Passport Book Number: Where to Find It and When It Changes

Find the data page first

The data page carries the photograph, name, nationality, date of birth, issue date, expiration date, and passport number. On the next-generation United States passport, the State Department describes the number as one letter followed by eight digits and notes that it is perforated through every page.

Treat the physical document as the source

Copy the number from the passport you will travel with. Do not rely on an old airline profile, a photo of an expired book, or an application receipt. Check similar characters carefully and enter the number without adding spaces unless the form instructs otherwise.

Separate the book from the card

A passport book and passport card are separate documents with separate numbers, even when ordered together. Use the book number for a book field and the card number for a card field. The card is not a substitute for international air travel.

Do not use the application locator

The application locator number helps track a pending application. It is not the passport number and does not become the document identifier. Wait for the issued passport before entering a new number into a future international booking if the carrier requires it.

Expect a different number after renewal

The State Department says a renewed passport receives a new passport number. Once it arrives, update trusted-traveler records, airline profiles, visa applications when permitted, cruise records, and any future reservation that stores the old document details.

Keep visas in an old passport separate

The State Department may return an old passport after renewal. A visa in the old book may still be usable if the issuing country allows it, but the new passport remains the active travel document. Check the embassy or consulate that issued the visa before traveling with both books.

Handle a form that asks for a separate book number

Some foreign forms use Passport Book Number as a separate field because other countries print an inventory or control number. A United States passport does not label a separate field that way. Use the form's official help and the issuing authority rather than guessing from another string on the page.

Protect the number like identity data

Do not post an uncensored data page or send the number through an insecure message. Share it only with a legitimate government, carrier, employer, or travel provider that needs it. A passport number alone is not the document, but it is sensitive personal information.