Spaniely

Hi,

I lost my wallet yesterday and unfortunately this contained my 10 year green card/permanent residence card (my husband is a US born citizen and I've been living in the us for 4 years but currently on vacation in the U.K. visiting family).

I have a copy of the card but I blacked out the alien number-I'm trying to get that via my work.

I still have my British passport with my original 1 year visa stamped in.

I read about a travel pass but saw that takes several days, I leave Saturday and the nearest embassy is in London which I'm in Plymouth right now so not exactly close by.

I have a stable job back in the us and they need me back the day I promised so I really can't stay later.

I'm at a loss what to do.

I plan on searching in the woods where I fear I lost it but also plan on making a police report.

ian-mstm

Good. This will probably be sufficient to get you into the US - and the CBP officer can look it up on his computer. Your biggest problem will be getting on the plane. Without your green card, you do not have a valid travel document... so you really only have once viable choice: get the emergency travel document from London. Without it, you won't be getting on the plane.

The other choice (which I dismissed by the way) is to apply for ESTA and travel to the US with that. However, you're not eligible to apply for ESTA because you're a US permanent resident and not a visitor to the US.


Perhaps not.


If it's a stable job, they'll wait for a few days until you arrive. They are already aware that you're having difficulty.

Ian

Rete

If you can change your flights perhaps you can go to Dublin first and then leave for the US from there. You will clear US immigration in Dublin so the worry about being let into the US with a valid ESTA or green card would occur before you get on the flight to the US.

tom169

You mentioned you're asking employer for alien number.

My alien number is on the annotation of my visa.

Not sure if that is the same for all visa classes.

Rete

If I were the OP, I would just go to the airport early and take my photocopy with me. Don't know why she would have blocked out the card number. Seems like a silly thing to do when it is the most important reason to have a photocopy.

livinginnyc

If you can remember/setup an ELIS account, it *should* contain both your Alien Number *and* Green Card number (if you don't have that to hand).

Link is here - https://myaccount.uscis.dhs.gov/ (you'll need your phone handy though to get the security text message).

As Rete said, if all else fails - go to the airport early and explain your situation to the counter so it gives them a chance to phone around.

If I recall, CBP officers are present in Heathrow (possibly Gatwick) if you're flying out from there, I'd request a chance to speak to them too as they should be able to get your details directly and advise your airline.

petitefrancaise

I damaged my card and haven't yet replaced it. When I went to australia last year, I took the damaged card along with the letter that comes with it - it has the number on it. I arrived at the airport very early for my return flight to Dallas and the Qantas check in staff took the card and the letter with the number, they said they contacted USCIS and I was OK to get on the flight.

Arrived in Dallas and had to go through the border patrol guard who asked me why it was damaged. I told her and she said I should get it replaced. She didn't even need the letter.

H Bomb

Glad it is not just me wondering that - I was thinking I was missing something.

crg

You can't get to the border guards in Dublin to be inspected without a boarding pass from the airline. A copy of a green card is not a green card, so they're not supposed to just let the person in. The person may need to complete a Form I-193 at the border to overcome the lack of an entry document. The correct course of action is a transportation letter or equivalent from the consulate.