What is an INS-issued alien number or admission number?
These are 2 different types of numbers. An admission number is the number on an INS Form I-94 or INS Form I-94W, the arrival/departure form INS gives most nonimmigrant aliens when they arrive in the U.S. While most nonimmigrant aliens will automatically receive an admission number when they enter the U.S., Canadians will not. However, if a Canadian asks an INS official for an admission number when he/she enters the United States, he/she will be given an admission number. Most nonimmigrant aliens will not have an alien number. An alien number is an INS file number is issued in a variety of limited situations, such as to nonimmigrant aliens with employment authorization documents.
