Lost Green Card (expired) & International Travel

[girevick 0]

Hi all,

I tried looking for a similar situation in the forums, but couldn't find it and so I'd appreciate your input in this matter.

I'm a conditional permanent resident, and have filed my I-751. Unfortunately, I seem to have misplaced my physical green card (which expired Jan 2011). I need to travel to India at the end of the month, and so I went to my local USCIS office and obtained an I-551 stamp that serves as temporary evidence. Is this enough evidence to travel there and back? I plan on carrying a copy of my expired green card, the NOA and the Biometrics stamp document.

Does anyone think I need to do anything different? Or is this pretty much safe?

thanks,

Pat.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

If they actually gave you an I-551 stamp (which is awfully nice of them!) into your passport, that's your Green Card. No need to carry the expired one or the biometrics letter.

[Okalian 41]

Hi all,

I tried looking for a similar situation in the forums, but couldn't find it and so I'd appreciate your input in this matter.

I'm a conditional permanent resident, and have filed my I-751. Unfortunately, I seem to have misplaced my physical green card (which expired Jan 2011). I need to travel to India at the end of the month, and so I went to my local USCIS office and obtained an I-551 stamp that serves as temporary evidence. Is this enough evidence to travel there and back? I plan on carrying a copy of my expired green card, the NOA and the Biometrics stamp document.

Does anyone think I need to do anything different? Or is this pretty much safe?

thanks,

Pat.

Actually not only does it serve as a greencard, it also doesn't make it necessary to show the extension letter during international travel.

[girevick 0]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Im not too concerned about immigration here, its more airlines and immigration abroad. Given that the stamp doesn't have my picture and is handwritten. But it seems like it shouldn't be an issue.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

The airlines dealing with US entry will recognize the I-551 stamp. The green card is actually the I-551 form so you have a stamp that takes the place of the hard copy form. You should be fine.

[payxibka 10,047]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Im not too concerned about immigration here, its more airlines and immigration abroad. Given that the stamp doesn't have my picture and is handwritten. But it seems like it shouldn't be an issue.

stamp is in your passport... that document has your photo, et al.

[girevick 0]

stamp is in your passport... that document has your photo, et al.

Thanks for the replies everyone. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't underprepared!

[semih 0]

I have the same problem but they told me I need i-90 form and $450 !! I don't know what to do!

[Dave&Roza 748]

I have the same problem but they told me I need i-90 form and $450 !! I don't know what to do!

That is the cost to replace a lost GC. The OP lost her expired GC but still had her extension letter and is waiting for her 10 year GC. So the USCIS was willing to give her an I-551 stamp with an expiration date that is the same as the expired GC plus the one year extension. If you lost a valid unexpired GC then you will need to pay the replacement fee and wait for a new GC. That is the main arguement for not carrying the GC all the time because you might lose it and have to ay $450 to replace it.

Dave

[semih 0]

That is the cost to replace a lost GC. The OP lost her expired GC but still had her extension letter and is waiting for her 10 year GC. So the USCIS was willing to give her an I-551 stamp with an expiration date that is the same as the expired GC plus the one year extension. If you lost a valid unexpired GC then you will need to pay the replacement fee and wait for a new GC. That is the main arguement for not carrying the GC all the time because you might lose it and have to ay $450 to replace it.

Dave

I lost my expired card ! I filed to remove my condition in September 2012 and I have my 797 extension letter !

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

I lost my expired card ! I filed to remove my condition in September 2012 and I have my 797 extension letter !

First, priceless advice: don't lose your Green Card.

I had 2 Green Cards. They both lived all of their lives in a locked firesafe box inside a locked steel cabinet in a locked room of my locked house. If you keep your Green Card where you keep your grandmother's diamond necklace, the $10,000 emergency cash, and the loaded 9mm semi-auto, you won't lose it.

The only way you take your Green Card with you is if you are on the way to the airport to catch an international flight, or if you are directly on the way to the USCIS office. For all other purposes you use your driver's license, like hundreds of millions of people in America do.

Now . . . if you already submitted your I-751 package and you have enclosed a photo copy of your Green Card (front and back), then you may get lucky, as you probably will receive your new Green Card in the mail eventually. When you do, scan it on both sides, then make 2 color photo copies in high resolution of it, put them all in different places, and then put your new Green Card in the safe where it belongs, goddammit.

[semih 0]

First, priceless advice: don't lose your Green Card.

I had 2 Green Cards. They both lived all of their lives in a locked firesafe box inside a locked steel cabinet in a locked room of my locked house. If you keep your Green Card where you keep your grandmother's diamond necklace, the $10,000 emergency cash, and the loaded 9mm semi-auto, you won't lose it.

The only way you take your Green Card with you is if you are on the way to the airport to catch an international flight, or if you are directly on the way to the USCIS office. For all other purposes you use your driver's license, like hundreds of millions of people in America do.

Now . . . if you already submitted your I-751 package and you have enclosed a photo copy of your Green Card (front and back), then you may get lucky, as you probably will receive your new Green Card in the mail eventually. When you do, scan it on both sides, then make 2 color photo copies in high resolution of it, put them all in different places, and then put your new Green Card in the safe where it belongs, goddammit.

thank you for the advice ! I will do that with my next green card . but the problem is I am traveling international on march 28th ! I went to local uscis office and they told me i need to file i90 form to get the i551 stamp in passport :/

[Dave&Roza 748]

thank you for the advice ! I will do that with my next green card . but the problem is I am traveling international on march 28th ! I went to local uscis office and they told me i need to file i90 form to get the i551 stamp in passport :/

Take your police report of the lost GC, the I-90 form and your passport to the local office and get the stamp--they did not say you need to pay the $450 just that they need the I-90 filled out. If you still have copies of the original GC and the NOA1 extension letter take those along as well to show that you have a new GC in the works, but that you are travelling before you expect the new GC to arrive.

Good luck,

Dave

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Take your police report of the lost GC, the I-90 form and your passport to the local office and get the stamp--they did not say you need to pay the $450 just that they need the I-90 filled out. If you still have copies of the original GC and the NOA1 extension letter take those along as well to show that you have a new GC in the works, but that you are travelling before you expect the new GC to arrive.

Good luck,

Dave

Until the I90 is accepted it is nothing more than a piece of paper. To submit it there is a fee if you submit it because you lost your green card. He will have to pay.

[Dave&Roza 748]

Until the I90 is accepted it is nothing more than a piece of paper. To submit it there is a fee if you submit it because you lost your green card. He will have to pay.

The OP had the same situation and was able to get the I-551 stamp without paying (or at least there is no mention of paying in the post). Both have to travel at the end of the month. Both have filed for ROC and both have lost their original GC. The OP got the stamp and this guy is getting the royal run around. Two different USCIS local offices and two entirely different approaches. The one thing I wish about this process is that everybody should be trained to the same level so the processes and answers are consistant. SIGH!

Dave