After your initial application for a green card, you’ll be asked to provide your Alien Registration Number (also called an “A-number,” “A#,” or “USCIS number”) on any forms or petitions you file with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
What is an Alien Registration Number?
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Alien Registration Numbers are identification numbers for non-citizens. Every immigrant gets a unique number, which they keep for life. It’s a way for the U.S. government to keep track of all the different immigration forms and petitions that a person might file over the years.
Who Gets an Alien Registration Number?
Alien Registration Numbers are assigned to everyone who applies for a green card, regardless of whether they’re eligible through family ties, employment, or as a refugee or asylee. All immigrants — meaning anyone who intends to live permanently in the United States — get an Alien Registration Number.
Most non-U.S. citizens who are in the United States temporarily, such as on a business or tourist visa, don’t get an Alien Registration Number. That’s because they’re seen as short-term visitors, not permanent immigrants.
There’s one exception: People on F-1 student visas who get work authorization are given an Alien Registration Number, even though they aren’t applying for a green card. Why do students with work authorization get an Alien Registration Number while other foreign workers don’t? We’ve asked around and can’t seem to find a satisfactory answer. Sometimes the U.S. immigration system is quirky.
When Do I Get an Alien Registration Number?
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Most people are first given an Alien Registration Number when they apply for a green card. However, if you previously gained work authorization while in the United States on an F-1 student visa, you might already have been issued an A-number. This is most likely to be the case if you worked under the Optional Practical Training program after finishing your studies.
If you’re applying for a marriage green card from inside the United States, your Alien Registration Number will be included on the receipt notice you receive from USCIS after filing your green card application form.
If you’re the spouse of a U.S. citizen, you’ll file your green card application form — officially called the I-485 — right away, and get your A-number about 30 days after beginning the application process. If you’re the spouse of a green card holder, you won’t file your I-485 until your I-130 petition is approved and an immigrant visa is available, so you won’t get an A-number until about a year into the process.
If you’re applying for a marriage-based green card from outside the United States, your Alien Registration Number will be assigned to you when you attend your consular interview at the U.S. consulate. Regardless of whether your spouse is a U.S. citizen or a green card holder, you’ll receive some paperwork with your A-number during the consular interview. You’ll also be able to find your Alien Registration Number in the visa the consulate stamps in your passport.
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Where Can I Find My Alien Registration Number?
Once you’ve applied for a green card, your Alien Registration Number will be on all of the documents that USCIS sends you, including the notice you get telling you that USCIS has received your green card application. You’ll also see your Alien Registration Number on any, approval notices, and essentially all correspondence you get from USCIS.
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On most forms that you’ll receive from USCIS, your Alien Registration Number will be labeled “A#” and posted prominently near the top of the first page.
If you apply from outside the United States, you’ll find your A-number on the Immigrant Data Summary and USCIS Immigrant Fee handout that you’re given when you attend your consular interview. You’ll also find your A-number on the visa stamped in your passport once your application is approved.
Once you get your physical green card, your Alien Registration Number (labeled “USCIS#”) will be on both the front and the back of the card.
A-Numbers vs. USCIS Case Numbers
Your Alien Registration Number isn’t the only number you’ll see on your receipt notices. You’ll also have a USCIS case number, or receipt number, which is used to track your specific application and to check your application status online.
Think of it this way: The Alien Registration Number is assigned to you, while your case number is assigned to your application. If, for example, you apply for a green card now and apply for U.S. citizenship in the future, your two applications will have different USCIS case numbers, but your individual A-number will remain the same.
You can tell your A-number and your USCIS case number apart by how they look. Your A-number is always a 7, 8, or 9-digit number. Your USCIS case number, on the other hand, is a 13-character code beginning with 3 letters (such as “MSC” or “EAC”) and then 10 numbers.
Confusingly, you’ll sometimes see “USCIS number” or “USCIS#” — without the “case” — used to refer to your Alien Registration Number. Make sure you double-check which number you need to use!
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