What is the "A"?????

[alaskagypsy]

On the forms for filing for Adjustment of Status it has a block with "File Number A-

 

What does this mean????

Thanks.

[warpedbored]

It is on the NOA-2 that you received from the service center before the petition went to China.

[Joanne]

Alien Registration Number.

[frank1538]

Also, take a look at http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=9078

[alaskagypsy]

Thanks, found it on the NOA2.

[tywy_99]

Alien Registration Number.

...which comes from the Alien Registration Act of 1940

[tywy_99]

...stay tuned for previews of next weeks class on "The AR-11; how did they come up with that form? "

 

Same visa time-Same visa channel...

[notrevorich]

...stay tuned for previews of next weeks class on "The AR-11; how did they come up with that form?  "

 

Same visa time-Same visa channel...  

165893[/snapback]

when I WAS IN THE MILITARY WE HAD AN AR-15

OOPS , I FORGOT

THAT WAS SOMETHING USEFUL

[david_dawei]

Found this interesting comment about the "A" number:

 

Visa FAQ - General Questions

http://www.kkeane.com/general-faq.shtml

 

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 the digit 3 are used for fingerprint tracking of V visa applicants. All other nine-digit A#'s (these actually always start with a 0) are permanent A#'s and remain permanently with you for life.

 

Therefore, the rule is: if you are asked for an A# and have one, always give this A#, regardless of whether it starts with a 0, 1 or 3. If you have both a 0-A# and a 1-A# or a 3-A#, then use the one that starts with a 0.

 

Information from Legacy INS

This is the actual text of the information received from the legacy INS on this subject. The information was approved for publication on October 22, 2002 by Nancy Moser, then Deputy Director of the Missouri Service Center.

 

"INS generates several different types of "A" numbers. The 100 million numbers are computer generated and used exclusively for employment authorization cards. They are most often associated with student authorized work permits. However, effective December 2000, the 100 million numbers are also used for employment authorization cards for members under the Legal Immigration Family Unity Equity (LIFE) Act. The Service also issues 300 million series numbers. These numbers are used exclusively for fingerprint tracking associated with applications filed for V1, V2, or V3 status. These numbers should not be used for employment authorization cards. Finally, the Service issues "A" numbers which are not in the 100 million or 300 million series. These numbers (non-100 or 300 million series) can be traced in the Service Central Index System (CIS). If an alien has an "A" number listed in the CIS, that "A" number will be used on the employment authorization card (in lieu of the 100 million number)."

 

 

An attorney recently put it this way (reprinted by permission)

 

A numbers in the 1XX series were formerly used for student EADs. I believe they have been phased out (even before 9/11) in favor of "real" lifetime A numbers.

 

A numbers in the 3XX series are being issued for "V" visa holders, and are basically used to track fingerprints. This was an experiment along with the scanning and biometrics that were used for "V" cases -- part of the electronic capture of data called for an A number, so rather than redesigning the database, a series of fictitious A numbers were used.

 

Eventually, use of biometrics and electronic fingerprinting will be expanded to all cases. It is now being used for all K-3 cases filed with MSC as well as the new electronically-filed I-90s and I-765s.

 

Here's another piece of trivia: some people have 8-digit A numbers and some have 9-digit A numbers. In reality, all A numbers are 9-digit numbers now; USCIS information systems automatically append a leading zero to the 8-digit numbers. You can sometimes tell where an A number was assigned by the number of digits. If it was assigned at a Service Center, it will always have 9 digits because the CLAIMS III mainframes require a 9 digit entry. If it has 8 digits, chances are that it was assigned at a local office where either manual recordkeeping is still used. Many local offices do have CLAIMS access, but old habits die hard.

 

When we complete forms for a client who has a "real" A number, I always append a leading zero to make it easier for the data entry people even if the documents that the client has show only an 8 digit A number.