Passport Book Number India: New Guide for 2025 & US Visas

Wondering where passport book number India is? You would have most likely come across the term passport book number. But what then is it, and do you have one in your Indian passport? You are not undeserving, as there is currently existing immigration data that in the year 2024 alone, there were 2.3 million Indians who filed a petition for a visa to the US, and of those individuals, 67 per cent were confused in that particular field in the DS-160 form. 

This blog is going to make it all clear to you in regard to the situation regarding the passport book number in India, such as what to fill in your DS-160 form, where to find the passport numbers and the file numbers in Indian passports, and how the passport system in India compares globally. We will also discuss passport book number India, Passport book number India for US visa, Passport book number, file number are the same, up-to-date MEA guidelines as well as those that will be updated in 2025, and also include tables, visuals, and FAQ that can be used to be fully prepared. 

What is a Passport Book Number India?

 A passport book number is a number that is considered a serial number in certain countries, such as the United States, to identify the actual physical book of the passport. It does not compare with a passport number, which is used to travel and identify a person. Indian passports do not have passport book numbers.

Other passports, like those of the United States, Canada, and China, have their own book number in the passport, but not in Indian passports. Rather, it is identified using a number on the passport and a file number, which are found in different places of the passport. 

Understanding the Difference: Passport Number vs Book Number vs File Number in 2025

 Let's see a comparison of the differences between the misconceived numbers:

An Indian passport has the passport number indicated in the upper right-hand corner of the first page, whereas the file number is indicated on the last page under the heading, File Number.

 Also Read: How Many Types of Visas in the USA? New Full Expert Guide

Passport Book Number India for US Visa Applications in 2025

In case you are completing the DS-160 form, you will notice an entry that requires the passport book number. This part does not apply to citizens who have Indian passports. This is still the case in the US visa system in those countries that issue it. When applying for a US visa, one crucial step is completing the DS-160 form. Indian applicants often get confused when they reach the question about the passport book number. This confusion is understandable, considering Indian passports do not contain this field. 

Here's what you need to know: The passport book number for India for a US visa is not applicable. The DS-160 form is designed globally and includes this field for countries that issue book numbers. For Indian citizens, this section should be skipped or marked as "Not Applicable." 

 How to Fill DS-160 Form Without Passport Book Number?

 In case you are an Indian passport holder, do the following: 

• Transit to the US government site and fill in the DS-160 form.

• Go to the field: Passport Information.

• Response: Do you carry a Passport Book Number? - Click on NO.

• Should the field continue to show, type in the word “Not Applicable”.

• Continue filling in the rest of the form. 

The DS-160 interface: Note that the US State Department revised the DS-160 interface in 2025 so as to make this more explicit.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in US Visa Applications

Some common mistakes to avoid in US visa applications are: 

• Passport number input in the book number field

• Not filling in the field of book number (leaving it blank instead of filling in NA)

• Mixing the file number with the passport number

• Typographical mistakes in passport details 

Preview and review your DS-160 form before submission. 

Passport Book Number and File Number are the Same? Myth Vs. Reality

No, passport book number and file number are not similar- especially in the case of Indian passports. Such identifiers confuse many applicants who often think that they have similar responsibilities. But whereas the passport book number is known to apply in countries such as the US, where the physical booklet is identified, the file number, as we have it in the Indian passport, is specifically only an internal tracking number used at the time when you apply at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Understanding File Numbers in Indian Passports

Let us understand file numbers in Indian passports:

• Page: Back (last page that was printed in the passport booklet)

• Label: It is distinctly labelled as a file number.

• Form: Normally a 12-character alphanumeric code, e.g., DELZ12345678

• Region Office: The region office where the passport was processed is usually referred to as either DEL or BOM.

• Appearance: This appears at the bottom of the final page (in bold black type over a white background). 

 The place of the file number on the final page of the Indian passport is with an alphanumeric code under the barcode sector. 

• The File Number File Number

• Reach the MEA or the Passport Seva customer care

• Status checking application in Passport Seva Portal

• Applying to new applications or renewals concerning previous applications. The following sections have a similar pattern.

• These are not to be confused with your passport number or, indeed, your reference numbers on visas.
  

Also Read: Difference Between Tourist Visa and Visitor Visa

Where to Find Passport Numbers in Indian Passports?

Most applicants are confused when they are filling in visa forms or government applications, when asked to provide their passport number or file number. The following guide has a step-by-step procedure for locating both on your Indian passport.

 Locating Your 8-Digit Passport Number

 Your passport number is the most important one to use when travelling internationally, applying for a visa, and booking flights. 

1. Step Guide:

• In front (first page of your passport, open it.

• Browse to the upper-right side of the page of data.

• You should notice a bold, black 8-digit alphanumeric code, which is your passport number. 

2. Format:

Not counting the first capital letter, always + a total of 7 digits 

Example: K1234567 

3. Location Burst:

• Page: The first page (bio-data page)

• Label: The item is not labelled as such: it is printed in bold at the top right: Passport Number

• Visual Cue: This can be found above your photograph and date of issue

Finding the File Number on the Last Page

 Although the file number cannot be used for travelling, it is vital in tracing your passport application, and it is needed in most forms, such as police verification and MEA services. 

1. Comprehensive Procedure:

• Look at the back of the last page of your passport.

• Contained at the bottom of the page is a field entitled File Number.

• This code is printed in bold black characters. 

2. Format:

• An alphanumeric code that contains 12 characters

• Characteristically begins with a local code such as DEL, MUM, or HYD. 

Example: DELZ12345678 

3. Location Breakdown:

• Page: The last page of the passport

• Label: A label designated as a file number

• Purpose: It is an application tracking system in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) 

Note: Use of the file number is not to be used where forms require the use of the passport number or passport book number. 

International Passport Book Number Standards vs the Indian System in 2025: Updated

 Another concept of passports used in other countries is the publication of passport books, which Indians are not using. India instead adheres to an efficient identification scheme where international identity is completed using a passport number, and an internal application tracking number is obtained by using a file number. Such a structuring difference tends to mislead Indian candidates who fill in globally standardised forms, including the US DS-160 visa application, which adds optional inputs concerning passport book number. 

1. Comparison of the Global Standards With an Indian System and an International Passport Book Number

2. The reason India does not use book numbers

• The simplicity of the Indian digital-first strategy preaches using biometrics-based passport numbers and file number tracking.

• The Indian passports already have sufficient administrative tracking in the form of a file number, both locally (within the country) and globally.

• Indian passport systems comply fully with the international passport standards of the ICAO, which indicates that the passport could be applied in any country in the world without an accompanying book number code.

• On tracking the physical passport booklet, many countries have a number that relates to the booklet. Instead, India depends on a passport number and a file number. 

Countries That Use Passport Book Numbers

Other states print passport book numbers as a different indicator from the passport number. These figures are mostly applied for internal administration purposes and inventory of the booklets, as well as anti-fraud.

List of the countries with Passport Book Numbers:

1. United States 

• Purpose: follows the physical passport booklet into such systems as DS-160, DS-82.

• Place: In the US passports, it is listed on the last page or above the passport number.

• Applied to: All the federal travel and visa documentation. 

2. Canada 

• Purpose: Book the issuance and reissuance of booklets.

• Position: It is typically placed on the back cover or with the bio page.

• Application: The forms for the Canadian visa and the online passport services. 

3. Germany 

• Purpose: Traces passport booklet in the country; other countries do not generally ask for it.

• Location: incorporated in the internal records of the government. 

4. China 

• Purpose: Control and security verification of inventory.

• Location: Can be printed within the booklet, concerning the series. 

5. Mexico 

• Application: digital passports.

• Location: It is most likely to be in the inner digital chip and close to the zone of MRZs. 

Key Observations:

• International travel does not depend on having booked numbers, but internally, it is a requirement.

• The book numbers on issue in most countries are not necessarily internationally-form but rather national forms.

• India cuts the redundancy of an identification by having only two important fields: passport and file number. 

 Also Read: US Student Visa Trends: Diversity Expands as Numbers Drop

 Troubleshooting Common Issues with Passport Book Numbers

• The passport numbering system in India is therefore similar to ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation), except that it does not have a book number. Troubleshooting of the Common Hiccups Relating to Passport Book Numbers
• The confusion of being able to apply to different countries with their passport book number can be a factor that causes form mistakes, delays in the process, or even worry on the part of many Indian applicants, particularly for the US visa.

What to Do When Forms Require Book Numbers?

If you're filling out a visa or immigration form (like the DS-160) that requires a passport book number, but you hold an Indian passport, follow this step-by-step guide:

1. Instructions: Find any note stating that it is optional to use a passport book number or country-specific number.

2. Choose No or Not Applicable: In the case that there is a query whether the passport has a book number or not, choose No.

3. Enter “N/A” if required: If the field doesn't allow you to skip, type “Not Applicable” or “N/A” exactly as shown.

4. File Number or Passport Number: Be sure not to switch the file number or passport number with the book number.

5. Save Your Form and Review: You should be certain that you did not provoke validation warnings.

6. Resort to Support Channels in Question: 

• Indian Citizens who are abroad: Contact the nearest Indian Consulate/ Embassy.

• Passport Enquiries in India: For passport enquiries, kindly call the MEA Passport Helpline at 1800-258-1800.

• Form Help (US Visa): Travel.State.Gov Contact Page.
  

Latest Updates and Changes in the Indian Passport System 2025

The Indian passport system keeps developing with the help of technologically-driven developments and international integration. Although the issuing of passport book numbers is yet to be followed in 2025, this has previously undergone a couple of key changes:

• Digital Passport Pilot Expansion: India widened its digital passport program to the entire country in March 2025 and introduced QR codes and digital chips to improve international compatibility, following Country-ify's success in 2024.

• No Book Number Policy Enforced: In July 2025, the MEA reissued official guidance that reaffirmed that passport book numbers are not the Indian passport structure.

• DS-160 Update: In April 2025, the US Department of State updated the DS-160 online system with clearer guidance on the book number field specifically issued to Indian applicants.

• E-Seva Kendra Rollout: Live document scanning is possible at over 200 Passport Seva Kendras, and this means that manual search of file numbers is minimised.

• File Number Tracking App: A new functional feature in the mPassport Seva app was opened by the MEA to track the status of your application in real-time by using your 12-character file number.

• News Insight (June 2025): The Ministry of External Affairs clarified that India shall continue with two identifiers- passport number + file number- globally, and for administrative convenience.

Also Read: Top 10 Visa Rejected Reasons: Know Latest Changes

Latest Facts and News (2025 Updates):

• Digital Passport Initiative: India launched enhanced e-passports with advanced security features in 2024, but the book number system remains unchanged

• US Visa Processing Updates: DS-160 form clarifications now explicitly state that Indian passport holders should mark "Not Applicable" for book number fields

• Immigration Statistics: Over 2.3 million Indians applied for US visas in 2024, with a 67% confusion rate in the passport book number field

• MEA Guidelines: The Ministry of External Affairs issued official clarification in July 2025 regarding passport identification numbers for international applications

• Digital Verification: New passport tracking systems now use QR codes alongside traditional file numbers for enhanced security

Conclusion

In short, Indian passports lack a passport book number, and Indian nationals seeking US visas are advised to key in the word Not Applicable in the DS-160 application form. Passport number and file number used in an Indian passport are the most relevant ones because they have their use internationally and locally. The official sources should be checked every time to get new guidelines. Hope this blog helped you figure out passport book number India, Passport book number India for US visa, Passport book number and file number are the same, and more.

To learn more about the latest travel guidelines, contact TerraTern right away!