Lost Your U.S. Green Card? Here’s the Quickest Way to Reapply for Permanent Residency

If you lose your U.S. green card, apply for it again by filing I-90, paying fees, and many other documents as revealed in the following article. See now!
As a legal permanent resident in the United States, you surely know that a green card is a very important document that represents your ability to live and work long-term in America.
But if you lose your U.S. green card or have it stolen or damaged, you will definitely encounter many troubles.
So what should you do if you have lost your green card?
In this article, ImmiPath will guide you on how to remake a Green Card lost so you can receive the best policies in the United States. Read now!

1. What Should You Do if You Lose the U.S. Green Card? The Fastest Way to Get a Green Card

First, you need to understand the importance of a green card. A green card, also known as a permanent resident card, serves as tangible and legal proof of your right to live and work in the United States. If you lose your U.S. green card and do not find a way to replace or exchange it, your permanent residency in the U.S. will expire.

A green card, also known as a permanent resident card, serves as tangible and legal proof of your right to live and work in the United States. If you lose your U.S. green card and do not find a way to replace or exchange it, your permanent residency in the U.S. will expire.
At age 18 or older, the law requires you to carry a green card as proof of residency in the United States. If you lose your green card, you will have to remake it.
Below, ImmiPath will guide you on how to reapply for a U.S. green card in the fastest and most detailed way in both domestic and foreign cases.

1.1. Green card replacement process within the United States

To renew a lost U.S. green card, you need to fill out and submit Form I-90 (called “Application for a Replacement Permanent Resident Card”).
Form I-90 can only be filed from within the U.S., so if you are traveling abroad, you will need to wait until you return to the U.S. and then apply for a replacement green card.
There are 2 ways you can submit your I-90 online or by mail. But in some cases, you must file a paper I-90 and submit the application by mail.
Whether you apply online or by mail, the steps to replace a green card are essentially the same:

• Step 1: Complete Form I-90
• Step 2: Review and sign your form
• Step 3: Submit form, supporting documents, and application fee (if required)

The supporting documents you need to prepare depend on the reason you want to change your green card or if you lost it and need to replace it
Usually will include:
A copy of the front and back of your green card before you lost it
Copy of other government-issued identification (e.g., driver’s license), or other proof of your status and biographical information

After completing your preparation, you need to check the list of supporting documents for Form I-90.

1.2. Green card replacement process from outside the U.S.

Note: because you need a green card to re-enter the United States, you will have additional requirements if your green card is lost or stolen while you are outside the United States.

If you lose your green card outside the United States, the process of getting a replacement green card is a bit more complicated. You will need to return to the United States before filing Form I-90, but you will have to take some additional steps first.
Go to the nearest local police agency to report the loss, then contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for further instructions.
This is important because when you return to the United States, you will need to apply for a “boarding authorization” – a document that tells airlines that you are allowed to travel to the United States without your green card.
To do this, you will have to complete Form I-131A (known as “Application for Carrier Documentation”) and pay a $575 filing fee. Consular officials will be able to provide you with further information
Once you are safely back in the United States, promptly submit form I-90 to receive a replacement green card.

1.3 If your green card expires while traveling abroad

You may have problems getting on your return flight. You will also face additional scrutiny upon arrival at a U.S. port of entry and may even be denied permission to return to the U.S.
Therefore, you need to look and calculate carefully whether the validity period on your green card is still enough for the trip or not. If it is not enough, you should reschedule your trip and renew your green card first.
Video instructions on how to fill out the 10-year green card renewal form:
In this case, ImmiPath will help you extend your U.S. green card when traveling abroad.

2. How Much Does It Cost to Renew a U.S. Green Card When Lost?

The standard green card replacement fee is $455, plus $85 for biometric services, for a total of $540. This is the cost of renewing a green card in the U.S.
If you are outside the U.S. you need to pay an additional I-131 filing fee of $575.
In some special cases, candidates will not have to pay the fee or only have to pay the biometric fee.

In this cost section, you can see some instructions on how to pay U.S. green card fees.

3. How Long Does It Take to Receive a New Green Card after Losing it?

The processing time for a lost green card in the U.S. can range from a few months to more than a year, depending on your specific situation. For the latest wait time estimates, please visit the USCIS website.
If you have filed Form I-90 but need temporary proof of your status as a green card holder, you can make an appointment at your nearest USCIS office to have an “Alien Document, Identification & Telecommunication (ADIT)” stamp added to your passport.
The ADIT stamp, sometimes called the “I-551 stamp,” can be used as a temporary green card for 1 year.
You can also get an ADIT stamp without first filing a Form I-90 if you have a pending application for U.S. citizenship that you filed at least 6 months before your green card expired.
USCIS will notify you as soon as it receives your green card replacement application, and you will be able to track its status online.

Within 1-2 weeks of USCIS receiving your application, you will receive another notification indicating the date and location of your biometrics appointment. The U.S. Government may also send you requests for additional information or documents.
Once your application to replace your U.S. green card is processed and approved, you will receive a new green card in the mail. Make sure you notify USCIS of any change of address while you wait for your replacement green card.

4. What to Do if the U.S. Green Card Replacement Request is Rejected?

USCIS sometimes denies lost green card applications for a variety of reasons, such as if the applicant intentionally provided false information in their application or has a pending deportation order.
If you do not have any of those problems, you have nothing to worry about. However, if USCIS denies your green card replacement application, you can file a petition asking USCIS to reconsider your lost U.S. green card application.
This is more likely to be effective if you can demonstrate that the original decision was based on inaccurate information or if you can provide new facts and evidence. To ask USCIS to reconsider the denial of your green card application, you must:
Submit Form I-290B (formally known as “Notice of Appeal or Motion”) within 30 days to the office that made the original decision. Pay the $675 application fee or request a fee waiver due to financial hardship.
Seek legal help from an experienced Immigration firm like ImmiPath if you, unfortunately, lose your U.S. green card.

5. Some Frequently Asked Questions about U.S. Green Cards

The following is a summary of some questions that the ImmiPath consulting team often receives from customers.

5.1. What cases need to change the U.S. green card?

You must change your green card if:

• Your green card has been damaged, lost, or stolen
• Your green card was issued before you were 14 years old, you are 14 years old now, and your card will expire after you turn 16 years old
• Your green card was issued with incorrect information (for example, wrong last name or date of birth).
• You never received your original green card
• You have legally changed your name or other personal information
• You have a commuter green card, which means you live in Canada or Mexico and come to the United States to work but want to live in the United States permanently
• You have a regular green card but want to switch to a travel green card
• You have an outdated version of your green card, such as Form AR-3, Form AR-103, or Form I-151
• You automatically obtain permanent residence (e.g., as a farm worker granted permanent residence under the 1986 immigration reform)
• Your green card does not have an expiration date, which is common for green cards issued between 1979 and 1989 – especially if the card was issued when you were a child and you can no longer recognize it from your photo.

5.3. What other times should you replace your U.S. green card?

In addition to your green card being lost, stolen, or damaged, other situations in which your green card must be replaced are when:

• Your name has changed
• Your green card has incorrect information
• You did not receive the green card previously sent to you by USCIS. Other cases when you should exchange your green card (excluding conditional green cards) are when:
• You were an LPR living in the United States and you became a “commuter” (meaning you lived in Mexico or Canada and worked in the United States)
• You used to be a commuter and now you live in the United States
• You received a green card before age 14 and you are now turning 14 (when a minor LPR turns 14, they are required to receive a new green card)

5.4. Where do I submit Form I-90 if I accidentally lose my U.S. green card?

You must send your form along with the $450 application fee to USCIS, PO Box 21262, Phoenix, AZ 85036.
Completing the paperwork to reissue a green card in the U.S. when lost requires proper and complete preparation of documents according to the regulations of the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). If you feel this is a difficult journey, ImmiPath will enthusiastically support and advise.
We own a team of experienced consultants, with both offices in the U.S. and Vietnam. ImmiPath is proud to be a unit specializing in consulting on U.S. immigration, supporting the processing of spousal and relative sponsorship applications, especially to quickly settle in the U.S. under EB3 employment, advice on how to prepare evidence, guide on answering interviews with the consulate, and how to extend and re-apply for a green card in the U.S.
If you have any questions about instructions for reapplying for a lost green card in the U.S., please comment below the article, ImmiPath’s team of consultants will provide the most enthusiastic support and advice.