mcjimbo

We are about to go to England for a vacation with family and i've lost my conditional 2 year greencard.

What should i do?

Thanks in advance

James

Noorah101

Hi James,

Hopefully you're not leaving TOO soon. Take proof that you received your GC (a photocopy of it, for example), and your passport to your local office via Infopass appointment, and get an I-551 stamp in your passport, to travel on. Then fill out an I-90 to get a replacement GC.

Rene

Noorah101

By the way, James, I just clicked on the link to your homepage and it came up with ads only. Is that still a valid link, in your profile?

Rene

mcjimbo

Thanks Noorah,

I have a problem. We are meant to fly out Friday this week, the first available appointment is December 18. Also I do not have a copy of my Conditional Greencard.

So what are my options?

Can I just walk into the USCIS office in Milwaukee and get the stamp without and INFOPass appointment?

I take it if i leave the U.S. on my British passport and then return to the U.S. without my greencard i'm in trouble?

If I did a walk in and went to the U.S. embassy in London and told them I lost my greencard would they be able to give me a stamp to get back in?

I can't believe i've lost this... i think i may of accidently sent it in with my I-751 application.

I feel ill

Noorah101

I think this might be a possibility. I think there is something they can give you called a returning resident stamp. You might want to apply for the replacement GC (with form I-90) now, and bring a copy of that with you to England, to show them that you applied to replace it, but haven't gotten the replacement card yet.

I'm sure there must be a way, you can't have been the only one to lose your GC.

Rene

mcjimbo

Do you think doing a walk in to the Milwaukee field office would get me anywhere or do they only accept InfoPASS appointments?

Noorah101

I don't know for sure. Guess it can't hurt to give it a try!

Rene

mcjimbo

Well ive got all my various paperwork and i'm heading to the Milwaukee office this morning.

If the field office wont' give me an I-551 stamp should i leave the country? If i return on my British passport with the greencard i take it i'm entering the country illegally?

However when i'm in London, i could say that i lost my greencard and need a way back into the country... they must help me right?

I still can't believe I lost my GC!

James

Bob

Depends on how busy the office is....if it's a small place they might, the one in Portland, ME, while I was there let someone in, but this was just after lunch and the place was empty....if it's a busy office, without an appointment they probably wouldn't let you in the building....but you've got to give it a go, it's already going to be an expensive mess paying for a replacement card as it is.

ian-mstm

Why? You have a valid passport from your country of citizenship, and you have a valid claim to US permanent resident status... you only lack proof of that status. While it may be a pain in the butt, once you make the claim that you are a PR, you are entitled to a hearing before an immigration judge.


In a perfect world, yes.

Ian

mcjimbo

GOOD NEWS!!!

Last night I tried to arrange an appointment on InfoPass ... turns out everything was booked until December 18, I leave for England this Friday December 15.

So freaking out last night I e-filed a I90 replacement greencard for a total of $260. I thought that having evidence of that would help my situation later if it came to that.

So I got up early this morning and got to the Milwaukee field office at 7am. I was the first one there. On the door i read a note "ALL CUSTOMERS MUST HAVE AN APPOINTMENT". So I thought i'm screwed i can't get one in time and they won't see me without an appointment through InfoPass. So I call my wife we argue on the phone and I leave, 15 minutes later she said why don't you just ask someone and see if they can help. So i went back and got there at 7.30 am... still no one there but i notice 2 security guards behind glass doors talking. I click the buzzer and explain the situation, they say we will let you talk to someone but we can't guarantee anything without an appoitnment.

So doors open at 8am, I pass through security and meet the guy at the front desk who already knows my situation. Lucky I was prepared I show him my temporary work permit (now expired), Wisconsin License, British passport and booking for my flight on Friday. He said thats about as prepared as you can be. He managed to put me in the system and generate and Infopass.

I go upstairs and wait. I get called speak to the USCIS office and she says no problem i'll just give you a temporary I551 stamp which is valid for a year. She also noted that my I-751 just got entered in the system and I was at the 60% mark towards becoming a citizen!

Only bad news is she also told me that I didn't need to file the I-90 as I had already filed the I-751 and that i'd essentially wasted $260.

Anyway i'm a happy man... going to England and returning to the U.S. in 2 weeks legally!

Thanks everyone for the help especially Noorah101.

Merry Christmas

James

Noorah101

Hi James,

I'm glad you were able to get the stamp. I didn't realize you were so close to receiving the 10-year card, otherwise I might not have recommended getting the 2-year replacement.

Best Wishes and have a safe trip!
Rene