How to Find the Visa Number on Your U.S. Visa

Quick answer: Your U.S. visa number is the code printed in red ink in the bottom-right corner of your visa foil, the sticker inside your passport. It is usually eight characters, almost always all digits. Do not confuse it with the longer control number printed in black at the top right.

Your U.S. visa number is the code printed in red ink in the bottom-right corner of your visa foil, the sticker affixed to a page inside your passport. It is usually eight characters long, almost always all digits, and on some older visas it begins with a single letter followed by seven numbers. The red color is the only thing that marks it: nothing on the foil is labeled "visa number."

Locating the number is simple. The part that trips people up is telling it apart from the other numbers printed a few centimeters away. Enter the wrong one on a form like the DS-160 or the I-539 and you can delay your own case by weeks. This guide shows you exactly where to look, what the number means, and how to avoid the single most common mistake.

Where is the visa number on a U.S. visa?

Open your passport to the page holding the visa foil, the full-page sticker with your photo. Then:

1. Start at your photograph on the left side of the foil.
2. Scan across to the lower-right corner.
3. Look for the code printed in red. Every other field on the foil, your name, nationality, visa class, and issuing post, is printed in black.
4. Count the characters. There should be eight.

The red number usually sits at or near the bottom, close to your visa's expiration date, so the two pieces of information you are most likely to need are clustered in the same corner. On many foils the red digits have a slightly raised texture you can feel with a finger. That is an anti-counterfeiting measure, not a printing flaw.

What does a U.S. visa number look like?

A few points worth knowing:

• Format: Eight characters, typically all numeric (for example, 12345678). Some older visas use one letter followed by seven digits (for example, A1234567). Both are normal.
• Color: Always red. If the number you are reading is in black ink, it is not the visa number.
• Randomly generated: The number carries no hidden meaning. It does not encode your visa type, so a K-1 fiance visa number and an H-1B work visa number can share the same format. No two visas ever receive the same number, even when issued to the same person at different times.
• It is a serial number for the visa, not an ID for you. Think of it as a tracking number for that specific visa stamp rather than a personal identifier.

The mistake that delays cases: visa number vs. control number

This is the part most articles skip, and it is where real problems start. Your visa foil actually shows two numbers that look official, and applicants routinely enter the wrong one:

• Visa number (visa foil number): Red ink, bottom-right corner, eight characters. This is the one forms mean when they ask for your "visa number."
• Control number (visa control number): Black ink, top-right corner, ten or more digits. This is used internally by the U.S. Department of State.

The control number sits high on the foil, looks important, and gets entered on forms more often than it should. On an electronic form like the DS-160, using the control number can return "no match" for a prior visa. On a paper form like the I-539, the error may not surface until a USCIS officer reviews your file, and by then it can slow your case by weeks. The fix is simple: always use the red number in the bottom-right corner. On older black-ink visas, use the shorter number, eight characters, not ten or more.

Other numbers people confuse with the visa number

The U.S. immigration system uses several identifiers, and mixing them up on a form can cause processing delays. Here is how the visa number differs from the ones people most often confuse it with:

• Passport number: Issued by your home country and printed on your passport's biographic page. Not the same as your visa number.
• A-Number (Alien Registration Number): Assigned to lawful permanent residents and many applicants. It follows you personally; the visa number belongs to a single visa stamp.
• USCIS receipt number: The tracking number on a petition or application receipt notice (Form I-797). Different again.
• "Immigrant visa number": A different concept entirely. This refers to whether a green card slot is available in your category under the monthly Visa Bulletin, tied to your priority date. It has nothing to do with the red code on your visa foil.

When a form asks for your "visa number," it almost always means the red foil number. When in doubt, read the field label carefully and match it to the correct identifier.

When will you need your visa number?

You will typically be asked for it in situations like these:

• Immigration forms that reference your prior visa history, including the DS-160 (nonimmigrant visa application), the DS-260 (immigrant visa application), and the I-485 (adjustment of status). Before a consular interview, it is also worth double-checking your DS-160 confirmation.
• Entry to the United States. Customs and Border Protection officers scan your visa foil on arrival to confirm your authorization to enter. If a scan issue sends you to secondary inspection, knowing your foil number helps you answer questions quickly.
• Case tracking and consular appointments, where the number identifies a specific visa issuance.

What if you cannot find your visa number?

• Expired visas still have valid foil numbers. The number itself does not expire; it simply becomes a historical reference once the visa is no longer valid. You can still read it off an expired stamp for forms that ask about prior visas.
• If your visa is genuinely unreadable, lost, or damaged, contact the U.S. Embassy or Consulate that issued it. Depending on your situation you may need to apply for a new visa.
• Treat the number as personal immigration data. It is not as sensitive as a Social Security number, but there is no reason to post it publicly.

What else appears on a U.S. visa?

Alongside the visa number, a standard U.S. visa foil shows:

• Issuing post (the U.S. Embassy or Consulate that issued the visa)
• Surname and given name
• Sex
• Date of birth
• Nationality
• Passport number
• Visa type or class (for example, B-1/B-2, F-1, H-1B, L-1, O-1)
• Number of entries permitted (S for single, M for multiple)
• Issue date and expiration date
• Annotations (notes from the consular officer, such as a petitioner, employer, or program name)

One important distinction: your visa's expiration date is not the same as your authorized period of stay. How long you may remain in the United States is set by your I-94 admission record, not by the date printed on the visa.

Frequently asked questions

Is the visa number the same as the visa foil number?

Yes. "Visa number" and "visa foil number" refer to the same thing: the red, eight-character code in the bottom-right corner of your visa stamp.

Is my visa number the same as my passport number?

No. Your passport number is issued by your home country and appears on your passport's biographic page. Your visa number belongs to a single U.S. visa stamp.

Is the visa number the same as the control number?

No. The visa number is the red eight-character code at the bottom right. The control number is a longer number, ten or more digits, in black ink at the top right, used internally by the Department of State.

Does the visa number tell me my visa type?

No. It is randomly generated and carries no meaning. Your visa type is shown separately as the visa class (for example, F-1 or H-1B).

Does the visa number expire?

The number does not expire, but the visa it identifies does. After the visa is no longer valid, the number remains only as a historical reference.

Talk to an immigration attorney

Reading a visa foil is straightforward. Choosing the right visa, responding to a Request for Evidence, or building a strong EB-2 NIW or EB-1A case is not. Kulen Law Firm is a bilingual (English and Turkish) immigration and business law firm based in New York, working with founders, professionals, and families across the United States. If you have questions about your visa, your status, or your next filing, we are glad to help.

Kulen Law Firm, P.C.
264 W 40th Street, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10018
+1 212 904 1506
kulen@kulenlawfirm.com

This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice, nor does it create an attorney-client relationship. Immigration rules and individual circumstances vary. For advice about your specific situation, consult a licensed immigration attorney.