Green card number
When someone asks for your “green card number”, they could mean one of two numbers on the card. One identifies you; the other identifies the card. Most immigration forms want the first.
Checked against USCIS, CBP and State Department guidance on October 9, 2026. The sources are listed at the end of this page.
The two numbers on a green card
| Number | Where | What it identifies |
|---|---|---|
| USCIS number (your A-number) | Front of cards issued after May 10, 2010; also on the back | You |
| Card number | Back of the card | That card |
The USCIS number: the one most forms want
USCIS defines the USCIS Number as “a unique, 9-digit number assigned to an alien by the Department of Homeland Security that is listed on the front of Permanent Resident Cards (Form I-551 or Green Card) issued after May 10, 2010.” Its SAVE guide adds that it is “the same as the A-Number without the ‘A’ prefix.”
On the card USCIS began issuing on January 30, 2023, its Handbook for Employers lists the USCIS number/A-Number among the card’s data, and notes that the fields sit in different places than on earlier cards. For the 2010 design it says the USCIS/A-Number is also on the back.
So if a form asks for your A-number or USCIS number, use these digits. More in the A-number guide.
The card number
USCIS’s SAVE guide says card numbers are printed on the back of the Permanent Resident Card and are also called document numbers. It describes the card number, together with the Form I-797 receipt number, as a 13-character identifier: three letters followed by 10 numbers.
Because it identifies the card, a field that asks for a document or card number from your green card wants this one, not your A-number.
What USCIS does not say: that the card number is the receipt number of the application that produced the card. Sites that say so are going beyond USCIS’s own guidance.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the green card number?
It depends which number you mean. The 9-digit USCIS number (your A-number) is on the front of cards issued after May 10, 2010. The 13-character card number, also called the document number, is printed on the back.
Is the USCIS number on my green card my A-number?
Yes. USCIS says the USCIS Number is the same as the A-Number without the "A" prefix.
How many characters is the green card card number?
USCIS’s SAVE guide describes it as a 13-character identifier: three letters followed by 10 numbers, printed on the back of the card.
Is my green card number the same as my receipt number?
USCIS’s SAVE guide lists the card number and the Form I-797 receipt number under one heading with the same 13-character format, but it does not say the card number is your application’s receipt number. Use the receipt number on your notices to check a case.
More Immigration numbers guides
Sources
- USCIS — Checking Your Case Status Online
- USCIS — Glossary: Receipt Number
- USCIS Office of Legislative Affairs — Congressional Inquiries Refresher (April 2021)
- USCIS — Contact Us
- USCIS — How to Track Delivery of Your Notice or Secure Identity Document
- USCIS — Tips for Filing Forms Online
- USCIS — Form I-797: Types and Functions
- USCIS — Changes to the look and feel of Form I-797C (2012, archived)
- USCIS — SAVE Tutorial (July 17, 2025)
- USCIS — SAVE Tutorial, April 2025 updates
- USCIS — Handbook for Employers (M-274), List A documents
- USCIS — Glossary: USCIS Number
- CBP — I-94 website help
- USCIS — Form I-485
- USCIS — Form I-485 instructions (USCIS Online Account Number)
- Department of State — 9 FAM 403.9 (visa issuance)
- USCIS — Tips on Finding Your A-Number and DOS Case ID
MyCheck is not affiliated with USCIS, CBP or the Department of State. Every rule on this page is linked to its official source; check the source for your own situation. This page is general information, not legal advice.
