Replacing a stolen green card

[bcking 3,157]

Apologies if this is the wrong area, a mod can move me.

 

My wife just had her green card stolen (She pulled over at the scene of an accident to help, didn't think to lock her car, and her bag was taken from her car. So much for being a good samaritan).

 

Two questions:

 

1. Anyone have experience with how long it takes to get the new one? We are expecting our first baby in December and she wants to return home in February to visit family and friends

 

2. The online process says it requires a copy of the "Form I-797". We have it, but it was delivered to us during Harvey last year. It is severely water damaged. Not much we can do really. I know this is a VERY specific question but does anyone think that will be a problem?

 

Thanks

Edited October 22, 2018 by bcking

[Crazy Cat 41,888]

If she doesn't have the physical card, I would suggest going to your local USCIS office to obtain a 551 stamp in the interim while a new card is being processed.

[kris&me 572]

when she received it,  did you make a copy of it?

makes it a lot eaiser to show a copy when you go to an info pass

we are all told to make 2 copies of our passport before traveling

i suggest people do this also for the green card and their national ID and keep copies in a  safe place

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

3 minutes ago, kris&me said:

when she received it,  did you make a copy of it?

makes it a lot eaiser to show a copy when you go to an info pass

we are all told to make 2 copies of our passport before traveling

i suggest people do this also for the green card and their national ID and keep copies in a  safe place

Another option is to take a photo on your phone and save it in a password protected file /album on the cloud. 

[Wuozopo 4,293]

1 hour ago, bcking said:

2. The online process says it requires a copy of the "Form I-797". We have it, but it was delivered to us during Harvey last year. It is severely water damaged. Not much we can do really. I know this is a VERY specific question but does anyone think that will be a problem?

 

Stick a Post-It on the copy saying "Apologies for the damaged I-797. It was delivered to Houston, TX during Hurricane Harvey". Enough said. Everybody knows about Harvey and Houston.

[bcking 3,157]

3 hours ago, Wuozopo said:

Stick a Post-It on the copy saying "Apologies for the damaged I-797. It was delivered to Houston, TX during Hurricane Harvey". Enough said. Everybody knows about Harvey and Houston.

I'm hoping that is the case.  There is nothing we could do. We stuck it together as best as we could but it literally came out of the envelope in pieces from the water.

 

4 hours ago, missileman said:

If she doesn't have the physical card, I would suggest going to your local USCIS office to obtain a 551 stamp in the interim while a new card is being processed.

She had a stamp in her passport from before she received the green card, is that different?

 

4 hours ago, SusieQQQ said:

Another option is to take a photo on your phone and save it in a password protected file /album on the cloud. 

I thought she took a picture of it. The physical card is good, so I'm not sure if a picture really helps at all at this point.

 

Two new questions:

 

1. Flying without the physical green card is out, I'm assuming? Our baby is due in December and she was planning a trip home after. From what I've read it seems like it can take up to 6 months to get the replacement. I assume that means no flying home during that time? That is going to crush her.

 

2. The card that she lost will be 2 years in April 2019, and it was a conditional. So that means 90 days prior to that (I think I calculated sometime in January) we were going to apply to remove the conditions to make it a "permanent" card. Does that have a 550 dollar fee as well? If we have a picture of the card, and we accept that she can't travel, could we just wait to request a new card until January and then go straight to the removal form? Or do you need the physical card to apply to remove the conditions?

 

Thanks everyone.

[Crazy Cat 41,888]

2 minutes ago, bcking said:

I'm hoping that is the case.  There is nothing we could do. We stuck it together as best as we could but it literally came out of the envelope in pieces from the water.

 

She had a stamp in her passport from before she received the green card, is that different?

 

I thought she took a picture of it. The physical card is good, so I'm not sure if a picture really helps at all at this point.

 

Two new questions:

 

1. Flying without the physical green card is out, I'm assuming? Our baby is due in December and she was planning a trip home after. From what I've read it seems like it can take up to 6 months to get the replacement. I assume that means no flying home during that time? That is going to crush her.

 

2. The card that she lost will be 2 years in April 2019, and it was a conditional. So that means 90 days prior to that (I think I calculated sometime in January) we were going to apply to remove the conditions to make it a "permanent" card. Does that have a 550 dollar fee as well? If we have a picture of the card, and we accept that she can't travel, could we just wait to request a new card until January and then go straight to the removal form? Or do you need the physical card to apply to remove the conditions?

 

Thanks everyone.

1.  If she has a valid I-551 stamp in her passport, she could fly with that.

2.  The fee for Removal of Conditions is $595 + $85.  You must include a copy of front and back of the Green Card when filing ROC.

[bcking 3,157]

2 minutes ago, missileman said:

1.  If she has a valid I-551 stamp in her passport, she could fly with that.

2.  The fee for Removal of Conditions is $595 + $85.  You must include a copy of front and back of the Green Card when filing ROC.

#1 - I'll check. That may be the one silver lining. The money is annoying but not being able to visit her family (and she wanted the baptism in the UK) would be a whole new level.

 

#2 - Just saw that. Even if we have a picture of it, it's just going to be the front. We wouldn't have thought to take photos of both sides.

 

So $550 now and by the time we receive the card it'll be time to request the "upgrade"...

 

All because she wanted to be a Good Samaritan and help at the scene of an accident

Edited October 22, 2018 by bcking

[Crazy Cat 41,888]

1 minute ago, bcking said:

#2 - Just saw that. Even if we have a picture of it, it's just going to be the front. We wouldn't have thought to take photos of both sides.

 

So $550 now and by the time we receive the card it'll be time to request the "upgrade"...

 

All because she wanted to be a Good Samaritan and help at the scene of an accident

The official instructions say "Permanent Resident Card- You must file your petition with a copy of your permanent resident card or alien registration card, and a copy of the permanent resident or alien registration cards of your conditional resident children that you are including in your petition. Submit copies of both front and back sides of the card."

[bcking 3,157]

Just now, missileman said:

The official instructions say "Permanent Resident Card- You must file your petition with a copy of your permanent resident card or alien registration card, and a copy of the permanent resident or alien registration cards of your conditional resident children that you are including in your petition. Submit copies of both front and back sides of the card."

Ya I saw.

 

It just sucks since it seems like the replacement can take 6 months, which will essentially when we are due to convert it. What if the card doesn't even come until the 2 years are up? We can't submit the petition to remove the conditional status without the card. 6 months would be April, which is when the conditional status ends.

[Crazy Cat 41,888]

Just now, bcking said:

Ya I saw.

 

It just sucks since it seems like the replacement can take 6 months, which will essentially when we are due to convert it. What if the card doesn't even come until the 2 years are up? We can't submit the petition to remove the conditional status without the card. 6 months would be April, which is when the conditional status ends.

Those are good questions.......I don't know.....I suppose you could include a picture of the front (if you have one) along with a letter explaining the situation.  I'm not sure how they would react.  

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

   You include the copy of the police report for the stolen greed card along with an explanation letter.  You did file the required police report ? 

[bcking 3,157]

51 minutes ago, NigeriaorBust said:

   You include the copy of the police report for the stolen greed card along with an explanation letter.  You did file the required police report ? 

Yes she did. The police were already there for the accident.

[Wuozopo 4,293]

1 hour ago, bcking said:

She had a stamp in her passport from before she received the green card, is that different?

It will have an expiration date. Will it be valid for the duration of her trip?

 

1 hour ago, bcking said:

If we have a picture of the card, and we accept that she can't travel, could we just wait to request a new card until January and then go straight to the removal form? Or do you need the physical card to apply to remove the conditions

 

The new 10 year card is going to take a year to 18 months to be approved. You will used the replaced 2 year card in the interim.  You really need the replacement because you can only use the I-551 stamp for so long before they quit giving you a new one. It's possible, but not a good plan.

 

 

1 hour ago, bcking said:

2 - Just saw that. Even if we have a picture of it, it's just going to be the front. We wouldn't have thought to take photos of both sides.

You send what you have and explain the card is lost and being replaced. You'll have a receipt showing a replacement has been requested. You work with what you have and file on time.

[bcking 3,157]

25 minutes ago, Wuozopo said:

It will have an expiration date. Will it be valid for the duration of her trip?

 

 

The new 10 year card is going to take a year to 18 months to be approved. You will used the replaced 2 year card in the interim.  You really need the replacement because you can only use the I-551 stamp for so long before they quit giving you a new one. It's possible, but not a good plan.

 

 

You send what you have and explain the card is lost and being replaced. You'll have a receipt showing a replacement has been requested. You work with what you have and file on time.

Ya the expiration date was like August so that won't work.

 

So yes we have to get a new one now, and then go through the replacement process possibly before we even get the new one. I have to assume they will understand that we are in a pickle...but of course I never like to assume with the USCIS. We didn't have a great experience with them the first time around...

 

Didn't realize the 10 year card takes 18 months...definitely need to get the replacement then.