B-1/B-2 Visa Foil Number: What It Is and Where to Find It

The B-1/B-2 visa foil number is the eight-digit number printed in red ink in the bottom-right corner of your visa sticker. If a form has asked for your "visa number" or "foil number" and you're not sure where to look, you're in the right place. This article covers where to find it, what it's used for, and how to avoid the most common mistakes when entering it on forms like the DS-160 and I-539.

What is the B-1/B-2 visa foil number

When a U.S. consulate approves your B-1/B-2 visa application, they print a machine-readable sticker called a visa foil and affix it to a page in your passport.

That sticker contains all your visa details: your name, photo, visa class, validity dates, and several identification numbers.

The foil number is one of those numbers. It's the unique identifier assigned to your specific visa by the U.S. Department of State, and it links your visa to the consular records from your application.

"Foil number" and "visa number" are interchangeable. Immigration attorneys and airlines tend to say "foil number," while USCIS forms say "visa number." They mean the same thing. Whichever a form asks for, use the red eight-digit number from the bottom right of your visa sticker.

Where to find the B-1/B-2 visa foil number

Open your passport to the page with the U.S. visa sticker. Here's what you'll see:

• Bottom right, red ink: The foil number. Eight digits. This is the number you need.
• Top right, black ink: The control number. Ten or more digits. You will almost never need this for any form.
• Mid-right area: Your passport number, printed as a cross-reference.
• Bottom two lines: The machine-readable zone, which CBP scans electronically at the port of entry.

On older visa foils

Visa foils issued before the State Department's enhanced security updates may print all text in black ink, so you can't use color to tell the numbers apart. In that case, look for the shorter number in the bottom-right area. The control number near the top is always longer (10 or more digits), which makes it easy to distinguish even when both are in black.

On a border crossing card

If you hold a DSP-150 border crossing card instead of a standard visa foil, the document number is printed on the front of the card. It serves the same purpose as the foil number on a standard visa sticker.

When you need the foil number

You won't need this number often, but a few specific situations require it.

• DS-160 online application: When applying for a new B-1/B-2 visa, the DS-160 asks for your previous visa number. Having your foil number ready before you start saves time because the form times out after periods of inactivity.
• Form I-539 (extending your stay): If you want to extend your B-1/B-2 stay beyond the date on your I-94, the I-539 asks for your travel document details including the foil number. Entering the wrong number can delay processing.
• CEAC status checks: If you need to contact your embassy directly about a pending application, having your foil number on hand speeds up the conversation.
• Secondary inspection at the port of entry: CBP scans your visa foil electronically on arrival. If there's a scan issue and you're referred to secondary inspection, knowing your foil number helps you answer questions quickly.

Common foil number mistakes

Entering the control number instead of the foil number

This is by far the most common error. The control number sits prominently at the top right, looks important, and gets entered on forms more often than it should. On electronic forms like the DS-160, this can return no match for your previous visa. On paper forms like the I-539, the error may not surface until a USCIS officer reviews your file, which can delay your case by weeks.

The fix: always use the red number at the bottom right. On older black-ink visas, use the shorter number (eight digits, not 10 or more).

If you've already submitted a form with the wrong number, contact the receiving agency (USCIS for the I-539, the consulate for the DS-160) with the correct number and your case reference. Catching it early prevents the delay from compounding.

Confusing the passport number with the foil number

Your passport number appears on the visa foil as a cross-reference, but it's your home country's identifier, not the U.S. visa number. Passport numbers vary in format by country. The foil number is always eight digits (or one letter plus seven digits on some older U.S. visas).

If you've renewed your passport since getting your visa, your passport number will have changed but the foil number stays the same. That's normal.

A few things worth knowing

Each new visa gets a new foil number. When the DS-160 asks for your previous visa number, use the foil number from your most recent prior visa. Old numbers from earlier visas are still in the State Department system but are only relevant if a form specifically asks for them.

Expired visas still have valid foil numbers. The number doesn't expire with the visa. If a form asks you to reference an expired visa, the foil number is still the same red eight-digit code in the bottom right.

Don't share photos of your visa online. Make sure to not expose your foil number, control number, passport number, date of birth, and machine-readable zone all at once. If you want to share, blur everything except the visa class and issuing post.

Thinking about a work visa?

Visitors who find themselves renewing their B-1/B-2 visa regularly for work-related trips may be in a better position with an employer-sponsored visa. If your visits are primarily professional, options like the H-1B, TN, or E-3 are worth understanding before your next renewal.

Frequently asked questions