Wireless communication with Green Card?

[Marieke H 2,496]

I received my 10 year Green Card last week (yay!), and it came with the little paper envelope that always come with cards from USCIS. But this time was the first time I actually paid attention to what was written on the little envelope. It says: "We recommend use of this envelope to protect your new card and to prevent wireless communication with it."

 

I'm intrigued. How does this work? Who or what would want to wirelessly communicate with my Green Card? And how? And why? What information would my card wirelessly communicate to whoever is communicating with it? Also, how exactly does a little paper envelope prevent all this? I am genuinely curious. Any thoughts/ideas?

[millefleur 5,046]

I was intrigued by your post and found this:

https://immigrationroad.com/blog/new-green-card-rfid-security-concerns/

https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=aefafa4d-7916-4e2e-a33d-e3f5ce76defb

 

So apparently, there is some kind of chip in the GC that can be read by certain devices, such as crossing the border at certain POEs. Interesting. My husband doesn't keep his card in the protective envelope, hope it's not an issue.

Edited September 19, 2020 by millefleur

[Marieke H 2,496]

Interesting. The envelope seems to be made of simple paper, but maybe it's more than that. It's fascinating to learn everything that apparently is in my card. Thank you for this information!

[millefleur 5,046]

1 minute ago, Marieke H said:

Interesting. The envelope seems to be made of simple paper, but maybe it's more than that. It's fascinating to learn everything that apparently is in my card. Thank you for this information!

I think the paper might have some kind of special fibers in it? Would be interesting to know more honestly.

[SalishSea 17,818]

It's probably a similar thing to issues with chips in credit cards. It just means that sensitive personal information is stored on the chip. There are special RFID safe wallets and purses that block the readers.

[HRQX 4,145]

2 hours ago, Marieke H said:

I'm intrigued. How does this work? Who or what would want to wirelessly communicate with my Green Card? And how? And why?

Did you also get the following info graphic?

[Marieke H 2,496]

6 hours ago, HRQX said:

Did you also get the following info graphic?

I did. I am just intrigued by the idea that someone else would want to communicate with my card, and also curious about the information they would get. And how that little envelope would prevent that. 

[Crazy Cat 41,836]

In 2010, USCIS began issuing "RFID enhanced" Green Cards which contain information.  The covers contain a conductive fiber which will block unwanted wireless reading of the cards.

[Marieke H 2,496]

1 minute ago, Lucky Cat said:

In 2010, USCIS began issuing "RFID enhanced" Green Cards which contain information.  The covers contain a conductive fiber which will block unwanted wireless reading of the cards.

Thanks Lucky Cat! I think I now am more intrigued by the conductive fiber than the communication with my greencard. I have seen the special hard cases that some people use to keep their credit cards etc. safe, but never knew that there can be a fiber in an envelope that really just looks and feels like paper. This is so interesting!

[JacobP 185]

Passports around the world have been doing something similar for a while now. Your dutch passport probably has something like this.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biometric_passport

[HRQX 4,145]

5 minutes ago, JacobP said:

Passports around the world have been doing something similar for a while now. Your dutch passport probably has something like this.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biometric_passport

Unlike the passport book, the RFID chip in the Green Card is designed to be readable at a greater distance, allowing border agents to access traveler information before they pull up to the inspection station. Ready Lane-eligible cards include the following: U.S. Passport Cards, Enhanced Driver’s Licenses, Enhanced Tribal Cards, Enhanced Border Crossing Cards, Enhanced Permanent Resident Cards, and Trusted Traveler Program (NEXUS, SENTRI, Global Entry or FAST) cards.

[Letspaintcookies 2,310]

5 hours ago, HRQX said:

Unlike the passport book, the RFID chip in the Green Card is designed to be readable at a greater distance, allowing border agents to access traveler information before they pull up to the inspection station. Ready Lane-eligible cards include the following: U.S. Passport Cards, Enhanced Driver’s Licenses, Enhanced Tribal Cards, Enhanced Border Crossing Cards, Enhanced Permanent Resident Cards, and Trusted Traveler Program (NEXUS, SENTRI, Global Entry or FAST) cards.

That makes sense. But if everybody uses that little envelope then the distance readability is not really working anymore, isn't it?

[HRQX 4,145]

1 hour ago, Letspaintcookies said:

But if everybody uses that little envelope then the distance readability is not really working anymore, isn't it?

At the vehicle Ready Lane, travelers should wave the cards without the envelopes when passing the reader.

 

Likewise, at the pedestrian Ready Lane kiosk's crevice.

The pedestrian kiosk also accepts US passport book because the traveler places the passport inside the kiosk's crevice where the RFID reader is located.

[ProudlyConfused 24]

Passports have the same RDID tech in them.

 

You can actually purchase wallets - and I do - that prevent RFID chips from being able to be scanned while in them. They are not more expensive than a normal good wallet either

[Fr8dog 312]

They RFID chips are a great invention for several applications.

The problem with the ones in ID's (a lot of ID's have them now) is not the intend of the chip, but the fact that any correctly configured radio beacon can trigger them. The receiver needs to be either close by or very strong. The exact info transmitted by the chip varies by application but it always includes uniquely identifying info. (kind of useless if it didn't. 

Any and all personal ID's should therefor always be carried shielded. Some people suggest throwing them in the microwave to blow the chip, but that is considered defacing / altering the document and is illegal.