-Number” or “USCIS Number.”
Because the number stays the same across every filing, any old USCIS notice in your files works as a lookup source when your green card or EAD is missing.
If You Have Lost Every Document
Two routes will get the number back.
Records Request
A Freedom of Information Act or Privacy Act request will return your immigration records, including your A-Number. As of January 22, 2026, USCIS requires FOIA and Privacy Act requests to be submitted online through a USCIS account at first.uscis.gov; the paper Form G-639 is no longer the standard method.6USCIS. Request Records through the Freedom of Information Act or Privacy Act When you request your own records under the Privacy Act, no search or processing fees apply.7U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form G-639 – Freedom of Information/Privacy Act Request Processing times vary with workload, and asking for specific documents rather than your entire file speeds things up.
In-Person Appointment at a Field Office
You can request an in-person appointment at a local USCIS field office through my.uscis.gov. This is not self-scheduling; the USCIS Contact Center reviews your request and confirms availability.8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Launches Online Appointment Request Form Bring valid government-issued ID so the officer can verify your identity before releasing any information. If the online form does not fit your situation, you can call the USCIS Contact Center to request an appointment by phone.9U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. My Appointment