US Visa Number: Where to Find It and What It Means
— Key Takeaways A visa number (visa foil number) is the red number printed on the visa stamp in your passport. It is different from your receipt number, A-Number, case number, and travel document number. In the immigrant visa context, “visa number availability” refers to whether an immigrant visa is available for your category and country. The Visa Bulletin (published monthly by the Department of State) determines when visa numbers are available for preference categories. When visa numbers are unavailable, applicants must wait until their priority date becomes current. The term “visa number” comes up frequently in U.S. immigration, but it can refer to different things depending on the context. For some people, a visa number is the red number printed on their visa stamp. For others, it refers to the availability of immigrant visa numbers under annual caps set by Congress. Understanding these distinctions is essential for anyone navigating the U.S. immigration system. In this guide, we explain what a U.S. visa number is, where to find it on your documents, how it differs from other identification numbers, and how the visa number allocation system works for immigrants. Whether you are trying to fill out an immigration form or understand why your green card process is taking so long, this article has you covered. What Is a US Visa Number? A US visa number typically refers to the unique identification number printed on a U.S. visa stamp (also called a visa foil) placed in a foreign national’s passport by a U.S. embassy or consulate. This number identifies that specific visa issuance and is used for record-keeping and verification purposes. The visa number is assigned at the time the visa is issued and is unique to that particular visa. If you receive a new visa (for example, upon renewal or a new category), you will receive a new visa number. In a broader immigration context, the term “visa number” also refers to the immigrant visa numbers allocated by Congress each fiscal year for different categories of immigrants. This is a separate concept that relates to how many people can receive green cards in a given year. Where to Find the Visa Number on Your Visa Stamp If you have a U.S. visa stamp in your passport, the visa number is the red number printed on the lower right portion of the visa foil. It is typically an eight-digit number, though the format may vary slightly depending on when the visa was issued. Here is what you will typically see on a U.S. visa stamp: Visa type/class: The visa category (e.g., B1/B2, H-1B, L-1, F-1) Issue date: When the visa was issued Expiration date: When the visa expires (the last date you can use it to enter the U.S.) Entries: Single (S) or Multiple (M) Visa number: The red number, usually in the lower right area Control number: A separate number used for internal tracking Note that the visa expiration date is not the same as your authorized period of stay in the U.S. Your authorized stay is determined by your I-94 record. Visa Number vs. Other Immigration Numbers The U.S. immigration system uses many different numbers, and it is important to know which is which: Number Type What It Is Visa Number (Visa Foil Number) The red number on your visa stamp; identifies that specific visa issuance Alien Registration Number (A-Number) A 9-digit number (A-XXX-XXX-XXX) that identifies you across all immigration interactions Receipt Number A 13-character code on your I-797 receipt notice that tracks a specific application Case Number (Consular) The case number assigned by the National Visa Center (NVC) for immigrant visa processing Travel Document Number Your passport number or the number on a USCIS-issued travel document I-94 Number Your arrival/departure record number assigned at each U.S. entry SEVIS ID For F and M visa holders; your Student and Exchange Visitor Information System number When filling out immigration forms, read each field carefully to ensure you are entering the correct number. Entering a visa number where a receipt number is requested (or vice versa) can cause processing issues. Immigrant Visa Number Availability In the context of immigrant visas (green cards), “visa number availability” refers to whether the U.S. government has allocated an immigrant visa number for your specific category and country of birth. This concept is different from the visa foil number described above. Each fiscal year, Congress authorizes approximately 675,000 immigrant visas to be distributed across various categories (family-based, employment-based, and diversity). Within each category, there are per-country limits to prevent any single country from receiving a disproportionate share. How Visa Numbers Are Distributed Immigrant visa numbers are distributed as follows: Immediate relatives: Spouses, unmarried children under 21, and parents of U.S. citizens are not subject to annual caps. A visa number is always available for immediate relatives. Family preference categories (F1-F4): Subject to annual limits. Wait times depend on the category and country of birth. Employment-based categories (EB-1 through EB-5): Subject to annual limits. Some categories and countries face significant backlogs. Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery: Approximately 55,000 visas per year for nationals of countries with historically low immigration rates. How the Visa Bulletin Allocates Numbers The Visa Bulletin is published monthly by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs. It provides the cutoff dates for each immigrant visa category and country, indicating which applicants can proceed with their immigrant visa or adjustment of status application. You can access the current Visa Bulletin at travel.state.gov. Key Visa Bulletin Concepts Priority date: The date your immigrant petition (e.g., I-130 or PERM/I-140) was filed. This date determines your place in the visa queue. Final Action Date: If your priority date is before this date, a visa number is available, and you can finalize your green card process. Dates for Filing: An earlier cutoff date that indicates when you can submit your I-485 or DS-260, even if a final visa number is not yet available. USCIS determines monthly whether applicants can use the Dates for Filing chart.