To find your employment authorization number, look on the front of your Employment Authorization Document (Form I-766) directly beneath the label “USCIS#.” That nine-digit number, also called your A-number, is the identifier employers copy onto Form I-9. The same number appears on USCIS notices and inside your myUSCIS online account if the card isn’t in front of you.
The USCIS Number on the Front of Your EAD
On your EAD card, find the field labeled “USCIS#” on the front. The nine-digit number printed there is what employers and government forms are asking for.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. 13.1 List A Documents That Establish Identity and Employment Authorization “USCIS number” and “A-number” (Alien Registration Number) refer to the same identifier. The Department of Homeland Security assigns it to you, and it stays with you permanently across every immigration filing.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Glossary
Some older A-numbers are only seven or eight digits, but the USCIS number on current EAD cards is nine digits.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Glossary On newer card designs, the USCIS number is also printed on the back.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. 13.1 List A Documents That Establish Identity and Employment Authorization The front of the card also shows your name, photo, date of birth, and expiration date (labeled “Card Expires”).
Copy this number carefully onto your Form I-9. Employers enter it into E-Verify, and a small typo can trigger a Tentative Nonconfirmation that delays your start date until the mismatch is resolved.3E-Verify.gov. Tips for an Employee to Prevent a Tentative Nonconfirmation (Mismatch) Case Result
Don’t Confuse It With the Card Number
Your EAD carries a second identifier called the card number, which doubles as the USCIS receipt number for your application. It’s a 13-character code: three letters followed by ten digits, something like IOE0123456789. The three-letter prefix identifies the service center or system that processed your application. Common prefixes include EAC, WAC, LIN, SRC, NBC, MSC, and IOE.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Receipt Number
On recent card designs, the card number is printed on the back, keeping it visually separate from the USCIS number on the front. The card number identifies the physical document and your case, not you personally. It’s the number to use when checking case status online. It is not the number your employer needs on Form I-9.
If You Don’t Have Your Card Handy
Form I-797, Notice of Action
Your USCIS number also appears on Form I-797, the Notice of Action that USCIS sends to confirm receipt or approval of an application.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-797 Types and Functions Look in the header near the top of the page; your A-number is listed there alongside the receipt number and other applicant details. The notice also shows the receipt date and your work authorization category, so it works as a backup for payroll paperwork while you wait for a card to arrive.
Your myUSCIS Online Account
Your USCIS online account holds the same information digitally. After logging in, you can check case status, view notices, and see decisions on your case.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. How to Create a USCIS Online Account Your case history and profile include the receipt numbers tied to your EAD application, which you can cross-check against any physical documents you do have.
If you filed on paper, you can still link that case to your online account by choosing “My Account,” then “Add a paper-filed case,” and entering your receipt number.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. How to Create a USCIS Online Account Each login uses a one-time verification code sent by text, email, or authentication app.
If Your EAD Is Lost, Stolen, or Damaged
You can request a replacement by filing a new Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, with the required filing fee unless you qualify for a fee waiver.7U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Employment Authorization Document If USCIS mailed the card but it never arrived, submit a non-delivery inquiry to USCIS instead of filing a full replacement.
Filing fees for Form I-765 vary by eligibility category, so check the current Form I-765 instructions for the exact amount before filing.8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Announces FY 2026 Inflation Increase for Certain Immigration-Related Fees In the meantime, your I-797 notice and your online account are the most reliable places to confirm your USCIS number.