Left/Lost Green Card in US, in UK for Christmas

[Warney63 0]

Hello,

I wonder if anyone could offer advice.

I am a green card holder (expires in 2019) living in Los Angeles. This Christmas I returned to the UK for two weeks (I am here now). Before I returned to the UK, I was rounding up Passport (UK) and my green card, and couldnt find my GC. I had put it in a safe place as I have a US drivers license now so have no need to use GC (though technically I have to carry it everywhere, I try not to lose it - ironic given the current circumstances).

My wife is back in the US and is looking frantically for it. I am 90% sure it's somewhere in our apartment as I am very careful with it. I decided to come to the UK anyway as I had not seen my parents for 18 months.

SO, given that my green card is either lost, or back in the USA, what are my options? I have read that I can go to the US embassy in London, but would they differentiate between a lost green card, or if I said I left it back in the USA? If i said I left it in the USA, could I still get the temporary 551 stamp in my passport? Or would I have to still file for a lost green card?

Does anyone have any experience about how far in advance it takes to book appointments at the embassy? I will call first thing tomorrow morning.

Finally, is there any possible way I can get around going to London (I live up north, and the snow makes it fairly hard to get down) and still get back to the USA for January 1st?

I have with me:

photocopy of lost green card

Califonia Drivers license

Return plane ticket

Any advice would be greatly appriciated.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Duplicate thread removed as this is the best forum for this question:

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The best solution will be for your wife to find the card and send it to you ASAP - courier. Think creatively of the 'safe' places you might have left it (you didn't leave it on the photocopier after making a copy of it, did you?) or when you last had it and used it and what you were doing at the time. Do you have a safe deposit box at a bank, perhaps? And yes, you are supposed to carry it with you at all times, even though that is a risk - it is still the law.

If you cannot find it then you are going to have to contact the nearest Consulate which appears to be London. They can issue you a Boarding Authorization Letter that you would use to return to the US. The Letter instructs the airline that the holder is a US PR and to allow them on the plane to fly to the US. It should also allow you through immigration. When you are back home, you will then file for the replacement Green card with its high price tag. You can't apply for a replacement or a new green card from outside of the US - only from within the US so you can't do that at the Consulate.

To get the letter (also known as a Transportation letter) you need to go to the US Consulate, bring your passport, the copy of your green card (make a copy of the copy so you have that still), 2 passport style photographs and proof that you haven't been out of the US for more than a year (your boarding pass and your return tickets). I don't know how long it takes but your phone call to the Consulate should be able to provide that.

Be sure to tell the Consulate the truth. It is better to get a 'lecture' than to give them a reason to doubt your honesty. You're not the first who has done that nor will you be the last.

Good luck.

Edited December 19, 2010 by Kathryn41

[Warney63 0]

Thanks Karolyn,

So I should tell the consulate that I knowingly left the US without it? Would that have any consequences that you are aware of?

Andrew.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Yes. Admit your culpability. Explain that you just believed it was a matter of finding a misplaced card and that your wife was going to courier it to you, that you hadn't thought the situation through thoroughly enough to realize what would happen if she couldn't find it. The consequences are likely to be a lecture advising you that you are required by law to carry it with you at all times and that the inconvenience doesn't outweigh the law. They don't have to issue the Transportation letter - and if there are problems with your status back in the US (eg criminal charges, etc.) they would probably not in those cases, which would strand you overseas. There doesn't seem to be any issues that would cause them to deny you the letter, though, If they think that it is likely to be found they may hold off on issuing it but I can't see them denying it. Being less than truthful in your dealings with the Consulate and USCIS, however, can have serious repercussions and may give them reason to deny it. It would be very easy for you to misspeak yourself about the 'circumstances of a lost card' that you are more likely to give your own fabrication away rather than get away with it - with much more serious repercussions.

So, as unappetizing as it may be, admit that you did leave the US without your green card, having thought that you knew where it was and not being able to find it before you left, but with every expectation that your wife would find it while you were away and that you would have received it in time to re-enter the US. That hasn't happened and now you are requesting help from the Consulate to overcome the consequences of your own actions. Be embarrassed while you tell it, admit that it was a stupid thing to do and you will probably get off easier than trying to brazen it out. .

You could start your request by stating that you left the US without your green card and wonder if the Consulate can provide you with something that you can use to get back in. They will probably ask 'how did that happen' and that will give you your opportunity to tell your story. You can certainly stress that you had every expectation that it would be found and sent to you and didn't expect to be in this situation - but that hasn't happened and now you need help.

Good luck.

Edited December 19, 2010 by Kathryn41