What Is a Non-immigrant Visa Number?

Non-immigrant workers serve temporary stays in the U.S. with work visa authorizations.

U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) issues non-immigrant visas for foreign nationals interested in a temporary stay in the United States. Most non-immigrant visas relate to temporary employment authorization or visitor status.

Non-immigrant Visa Number

Non-immigrant visa numbers serve as an identification of a non-immigrant visa holder. Each visa holder receives a non-immigrant number, which validates his stay in the United States.

Location

The non-immigrant visa number shows up in red ink on the lower-right side of the non-immigrant visa. Do not confuse this number with the control number at the top of the visa.

Significance

USCIS verifies visa authenticity by keeping a database of all visa numbers and visa holders associated with them.

Usage

In most cases, a non-immigrant visa number serves no functional purpose for a visa holder. Some immigration forms, specifically those that relate to permanent immigration status, may request the visa number to verify identity.

Characteristics

Non-immigrant visa numbers include only numbers and no letters or characters. Additionally, the visa number always prints in red ink on a visa.

References

• Department of State: Temporary Nonimmigrant Visas
• Immigration Help: Sample Nonimmigrant Visa