All U.S. immigrant and non-immigrant visas have a U.S. visa number. This number plays a crucial role in the immigration process. You may need to reference your visa number in certain documents. A U.S. government officer may need your visa number to check certain information on your file. Today, we’re explaining everything you need to know about the U.S. visa number and how it works.
What is a Visa Number?
Your U.S. visa number is a red number located in the bottom right of your visa. After your visa is approved by a U.S. embassy, the consular officer will stamp or attach the visa on a full page of your passport. The visa contains various information about your immigrant or non-immigrant status. It includes an expiry date, a photo, and other information. It also includes a number.
When you enter the United States, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials will check your visa and verify the information on that visa. They want to ensure each visa matches each individual seeking entry to the United States. The CBP officer may write down or record various information on your visa into the system, including your visa number.
By entering your visa number into the system, the border officer can verify your information. In addition, that information can be recalled at a future date.
Each U.S. visa number is unique. The number itself looks like a random string of numbers. The numbers won’t mean anything to you. However, they will be used to reference your U.S. visa application in the future.
Interestingly, the U.S. visa numbers do not change based on your visa type or other information. There are no similarities between the two K-1 visa numbers, for example, or H-1B visa numbers. All U.S. visa numbers are randomized based on the individual. As far as we can tell, there’s no specific pattern between visa numbers.
Where Can I Find My Visa Number?
Check your U.S. visa and you should be able to quickly find your visa number. On virtually all visas (the document or stamp inside your passport), you should see a red number in the bottom right corner of the document.
Most of the information on the visa is written in black ink. The number in red, however, will be the visa number. It tends to stand out from the rest of the document.
Your visa number may not necessarily be in the bottom right corner of your visa page. In some cases, your visa number will be elsewhere on the document. In most cases, however, your U.S. visa number will be typed in red ink on the bottom right corner of your document.
In addition to the U.S visa number, here is the other information listed on a typical U.S. visa:
- Issuing port name, which is the U.S. embassy that issued the visa
- First and last name
- Sex
- Birthdate
- Nationality
- Passport number
- Visa type (like a K-1 fiancé visa or an H-1B work visa)
- Entries, which could reference the number of times the individual is allowed to enter the United States (S for Single Entry or M for Multiple Entries, for example)
- Issuing date, which is the date the visa was issued by the U.S. embassy
- Expiration date
- Annotations, which can include any additional notes made by U.S. embassy staff to supplement your visa, like the name of your educational institution, your fiancé, your spouse, or your employer
How to Get a U.S. Visa Number
Getting a U.S. visa number is straightforward. The main thing you need to do, of course, is to apply for and receive a U.S. visa.
You must go through the process of applying for and receiving a U.S. visa. Both immigrant and non-immigrant visas have a visa number. Some visas are granted to those who seek to work in the United States. Other visas are granted to the spouses or fiancés of U.S. citizens.
Typically, a U.S. visa application process involves the following steps:
Step 1) Submit form DS-160 or DS-260 online via your local U.S. embassy’s website
Step 2) Pay the visa application fee
Step 3) Schedule a visa interview with a local U.S. embassy or consulate
Step 4) Collect and submit the required documents
Step 5) Attend the visa interview
The U.S. embassy will then approve or deny your application and send you the visa (and your completed passport) via courier to your address. The visa will include all of the information above. It will be valid for a pre-determined length of time (for a non-immigrant visa). Or, if it’s an immigrant visa, then the visa may be permanent or for a long period of time (i.e. it’s a Green Card).
Ultimately, the U.S. visa number plays a crucial role in the U.S. visa application process. It may be referenced every time you cross the border. It may also be used to reference your information at a future date. All U.S. visa numbers are unique, and there are no discernible patterns between U.S. visa numbers. You can receive a U.S. visa number by applying for a U.S. visa today.