Stolen green card – trying to get CA drivers license

[KCS 0]

First I would like to say how happy I am to have stumbled upon this site – have absorbed some great info that isn’t that easy to find elsewhere!

Now for the sticky situation I seem to be in - Just before Christmas I had my wallet stolen. My green card and UK drivers license where inside.

I am currently completing an I-751, so I am within the 90 day period of my stolen card’s expiration date.

I have visited the DMV twice now and been told that without a green card, I can not get a CA license. A lawyer advised me that they would accept the stamp in my passport (I travelled home for Christmas and had to get a letter of transportation from the American embassy there and then they stamp your passport on arrival back into the states). On my second visit to the DMV, armed with every piece of relevant paperwork, my passport, a letter of entitlement to drive from the DVLA in the UK and a photocopy of my green card, I was again refused. Stupidly I did not know that ‘LPR’, handwritten by an immigration officer, meant Lawful permanent resident. I thought it was his signature!!! Yikes

Anyway, I called the USCIS to try and find a way around this. They told me that I would have to apply for a replacement card, costing around $450 (including biometrics) HOWEVER, they do not issue replacement cards if you are within the 90 period of expiration on the card that was lost/stolen!!!!!

My I-751 is almost ready to go in the mail – will I have to wait until I get an NOA and then go back to the DMV?

[jkelly07 120]

you said you have a copy of your stolen permanent residence card, make another copy and put it with your 1-751 and file,and they will send you a one year extention letter for green card,then 3-4 weeks asc appointment for biometrics fingerprints,in the mean they should send you the new green card 10 years,if you realy need the permanent residence to drive, then you need to file the 1-90 and pay a fee for a new card, 365.00 and 85.00 for biometrics 450.00 total, good luck what ever you decide,

[dolphin1 5]

After filing the I-751, you will receive the NOA that will extend you residency for one year. Take that letter with you to DMV and you be able to get your drivers licence. I did that when i had to renew mine, they know about that NOA. I live in Arizona by the way.

[Amanda+Stephen 0]

My husband and I faced a similar situation in 2010. My husband had lost his Greencard. We had gone to the local USCIS office and they too told us to file for a replacement greent card. At that point in time, we were 3 months from filing the I-751. We decided not to file for replacement. We visited the local USCIS office again right before the 90 day period was to begin, explaining he lost his greencard and that we were going to be filing the I-751. An officer told us to go ahead and file, include the copy of the greencard with the I-751 (luckily we had a copy, and only a copy of the front of the Greencard). He also told us, that once we filed and the I-751 was pending in the system, we could come back to the local USCIS office and get a I-551 stamp put in my husband's passport. So we filed, including the photocopy and all the other needed evidence. Once we received the NOA1, we waited about 2 weeks and then went back to the USCIS office with the NOA1 and every other piece of government paperwork we had ever filed. After about 1 minute of waiting, we got called up by the officer (same one who told us we could get a stamp put in the passport). Five minutes later we left with a nice I-551 stamp in his passport. And just earlier this week, our I-751 was approved and my husband's 10 year Greencard arrived yesterday.

Try making an infopass appointment and ask if once the I-751 is pending, if you can get a I-551 stamp. You can explain you have lost your greencard. The NOA1 from I-751 alone may not be enough for the DMV, because the NOA1 is to be shown with the actual expired Greencard. But some places are more flexible than others.

Just wanted to share a similar experience. Good luck!