What Do Stars on American Visa Photos Mean?

The stars below the photograph on an American visa indicate the visa issuance authority and are part of the visa's security features. Here's what they signify:

Purpose of the Stars:

1. Identification of Issuing Post:

o The number of stars (e.g., 1, 2, or 3) corresponds to the specific U.S. embassy or consulate where the visa was issued.

o Each U.S. diplomatic mission is assigned a unique code, and the stars help visually identify this.

2. Fraud Prevention:

o The stars, along with other features like microtext, holograms, and barcodes, enhance the visa's security and make counterfeiting more difficult.

General Information:

• Not all visa holders or embassies have the same number of stars; the variation depends on the internal coding system of the U.S. Department of State.

• The stars are not related to the visa holder's eligibility, travel privileges, or the type of visa issued.

If you have further concerns about your visa, you can confirm its authenticity through the U.S. Department of State or the issuing embassy.