immemorialn

Hi there,

It's been a nightmarish day, but our house was broken into and the safe which contained my green card and my UK passport was successfully broken into I now have neither my British passport nor my US Green Card. I've already started the replacement process for the Green Card, however for the UK passport I have no idea what to do! I know I can apply for a new one but it takes at least 6 weeks, and I'm travelling during that time to attend a memorial service for a relative back in the UK

Does anybody have any suggestions whatsoever as to the best course of action here?

Thanks in advance,

Nathan

JAJ

For passport:
https://www.gov.uk/emergency-travel-document

However, you also need a document to get back into the U.S. as a permanent resident. It could take some time to get a new Green Card. In the past, the process is to make an Infopass appointment to go to your local USCIS office and get a temporary I-551 stamp in a foreign passport. It's not clear if that is still possible.

Jerseygirl

Welcome to BE.

You could get an Emergency Travel Document.

https://www.gov.uk/emergency-travel-document

I imagine a replacement GC would take some time.

Jscl

Sorry to hear that.

When my mum's passport was stolen while she was here we rang the local consulate and they were amazing, could get emergency documents ready for her the next day (all she needed was a temporary passport to get her home). As you need to actually make a there and back trip it might not be as simple, but I would think someone at your nearest consulate would be able to help.

The consulates are listed here:
http://www.ujnews.com/information/br...tes-in-the-us/

immemorialn

Thanks so much for the speedy replies. I can certainly make the 4 hour drive down to Houston to the British Consulate here in Texas and obtain an emergency travel document, however it's not clear how I can then get the temporary green card stamp in order to allow me back into the USA as a permanent resident.

Does anyone have any ideas on that?

JAJ

Infopass. http://www.uscis.gov
It's not clear whether or not they give out a stamp like this (it's not advertised) but you probably won't find out unless you try.

Alternatively, you'd need to make an appointment at the U.S. Embassy in London for a transportation letter:
http://london.usembassy.gov/ukcustom.html

immemorialn

This is what confuses me: I was told I could get an I-551(?) stamp in my passport to get back into the country prior to leaving, but obviously with the passport also stolen this doesn't seem a likely action.

Am I "allowed" to leave the country on, say, an emergency travel document issued by the UK consulate in Texas, obtain a new passport while in the UK, and then go to the Embassy (US) to obtain this LPR travel document -- knowing that I didn't actually lose the Green Card whilst abroad?

jeffreyhy

You might be able to get something other than this stamp-in-the-passport from a USCIS field office given your situation. Perhaps they can issue a document akin to the notice that adjustment of status applicants receive stating that they remain in status while the application to adjust is being processed.

Or perhaps an "I-551 stamp" could be placed on the travel document you might get from the UK consulate, to be used in conjunction with the new UK passport you will get while back in the UK.

Worth an InfoPass appointment, depending on how far the office is from where you live.

Regards, JEff

British Consul

We don't always have people on duty to issue emergency passports so it's best if you make an appointment ahead of time.

You can make an appointment here:

http://britishconsulatehous.clickbook.net/

Dean

JAJ

Also depends if the Emergency Travel Document allows return to the United States with an appropriate immigration stamp. It's not clear that getting a passport in the U.K. will be the best option. Application to replace a lost passport is normally treated as a first time application, requires proof of citizenship and identity, etc.