Form I-130 · Part 2, Item 2 and Part 4, Item 2
I-130 USCIS Online Account Number (Part 2 & Part 4, Item 2): Do You Enter N/A?
What the USCIS Online Account Number is, why the I-130 asks for it once for the petitioner and once for the beneficiary, and why most first-time couples print “N/A” in both.
Quick answer
Most marriage-based I-130 filers have no USCIS Online Account Number, so this field is empty for both people. The form asks for it twice: once for the petitioner (the U.S. citizen or green card holder filing the petition) at Part 2, Item 2, and once for the beneficiary (the immigrant spouse) at Part 4, Item 2. You only have this number if you previously filed a form that got a receipt number starting with IOE. The I-130 instructions tell you to print "N/A" in any field that does not apply.
Summary
For most marriage-based filers, the USCIS Online Account Number is blank for both spouses, so you print "N/A" in it. The I-130 asks for this number in two places: Part 2, Item 2 (the petitioner, who is the U.S. citizen or green card holder sponsoring the spouse) and Part 4, Item 2 (the beneficiary, who is the immigrant spouse). Both boxes are marked "if any." You only have a USCIS Online Account Number if you previously filed a form through a USCIS online account or received a receipt number that begins with IOE, so a couple filing their first petition usually has none. It is not the A-Number (the Alien Registration Number USCIS assigns to track a person) and not the case receipt number on a filing notice. Do not confuse either spouse's box with the separate attorney box at the top of page 1.
| What it asks | A USCIS Online Account Number, a number linked to a USCIS online account. Marked "if any." |
| Where on the form | Twice: petitioner at Part 2, Item 2; beneficiary (immigrant spouse) at Part 4, Item 2. Both blocks are identical. |
| Most marriage cases | Print "N/A" in both boxes. A couple filing their first petition usually has no USCIS online account. |
| When you have one | Only if that person previously filed a form that got a receipt number starting with IOE, or opened a USCIS online account that issued one. |
| Not the same as | Not the A-Number (Part 2 / Part 4, Item 1) and not a case receipt number. Three different numbers. |
| Blank vs N/A | The I-130 instructions direct "N/A" for a field that does not apply. That differs from the I-485, where the equivalent field is left blank. |
Who this page is for
This page covers the standard case: a couple completing the USCIS Online Account Number boxes on their own I-130, for the petitioner (the sponsoring spouse) and the beneficiary (the immigrant spouse). If either spouse has a complicated USCIS history with several prior filings and is unsure which account a number belongs to, people in that situation often consult a licensed immigration attorney. This is an account identifier only; nothing you enter here decides eligibility.
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What the field looks like on the form
The same USCIS Online Account Number field appears in two places on the I-130. It sits at Item 2 in Part 2 (Information About You, the petitioner) and again at Item 2 in Part 4 (Information About Beneficiary). Each is a single row of digit boxes marked “if any.”
Verbatim · field label on Form I-130 (edition 04/01/24, pages 1 and 5)
“2. USCIS Online Account Number (if any)”
Verbatim · I-130 Instructions, “How To Complete Form I-130,” item 5 (edition 04/01/24, page 5)
“USCIS Online Account Number. You will only have a USCIS Online Account Number (OAN) if you previously filed a form that has a receipt number that begins with IOE. If you filed the form online, you can find your OAN in your account profile. If you mailed us the form, you can find your OAN at the top of the Account Access Notice we sent you. If you do not have a receipt number that begins with IOE, you do not have an OAN. If you were issued a USCIS Online Account Number, enter it in the space provided at Part 2., Item Number 2. The OAN is not the same as an A-Number.”
Blank or “N/A” when you have none?
The field is marked “if any,” so most filers have nothing to put in it. The I-130 Instructions give the general rule for a field that does not apply:
Verbatim · I-130 Instructions, “How To Complete Form I-130,” item 3 (edition 04/01/24, page 5)
“Answer all questions fully and accurately. If a question does not apply to you (for example, if you have never been married and the question asks, “Provide the name of your current spouse”), type or print “N/A” unless otherwise directed.”
On the I-130, that rule points to “N/A” for an empty online-account box. On the I-485, the equivalent field is left blank instead. The two forms carry different instructions, so follow each form on its own terms rather than copying one onto the other. See the I-485 USCIS Online Account Number page for that form’s rule.
Always complete the current edition from uscis.gov/i-130; USCIS rejects outdated editions.
Marriage-based filers: both boxes are usually “N/A”
In a marriage case the petitioner is the U.S. citizen or green card holder sponsoring the spouse, and the beneficiary is the immigrant spouse. The online-account number is personal to each person, so check it separately for each. A couple filing their first petition normally has no USCIS online account for either spouse, which means Part 2, Item 2 and Part 4, Item 2 both read “N/A.”
| Who | Where on the form | Usual entry |
|---|---|---|
| Petitioner | Part 2, Item 2 (Information About You) | The U.S. citizen or green card holder sponsoring the spouse. Print "N/A" unless they previously filed a form with an IOE receipt number. |
| Beneficiary | Part 4, Item 2 (Information About Beneficiary) | The immigrant spouse being sponsored. Print "N/A" unless they previously filed a form with an IOE receipt number. |
| Attorney or representative | Top of page 1 (not a spouse field) | Filled only if a lawyer or accredited representative is filing Form G-28 with the petition. Leave it alone if you are filing on your own. |
Not sure which number goes in which box?
Our software asks each spouse a few plain questions, fills the petitioner and beneficiary fields the right way, and keeps your numbers consistent across your whole I-130 and I-485 packet.
Start FreeThree numbers people mix up
The USCIS Online Account Number, the A-Number, and the receipt number are three different things. Item 2 in each part wants only the first one, and only if that person has it.
| Number | What it is | Format example | On the I-130 |
|---|---|---|---|
| USCIS Online Account Number | A number tied to a USCIS online account. A person gets one only after a prior IOE filing or after USCIS issues one for an online account. | Usually a 12-digit number, for example 1234-5678-9012 | Part 2, Item 2 (petitioner) and Part 4, Item 2 (beneficiary) · print N/A if none |
| A-Number (Alien Registration Number) | The number USCIS uses to track a person across all their immigration records. Many first-time beneficiaries do not have one yet. | The letter A followed by 7 to 9 digits, for example A123456789 | Part 2, Item 1 (petitioner) and Part 4, Item 1 (beneficiary) · print N/A if none |
| Receipt number | The case-specific tracking number USCIS prints on the receipt notice (Form I-797) after it accepts a filing. | Three letters then 10 digits, for example IOE0912345678 or MSC2190000000 | Not an I-130 field · it appears on your receipt notice after you file |
Where to find it (and when there is nothing to find)
Work through these for each spouse. If none of them turn up a number, that person does not have one, and their box reads “N/A.”
Ask whether that person ever filed anything with USCIS
Check this separately for each spouse. A person only has a USCIS Online Account Number if they previously filed a form through a USCIS online account or got a receipt number that starts with IOE. If this petition is the couple's first contact with USCIS, neither spouse has one.
Look in the USCIS online account profile
If that spouse did file online before, sign in to their USCIS account and open the account profile. The USCIS Online Account Number is listed there. Confirm it rather than guessing.
Look at the top of the Account Access Notice
If that spouse mailed USCIS a form earlier and USCIS set up an online account for them, USCIS sent an Account Access Notice. The number is printed at the top of that notice.
If there is none, print "N/A"
Both boxes say "if any." The I-130 instructions direct you to print "N/A" in any field that does not apply, so an empty online-account box gets "N/A" rather than a guessed number. Do not copy an A-Number or a receipt number in as a substitute.
What USCIS does with the online account number
The USCIS Online Account Number links a paper or online filing to an existing USCIS online account so the agency can connect a person's records and let them track the case in one place. It is an account identifier, not an identity or eligibility field, which is why both boxes are marked "if any." Because most first-time filers have never opened an account, the usual entry is "N/A" for both spouses. What causes confusion is putting the wrong number here, such as a receipt number or an A-Number, since those identify different things, or filling the beneficiary's box with the petitioner's number.
Common mistakes
These are the ones that show up most often on this block.
- 1
Using the attorney box as your own
The top of page 1 has a separate "Attorney or Accredited Representative USCIS Online Account Number" box. That box is only for a lawyer or accredited representative filing Form G-28. Your own number, if any, goes in Part 2, Item 2 (petitioner) or Part 4, Item 2 (beneficiary).
- 2
Entering an A-Number in the online-account box
The A-Number (the Alien Registration Number that tracks a person across immigration records) belongs in Item 1 of each part, not Item 2. The USCIS Online Account Number is a separate account identifier. Mixing them up is the most common error on this block.
- 3
Copying the petitioner's number into the beneficiary's box
The online-account number belongs to whichever person opened the account. If only the petitioner has one, it goes in Part 2, Item 2 only. The beneficiary's Part 4, Item 2 stays "N/A" unless the beneficiary separately has their own.
- 4
Entering a case receipt number
The receipt number on a Form I-797 notice (three letters then 10 digits) tracks one specific case. It is not the account number. If the only number you have starts with a receipt code rather than coming from an account profile, it is probably a receipt number, not the OAN.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
We are filing our first marriage-based petition. Do we have a USCIS Online Account Number?
Probably not, for either spouse. A person only has one if they previously filed a form through a USCIS online account or received a receipt number that begins with IOE. If this I-130 is the couple's first filing, print "N/A" in both Part 2, Item 2 and Part 4, Item 2.
Why does the I-130 ask for the USCIS Online Account Number twice?
The number is personal to each person, so the form collects it separately for the petitioner (Part 2, Item 2) and the beneficiary (Part 4, Item 2). One spouse can have a number while the other does not. Fill each box based on that person's own USCIS history.
Do I leave the box blank or write N/A?
The I-130 instructions' general completion rule (item 3) directs you to print "N/A" in any field that does not apply. So on the I-130, an empty online-account box gets "N/A." This differs from the I-485, where the equivalent field is left blank.
Is the USCIS Online Account Number the same as an A-Number?
No. The A-Number (Alien Registration Number) tracks a person across USCIS records and goes in Item 1 of each part. The USCIS Online Account Number is an account identifier and goes in Item 2. The instructions state directly that the OAN is not the same as an A-Number.
There is an online-account box at the top of page 1. Is that ours?
No. The box at the top of page 1 is labeled for an attorney or accredited representative and is filled only when a lawyer files Form G-28 with your petition. If you are filing on your own, leave it alone and use Part 2, Item 2 or Part 4, Item 2.
Where do I find the number if we do have one?
If that spouse filed online, sign in to their USCIS account and check the account profile. If they mailed a form earlier and USCIS opened an account for them, the number is at the top of the Account Access Notice USCIS sent.
Key takeaways
- ✓
The I-130 asks for the USCIS Online Account Number twice: petitioner at Part 2, Item 2 and beneficiary at Part 4, Item 2.
- ✓
Most couples filing a first petition have none, so both boxes get "N/A" per the instructions' general rule (item 3).
- ✓
You only have this number if that person previously filed a form with a receipt number starting with IOE.
- ✓
It is not the A-Number (Item 1 of each part) and not a case receipt number (on a Form I-797 notice).
- ✓
The online-account box at the top of page 1 is for an attorney filing Form G-28, not for either spouse.
- ✓
The I-485 leaves the equivalent field blank; the I-130 instructions direct "N/A." Follow each form's own instructions.
This page is for educational purposes only and is not legal advice. Green Card Genius is self-help immigration software, not a law firm, and does not provide legal representation. Immigration law and USCIS policy change frequently. For advice on a specific case, consult a licensed immigration attorney. Form I-130, edition 04/01/24. Last verified July 2026.
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