What Is an A-Number (Alien Registration Number)?

When Will I Receive My Alien Registration Number?

Most individuals will get an alien registration number after the U.S.C.I.S. receives their Application to Register Permanent Residence. Others, like F1 student visa holders, may receive their number after completing Optional Practical Training (O.P.T.).

Immigrants do not need to be present in the U.S. to receive an A-number. They can receive the number at the U.S. embassy or consulate in their home country, where they attended their consular interview.

Those who submit a marriage-based green card application as the spouse of a U.S. citizen can expect to receive their A-number within four weeks (approximately thirty days).

H-1B visa holders working in the United States will not receive an Alien registration number until their employer files Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for an Alien Worker, on their behalf. If the U.S.C.I.S. approves their petition, the employee will receive an alien number.

However, dependents of the H-1B visa holder on an H-4 visa will not be issued an Alien number.

What Happens When I Lose or Misplace My Alien Number?

Immigrants who have lost their green cards and other immigration documents may use the online Freedom of Information Act (F.O.I.A.) online tool to access their A-number and other available immigration forms.

If you cannot find your Alien registration number, simply contact the U.S.C.I.S., and they will help you recover it quickly and easily. They may require evidence of identification or proof of your immigration status before providing you with the number.

Is My Alien Registration Number Different From My U.S.C.I.S. Number?

An alien number is sometimes referred to as a U.S.C.I.S. number, but it should not be confused with a U.S.C.I.S. case number.

Your alien registration number is different from your U.S.C.I.S. case or receipt number, even though it may be found on your green card. The U.S.C.I.S. case number has thirteen characters, including three letters and ten numbers (e.g., EAC1234567890).

Each immigration application is assigned a unique U.S.C.I.S. case number, which varies with every new application. It should not be confused with an alien registration number which remains constant across your applications.

An A-number cannot be used to check your immigration status with the U.S.C.I.S. Instead, you will need your U.S.C.I.S. case number to monitor and track your immigrant application on the U.S.C.I.S. website.