Want to know about your passport travel number or visa travel number? Here’s a complete information guide for all you need to know about travel document numbers!
International travel with their family is a desire of most travelers. Glorious times, memories that last up to a decade or lifetime, and having unforgettable experiences that you sometimes miss in your home country.
However, before you pack your luggage and rush to the airport for your awaited international journey, there are certainly few must-know things that you should have sound knowledge about.
To help you settle some nerves, I will tell you everything about travel document numbers and how you can find them in your travel documents?
So, without wasting more time. Let’s kick in!!
Page Contents
What is a Travel Document Number?
Every country has its own set of rules or, to be more specific, some documents they provide to each citizen of their land to identify themselves. These documents contain various crucial coded information, such as travel document numbers.
These numbers are a set of digits that helps in the process of authorization by recognizing each individual who is traveling. Travel document numbers are generally posited on the top-right corner of any documents like passports and visas. It is the validation of your eligibility to travel abroad. In simple words, they are a group of numbers that certifies that the individual travels abroad.
If you have a U.S. passport, the travel number mentioned refers to the nine-digit code at the top-right corner of your passport info page. The first two numbers determine your location.
Not only passports that possess numbers. The visa you’ve been issued by the country you are traveling to also has travel numbers. Any person who wants to travel outside of their native country should show this travel document number.
Types of Travel Documents
Generally, travel documents come in multiple types that are openly accepted as identification proof at different places.
1. Passport
Passport is one of the most common types of travel documents issued by the U.S. Department of State as identity proof for any international travel. This document allows U.S. citizens to travel via air, land, or sea to visit their desired destination worldwide. Passport is so crucial that you can’t access international travel if you don’t have it issued. You can find your full name, date of birth, date of issue, location of the problem, gender, nationality, and other important information like passport number. Passports can be interpreted as keys to your international travel because they can help you unlock the country you want to visit. If this key is lost, the doors for your international travel may be locked until you acquire a new one. Although it assists you in entering the country, it doesn’t guarantee your stay. The span of your visit is entirely dependent on the type of visa you have. It would help if you had a visa issued under your name to even travel to that country. You must have a passport if you want to qualify for a visa.
The U.S. Passport numbers are generally between six to nine characters, which includes both numbers and alphabets. They are present in the top-right corner of the passport bio page.
The numbers and letters of your passport number hold important clues about your identity. For instance, the first two numbers of your passport numbers determine the location from where you’d issued the passport.
2. Visa(Visitors Internationally Stay Allowance)
Visa is a small piece of paper that is attached to your passport. Visa can be seen as a permission grant for international travelers non-citizens to visit, enter or transit our country. Visas are issued by consular officials or government bodies, specifically each country’s citizenship, and immigration department (USCIS is the department that holds the jurisdiction over this matter in the U.S.).
The U.S Visa contains eight digits of numbers, and sometimes there are seven numbers and one alphabet. Visa is helpful regarding how many visitors can enter any country, how extended their stay can be, and the conditions for their visit. One of the best benefits is the permission to get their residence or work, depending on the type of visa. Visa number is one of the easiest to find out of all travel documents. Usually, Visa numbers are featured on the bottom right corner of the visa document. The Visa number is generally highlighted with red ink over the black text to stand out from the rest of the information in the visa.
3. I-94 Travel Document Number or Green Card
Individual who becomes a permanent residence gets a Green Card from U.S. governing body(USCIS). A green card is not a replacement for a passport. You can be a permanent resident in the U.S. by owning a green card, but that doesn’t declare you as a citizen of the United States. You will still need a passport from your birth country. This Green Card can only be acquired after the individual proves their eligibility with the help of a U.S. visa. Green Card number is also known as “Receipt Number.”
This green card number usually contains 13 characters in the U.S. (with three letters and ten alphabets). Most of the countries have their green card number printed on the back of PR cards. So, a green card can prove helpful if you use it along with your passport for travel convenience.
4. Passport Card
A passport card is an alternative to your regular U.S. passport. They are similar to the sizes of any driver’s license or credit card. They came into action in 2008. Passport cards are used to permit citizens to cross the borders of Mexico, Bermuda, Canada, and the Caribbean. These cards are the most cost-effective option for someone who is traveling for any short journey. These cards are associated with and issued by the Department Of State.
One of the benefits of passport cards is convenience because they fit in your wallet; passport cards are less expensive concerning passport books.
But, with this said, I will reckon you that passport cards are only valid to cross neighboring land and sea borders. They can’t even be used to acquire a travel visa.
Passport cards are helpful for people who occasionally travel across the Mexican or Canadian border, children who are not eligible to get a driver’s license, or any other identification card.
How To Find Your Travel Document Number?
1. U.S. Passport Number:- U.S. Passport number is a combination of 6-9 characters that includes alphabets and numbers arranged in a coded manner. The U.S. Passport number is generally featured in the top-right section of the holder’s info page. The first two numbers signify the location from where the passport was issued.
If you issued your passport from Washington, then the first two numbers will be “01”. If you have acquired your access from New Hampshire, these two numbers would be “20”. Emergency passports are generally granted for short travel, typically start with the “Z” or digit “70”
2. U.S. Visa Number:- U.S. visa numbers are highlighted by red ink over the black text used in the rest of the document, enough to strike your eyes. Some visas will start with an alphabet which is followed by seven numbers. U.S. Visas display the number in the bottom-right corner of the front page of the Card.
3. Green Card:- The travel number can be located by observing a sequence of three letters. Moving in the right direction from there will help us get all the remaining ten characters as numbers.
How To Acquire a Travel Document?
The process of acquiring any travel document you need for your international travel will depend on some specific functions, depending on which official document you are trying to achieve. The approval of these documents generally takes an ample amount of time to be ready to use.
Average Processing Times Of Various Travel Documents:
U.S. Passport Book – 1 to 2 months (6 to 8 weeks)
U.S. Passport Card – 1 to 2 months (6 to 8 weeks)
U.S. Visa – 1 to 2 weeks (7 to 10 days)
Green Card – 6 to 7 months
- U.S. Passport Card:- Getting a U.S Passport card requires you to apply. Along with this application, you’re required to provide evidence of citizenship that can be done by sharing any government-issued ID card or birth certificate. Before further proceedings, the issuing faculty will take a photo of you and collect a reasonable sum of money.
- U.S. Passport Book:- The process of acquiring an entire passport book is similar to a passport card. The passport book is expensive, of course, because it broadens your sphere for travel, allowing you to travel anywhere in the world via air, land, and sea. In contrast, a passport card only permits travel to nearby surrounding areas. The final expenditure in a passport book is more than that spent on getting a passport card.
- U.S. Visa:- The process begins with you visiting the U.S. Embassy location of your country. You will have to fill a form named “DS-160” and send it online. Application for a visa also requires identification documents like a birth certificate. After all these processes, you will be asked to explain your intention to travel to the United States and how long you will spend there? After submitting the DS-160 form, you will be asked for some extra issuance fee while the application fee is compulsory. There will be an interview process and document completion. All the applications under the age group of 14-79 will be called for an interview as a part of the screening process in the local U.S. Embassy.
- Green Card:- If you are an eligible candidate for the Green Card, you will be required to fill up a Form I-485 application which can be done quickly online. Along with this form, supporting documents, as well as associated fees, must be submitted. There will be a scheduled interview process similar to that of a visa.
Travel Document Number FAQ’s
Q1. Do all travel documents have the same travel document number?
Ans.- No, all travel documents can never have the same travel number. Each travel document has its specific feature and number of characters. For instance, a Passport Card number has nine characters whereas, a Visa number has eight characters.
Q2. How much do travel documents cost?
Ans.- Different travel documents differ in their cost across the globe.
The cheapest adult passport will be around $110. The most affordable minor passport will cost only $80. Passport application execution will take $35.
The immigrant visa will cost you $160.
Conclusion
Travel Document Number is a piece of very crucial information. It’s the passport travel number that verifies the authenticity of the passport. Always be aware that each document you are having right now has different numbers, and you should consider a good time to review and understand them. Familiarizing yourself with the practice can help you recover lost or damaged documentation.
Travel document numbers aren’t that ordinary as we think of them. They help the immigration authorities to pull available information about you and simultaneously also helping the customs department tracking down your movements during your stay in their country.
Enjoy your trip with all this much-needed information beforehand.
