I'm in the process of completing a visa application for my niece and on of the questions is to add the passport book number. Anyone know what this is?

Passport Number.

The number of the passport printed in the passport as 'Passport Number xxxxxxx' or 'Document Number xxxxxxx'.

It's right near the photo, along with the other details.

Thanks for the replies but the question on the US nonimmigrant visa application is for the passport book number in addition to the obvious passport number. On the passport there is a personal number listed but not sure if this is what they mean by book number. Maybe their is somone who has recently completed the US nonimmigrant visa form can answer?

The want her personal ID card number which is the same as passport number and the actual book number which on older passports was actually punched in the book and appeared on each page.

Here is sample of passport data page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_passport

If passport number shown is different from ID number that would be book number.

Personal number is ID number.

Edited March 13, 201313 yr by ubonjoe

"The want her personal ID card number which is the same as passport number..."

Not the same on Thai pp issued Feb 09.

PP number is at the top, personal ID number 4 lines below, and not the same.

Terry

I suggest for Passport Book Number you tick the box "Does Not Apply"

Ok I'm thai and after checking my passport, this is what I have

inside the front flap: passport number and thai id number etcs

outside - on the back: each passport of mine (whether old or new) always has this barcode sticker (13 digits) on it.

I think this is the book number.

You just have to turn over and look at the back of it. The numbers are different from the passport and personal id numbers

Hope this helps

If it is not labelled "Book number" then it is not the book number, ie the Thai passport does not have a book number, nor do the passports of most other countries, I suspect. There is a reason why why this field on the application form is optional, ie has a tick box for "Does not apply". The barcode on the outside back cover is on a removable adhesive label (sticker) and thus is of no permanent significance and certainly not something that the US visa application is asking for. Just the same, I am curious to know why this sticker got put there and by whom. If you could call the passport office to ask, I should be grateful if you posted the answer here.

Looking at 2 Thai passports, both issued April 2012. No stickers with numbers anywhere. My guess would be the sticker is sometimes left on, and is used for accounting purposes.

To the OP. I have checked the “Does not apply” on 3 visa applications. All three were successful.

Good luck, and let us know what happens.