What Is an A-Number?
An A-Number — short for Alien Registration Number — is a 9-digit number assigned by DHS to track your immigration record. It stays with your case across forms, notices, and agencies, which is why both USCIS and EOIR ask for it when you're trying to check the status of your asylum clock.
Your A-Number also shows up on Form I-765, the Application for Employment Authorization: when you file for your asylum-based EAD, the instructions ask you to enter your A-Number if you have one, alongside your name, address, date of birth, country of birth, and asylum application receipt or filing information.
Your A-Number is not the same as your I-589 receipt number. The receipt number identifies your specific application with USCIS; the A-Number identifies you as a person in DHS's records and can follow you across multiple filings.
Where to Find Your A-Number
If you don't already have your A-Number written down, check these documents first:
- I-797 Notice of Action: The receipt or approval notice USCIS mails you after you file a form, including your Form I-589 or Form I-765 receipt notices.
- Your EAD card: If you've already been issued an Employment Authorization Document, your A-Number is printed on the card.
- Other USCIS or EOIR correspondence: Any additional notices, letters, or hearing documents sent to you about your immigration case may also list your A-Number.
Keep this number somewhere safe — you'll need it any time you contact USCIS or EOIR about your case, including when you check your asylum clock status.
How to Use Your A-Number to Check Your Asylum Clock
Once you have your A-Number, there are two main ways to check your asylum clock, depending on whether your case is affirmative (with USCIS) or defensive (before an Immigration Judge at EOIR).
Path 1: USCIS Online Account (CSOL Tool)
If you have an affirmative asylum case with USCIS, you can log in to your USCIS online account and use your A-Number to pull up your case and view the Clock Stoppage Online (CSOL) Tool, which shows the total number of days your clock has been stopped. For the full step-by-step walkthrough of logging in and reading your CSOL record, see how to use the USCIS CSOL tool.
Once you know your official stoppage days from CSOL, enter your I-589 receipt date and that stoppage total into the AsyClock calculator to estimate your 150-day filing date and 180-day EAD eligibility date.
Path 2: EOIR Phone Hotline
If your case is defensive — pending before an Immigration Judge — you can check your asylum clock by calling the EOIR automated case information hotline at 1-800-898-7180. When prompted, enter your A-Number, then press 2 to hear your asylum clock information. For more detail on using this line, see the EOIR clock phone number guide.
The AsyClock calculator is most reliable for affirmative USCIS cases using a USCIS receipt date and CSOL stoppage total. If your case is before an Immigration Judge, rely on EOIR's asylum EAD clock information or correction process, and consider getting legal help before filing.
If you're unsure whether your case is affirmative or defensive, or you want a second opinion on what your CSOL or EOIR clock record shows, you can ask the community or browse the marketplace to find immigration professionals who can help you interpret your record.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an A-Number?
An A-Number, or Alien Registration Number, is a 9-digit number assigned by DHS to track your immigration record.
Where do I find my A-Number?
Your A-Number is printed on your I-797 Notice of Action, on your EAD card if you have one, and on other USCIS or EOIR correspondence about your case.
Can I check my clock without an A-Number?
If you have an affirmative USCIS case and don't have an A-Number yet, or can't locate it, you can create a USCIS online account using your I-589 receipt number instead. For defensive cases before EOIR, check with EOIR directly or review your official case correspondence — this guide cannot confirm whether the EOIR hotline has a no-A-Number alternative, so verify with the official source rather than guessing.
Ready to Calculate Your EAD Date?
Enter your I-589 receipt date and CSOL stoppage days into the free AsyClock calculator to get an affirmative USCIS case estimate for your 150-day filing date and 180-day eligibility date instantly.
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