What is the A# and the Alien Registration Number? Are they the same thing?
Yes, these are two terms for the same thing. The A# is a case number that USCIS assigns to certain people, and then (usually, for exceptions see below) stays with you for the rest of your life, much like a Social Security Number. Most people get their A# when they apply for adjustment of status. It is also assigned if you apply for an employment authorization document (such as an F-1 OPT), a V visa, find yourself in deportation proceedings, and in a number of other situations. Many USCIS forms ask for the A#. If you do not have one yet, simply write “None”. There actually are four separate types of A#. You can tell them apart by the number of digits and the first digit. The first kind is an eight-digit A#. These are manually assigned at local offices. If you have one of these numbers, simply treated it as if it was “0” plus the number. Nine-digit A#’s that start with the digit 1 are used for employment authorization cards, usually related to students. Nine-digit A#’s that start with th
