What is a passport travel document number?
Looking for your passport travel document number? We’ll show you where you can find it, what the number looks like, other names for the number, and what it’s used for in travel. If you’re wondering what a passport travel document number is and how you can locate yours, keep reading to get all the answers!
What Is a Passport Travel Document Number?
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- Contains 8 or 9 digits printed on your passport book or card
- Unique number issued with each passport in the US
- Identifies and authenticates travelers for national security
A passport travel document number refers to a unique 8- or 9-digit travel document number that’s printed on a passport book or passport card.
All travel documents, like passports, passport cards, Green Cards, and visas, have a unique number printed on them to identify and authenticate the traveler and help keep borders secure.
The unique passport number helps government authorities identify you and verify your passport’s authenticity when you enter or exit a foreign country. Think of it as a social security number for your passport document!
It helps prevent the use of counterfeit passports and ensures all passports that are checked for international travel actually belong to the person presenting the document.
The passport travel document number that’s printed on your physical passport book or passport card is also stored in a global database where it can quickly be verified as belonging to you when you present your passport for travel.
Passport numbers are not permanent identifiers. They only apply to your current passport document and don’t last forever.
You’ll get a new passport travel document number each time you get a new passport, replace a lost passport, make changes to your passport information, or renew your passport.
What Do Passport Travel Document Numbers Look Like?
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- Passport book: 123456789
- NGP book: X12345678
- Passport card: C12345678
Passport travel document numbers are composed of a combination of letters and digits. There are 9 letters and digits in passport book and card numbers.
Governments don’t share the precise structure of passport travel document numbers to help prevent counterfeiting, but in general, you should look for an 8- or 9-digit string of letters and numbers printed in the area shown in the next section for your travel document.
Passport book numbers will be 9 digits or a combination of letters and digits long. Next Generation Passport book numbers begin with a letter followed by 8 digits.
Passport card numbers always begin with the letter C followed by 8 digits that are unique to your passport card.
What Do Passport Travel Document Numbers Mean?
Wondering what the seemingly random string of numbers or numbers and letters in your passport number mean? Turns out, there’s a method to the madness.
Specific combinations of letters and numbers of your passport travel document number indicate the office where your passport was issued.
You can look at the first 2 digits of your passport book number to determine where your passport was issued. Here’s a look at what those first 2 digits mean:
- 01: Washington Passport Agency
- 02: Chicago Passport Agency
- 03 or 50: Los Angeles Passport Agency
- 04: Miami Passport Office
- 05: San Francisco Passport Agency
- 06: Northeast Passport Processing Center (NYC)
- 07: Seattle Passport Agency
- 08 or 40: New Orleans Passport Agency
- 09: Philadelphia Passport Agency
- 10: Boston Passport Agency
- 11: New York Passport Agency
- 12 or 60: Honolulu Passport Agency
- 13: Houston Passport Agency
- 14: Connecticut Passport Agency
- 15, 20, or 21: National Passport Center
- 16, 60, 80, or 90: Special Issuance Agency
- 17: Colorado Passport Agency
- 30: Charleston Passport Center
For example, if your passport begins with the numbers 09, it quickly shows authorities that it was issued at the Philadelphia Passport Agency. The rest of the digits in the number are unique to you.
Keep in mind that only passport books – ePassports and Next Generation Passports (NGPs) – can be used for international air travel.
Passport cards are only valid identification for domestic travel to US states and territories and travel by US citizens to Mexico, Canada, Bermuda, and Caribbean countries by land or sea.
Where Is My Passport Travel Document Number?
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Now that you know what a passport travel document number is, where can you find it? We’ll show you the location of travel document numbers on passport books, cards, visas, and Green Cards below.
Passport Book Travel Document Number
You’ll find your 8- or 9-digit passport travel document number printed in the upper right corner of the second page of your passport book (the identification page).
In Next Generation Passports (NGPs), your passport number will start with a letter with 8 unique digits behind it. You’ll also see the passport number printed on the bottom of each passport book page in NGPs.
Passport Card Travel Document Number
You can find your passport travel document number on the front of your passport card, which can only be used for domestic travel to different US states and territories and for land/sea travel to Mexico, Canada, Bermuda, and Caribbean countries.
The number will be printed in the upper right corner of your passport card, labeled as “Passport Card no.” Note that this number is not the same as your passport book number, if you have one.
Visa Travel Document Number
If your visa is issued as a separate travel document from your passport, your visa travel document number will usually be printed in red ink on the bottom right corner of your visa.
Your visa may also contain your passport number and a separate control number, which will be clearly labeled so you can tell the difference.
Green Card Travel Document Number
You can find your Green Card or Permanent Resident Card travel document number on the back of your physical Green Card.
On the back, you’ll see a long string of letters and numbers with symbols. The Green Card number is the last 13 digits on the first line of characters and will be followed by “>>.”
Things to Consider
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You’ve got a clear understanding of what your passport travel document number is, information the number contains, and where you can find it on your travel documents.
Take a look at a few helpful tips and things to consider to learn more below!
- You don’t need to memorize your passport number. This number alone isn’t valid for international travel purposes – you’ll need the entire passport book to travel across international borders.
- Your passport travel document number will change. Passports are only valid for 10 years or 5 years if you were under 16 when it was issued. That means passport renewal, replacement, or changes are unavoidable – and each time your passport is renewed or changed, you’ll be issued a new passport number.
- Know how much you can expect to pay for a passport. First-time U.S. passport applicants will pay $165 (adults) or $135 (children under 16). Passport renewals are $130 for adults. You can apply for both a passport book and card at the same time for a reduced application fee of $195 (adults) or $150 (children under 16).
- Apply for a passport in time for your trip. Scrambling to rush your passport application at the last minute is a travel nightmare! Avoid it by applying for your passport or passport renewal at least 10 weeks in advance of your trip, but 13 or more weeks before your planned trip is better. Current passport processing times range from 10-13 weeks or 7-9 weeks for the $60 expedited process.
- Make sure you’ve got the right type of travel document. Passport cards are cheaper than passport books ($65 for first-time adult applicants), so many new travelers think they can opt for the more affordable card and skip the higher-priced book. But passport cards aren’t valid for international air travel and only work for domestic travel and travel to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and Caribbean countries by land or sea.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Passport travel document number info can be confusing with so many different types of travel documents available and different numbers printed on each one.
Take a look at the FAQs below to learn more about identifying your passport number and other travel document issues!
Is a passport number the same as a travel document number?
Yes, your passport number is one type of travel document number. Other travel document numbers include visa numbers, Green Card numbers, and passport card numbers.
If you’re asked for your travel document number during international travel verification by authorities, you can show the second page of your passport book where the passport travel document number is located.
Where is the document number on a passport book?
The document number, or travel document number, on a passport book is located in the upper right corner of the second page of your passport booklet.
Your passport document number appears along with your name, nationality, birthdate, issuance and expiration dates, etc. It’s a unique number that only links to your current passport.
What is travel document number I-130?
The travel document number I-130, or Petition for Alien Relative, is used by U.S. citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents who are helping a relative come to the U.S. and obtain a Green Card or Permanent Resident Card.
This form helps you legally establish your relationship with the relative applying for a Green Card. It’s filed with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
What is my flight document number?
Your flight document number refers to your travel document number that is valid and accepted for international flight, like a passport number, Green Card number, or visa number.
Any acceptable travel document you have for international air travel will have a unique number on it that works as your flight document number.
What is the travel document number in the US?
The travel document number in the U.S. typically refers to your 8- or 9-digit passport number, which is printed on the second page of your passport book.
Other travel document numbers in the US include visa numbers, Green Card numbers, and passport card numbers.
So, Got Your Passport Travel Document Number?
If you already have a passport and just need to confirm or find your passport travel document number, it’s very simple to do. Flip open your passport book to page 2 and look for the number in the upper right corner!
If you have a passport card instead, you’ll find the number printed under the label “Passport Card no.” For visas, the number is usually printed in red and on Green Cards, you’ll find it in the last 13 digits of the first line on the backside.
Once you’ve located your passport travel document number, you’ll be able to provide it to the proper authorities when you travel and ensure your trip goes as smoothly as possible.