Misplaced green card and N-400

Old Apr 20th 2014, 2:14 am
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Default Misplaced green card and N-400

Hello,

I have applied for US citizenship end of March and now have received FP notice. I cannot find my green card. What options do I have?

I understand that I can apply for replacement green card but that may take few months to receive it and maybe not so good use of approximately $500.00. So my questions are :

1. Am I required to reapply to get the new plastic card?
2. Is actual physical green card MANDATORY at FP and Interview?
3. Can I make infopass and try to get new stamp? If yes, then what is the likelihood of getting it?
4. If I go infopass route, what can be convincing reason to get the stamp on passport.

Thanks in advance.
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Old Apr 20th 2014, 2:27 am
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Default Re: Misplaced green card and N-400

Originally Posted by sap283
4. If I go infopass route, what can be convincing reason to get the stamp on passport.
Sorry, I don't know the answers to your other questions, but for the one above: There is no "convincing reason". Just tell them the truth.

And, you should report your green card lost/missing by filing a police report. That way, the person who finds your lost green card cannot use it for anything, and it proves the green card is actually lost.

Rene
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Old Apr 21st 2014, 3:31 am
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Default Re: Misplaced green card and N-400

Definitely report the green card stolen as quickly as you can. You never know what might happen. My old US passport was stolen in July of 2012 (I know it was stolen, not lost). Because I filed an immediate police report and immediately went to the passport agency to report it stolen and receive a new one, the thief could not use my passport for travel (I hope) or to impersonate me to get credit (at least there were no such attempts). Last week I received a letter from the property room of a police department in a town near here, saying it was found. Evidently it was even still in the passport holder I had placed it in.
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Old Apr 21st 2014, 12:10 pm
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Default Re: Misplaced green card and N-400

You will get different answers to this depending on who you ask. Legally you are supposed to carry your PR card with you at all times. So normally you would be expected to replace a lost/stolen PR card.

The N-400 application checklist states that if you have lost your PR card, you must apply for a new one and include a copy of the I-90 with your N-400 application. However, you have already filed N-400 so presumably you already submitted a photocopy of your PR card. Are you sure you didn't accidentally submit your PR card with your N-400 application?

I found a couple of articles that suggest that you can actually naturalize without having the PR card. According to the articles, you just need some other form of ID and your immigration status can be verified by UCSIS.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/...icle-1.1011802

Q. Can my daughter become a U.S. citizen without replacing her green card? My daughter's car was broken into and the thief took her permanent resident card. She has been a permanent resident for more than five years and wants to become a U.S. citizen without first having to pay the $450 needed to replace her card.

A. Your daughter can naturalize without getting a new permanent resident card. At one time both the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and some immigration lawyers were confused about this issue. It is now settled that a permanent resident whose card has been lost or has expired, can naturalize. People were confused because the law requires that a permanent resident always have a valid, unexpired card. However, if a permanent resident qualifies to naturalize, USCIS will make that person a U.S. citizen without requiring the applicant present a valid card.


http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/...icle-1.1430207

Q. Someone stole my wife’s green card. Can she naturalize without it? My wife has been a resident for nine years. She has proof that her card was stolen.

A. Your wife can naturalize despite her not having a green card. She is still a permanent resident. A permanent resident whose card whose card was stolen, lost or expired, can get U.S. citizenship without getting a new card.
Some people are confused about whether a naturalization applicant needs an unexpired card in hand, to naturalize. If you ask USCIS officials whether a person with an expired or missing card must replace the card before naturalizing, many will answer “yes.” But that’s only because the law says you must always have a valid card. However, if you ask USCIS whether you can naturalize without a valid card, the answer is again “yes.” A person with required number of years of permanent residence, can clearly naturalize without producing an unexpired plastic card. Your wife will need some form of government-issued I.D., such as a driver’s license to prove her identity. Evidence that she is a permanent resident will be in her immigration file.
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Old Apr 24th 2014, 12:44 am
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Default Re: Misplaced green card and N-400

Thanks everyone! I just hope that they don't make issue of it at Biometrics appointment. If there is no issue at FP appt, do you guys think I should make InfoPass and try to get stamp or just stay put till I get naturalization interview?
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