No A-number, or the wrong one
Two different problems get treated as one. Not having an A-number is usually fine. Having one that is wrong on a document is not, and it is fixed a different way.
Checked against USCIS guidance on September 25, 2026. The sources are listed at the end of this page.
6 steps · Checklist
Sort out a missing or wrong A-number
The full list is at the end of the article.
Free · tick steps off on the web or in the app
If you do not have one
Plenty of people filing their first form have no A-number, and that is expected. Never invent a number, and never borrow a family member’s.
Most forms accept a blank or "N/A" when the number does not exist. Follow the instructions for the specific form you are filing rather than guessing, because the wording differs between them.
You will be assigned one in the course of the filing, and from then on it is the number you use.
If you think you have one but cannot find it
Work through the documents on Where to find your A-number before deciding you have none. An old notice or an expired card is as good a source as a current one.
Anyone who has held a work permit, filed for a green card, or been in immigration proceedings almost certainly has one.
If the registration requirement applies to you
USCIS states that, with limited exceptions, noncitizens 14 or older who were not registered and fingerprinted when applying for a U.S. visa, and who remain in the United States 30 days or longer, must apply for registration and fingerprinting. Parents and legal guardians must register children under 14 who stay 30 days or longer, and previously registered noncitizens must re-register within 30 days of turning 14.
Registration is made on Form G-325R. USCIS warns that failing to comply may result in criminal and civil penalties, up to and including misdemeanor prosecution, fines and incarceration.
If the number on your card is wrong
A wrong or misprinted A-number on a green card is a card problem, and the fix is a replacement card on Form I-90. Read the form instructions before filing: whether there is a fee depends on whose error it was.
Do not keep using a card you know carries the wrong number. It will not match the file USCIS holds on you, and every later filing inherits the mismatch.
If two of your documents disagree
One is a misprint, or one is not an A-number at all. Check the digit count and the prefix first — a three-letter start means you are looking at a receipt number, explained in A-number vs. USCIS number vs. receipt number.
If two documents genuinely show different A-numbers, contact USCIS before filing anything else. An immigration attorney or accredited representative is worth the call if a deadline is close.
6 steps · Checklist
Sort out a missing or wrong A-number
What to check, in order, before you file anything else.
Search every document you hold
Expired cards and old notices count.
Confirm it is an A-number, not a receipt number
A receipt number starts with three letters.
Leave it blank or "N/A" if you truly have none
Follow the instructions for your specific form, and never invent one.
Check whether the registration requirement applies to you
Registration is made on Form G-325R.
File Form I-90 if your card shows the wrong number
Read the instructions on whether a fee applies.
Contact USCIS if two documents disagree
Do this before sending anything else.
Free, and yours to edit — tick items off on the web or in the MyCheck app.
Frequently asked questions
What do I put if I do not have an A-Number?
Follow the instructions for the form you are filing; most accept a blank or "N/A" when you have no A-Number. Never invent a number or use someone else’s.
How do I get an A-Number?
One is assigned when DHS opens a file on you, which normally happens through a filing. Separately, the registration requirement applies to noncitizens 14 or older who were not registered when applying for a visa and stay 30 days or longer; registration is made on Form G-325R.
My green card shows the wrong A-Number. What do I do?
Apply for a replacement card on Form I-90. Check the form instructions on whether a fee applies, which depends on whose error caused it, and stop using the incorrect card for new filings.
Two of my documents show different A-Numbers. Which is right?
Check whether one is actually a receipt number, which begins with three letters. If both really are A-Numbers, contact USCIS before filing anything further.
More A-Number guides
Sources
MyCheck is not a law firm and this is not legal advice. Every rule on this page is linked to its USCIS source; check the source for your own situation.
