A Permanent Resident Card, commonly known as a “Green Card”, may be issued or replaced ONLY by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) offices in the in the United States. The Embassy has no authority to issue or replace Permanent Resident Cards.
If your Permanent Resident Card has been lost, stolen or expired, and if you have been out of U.S. for less than one year, the Embassy may be able to issue you a “Boarding Foil” which would permit you to return to the United States. In order for the Embassy to issue a “Boarding Foil”, a Consular Officer must first interview such applicants. This is a no-fee service.
The below information explains the steps to be taken in applying for “Boarding Foil” for Lost, Stolen, or Expired Green Cards.
Step 1: Schedule an Appointment
Please schedule your appointment date online.
You must create an account at the following web address https://usvisa-info.com. Once you have created an account, please follow these steps
- Select “I am a Returning Resident outside the U.S. for less than one year with an expired, lost or stolen permanent resident card” (Note: you only need to schedule the appointment. Please do not pay any visa fee as this service is free of charge).
- Enter the required information and click on create an applicant ;
- If you are not going to add another applicant please click on “continue” on the Applicant Summary Page to select a delivery location.
- At this point follow the instructions to schedule an appointment.
If for any reason you are not able to schedule your appointment online after you create an account, please contact the call center, as explained in https://usvisa-info.com, to schedule your appointment by asking the “Boarding Foil” trip purpose.
Please save your account details as you may need to go back to this website to learn about your passport delivery status, and/or to submit new documents to Consular Section, if instructed to do so.
Step 2: Prepare for Your Interview
Please gather the following documents and bring them with you to your scheduled interview appointment:
- Two Photographs: For photo requirements, please visit https://et.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/passports/photos/.
- Passports: Please provide a valid passport as well as previous passports used (If you are in possession of them)
- Completed Form I-90 (Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card): Please fill out an I-90 form and bring it with you to the interview. You can download the form from USCIS web page. The I-90 form will be returned to you after the interview. You should take the form with you and file it with the USCIS office in the United States.
- Form I-551 (Alien Registration Card) or Form I-327 (Permit to Re-enter): Please provide the original and photocopy of your Alien Registration Card (Green Card) or Permit to Re-enter (Re-entry Permit/Travel Document) Police Report. If your green card is stolen, please provide the original police report along with the certified translation.
- Documents for Proof of Last Departure from the U.S.: Please provide originals and photocopies of your airline ticket, boarding passes or your travel itinerary showing the date of your last departure from the U.S.
- Correspondence with USCIS Offices in the U.S.: If you have any correspondence, letters, inquiries, notifications, approvals, extension papers, appointment notices etc. with the USCIS offices in the U.S., please provide their originals and/or photocopies.
- For Applicants Under Conditional LPR Status (CR-1 Status): If you were granted conditional resident status through marriage to a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident and if you have a two-year valid Alien Registration Card (Green Card), you should provide an original and/or photocopy of Form I-797 (Notice of Action) showing that your petitioner has already filed Form I-751(Petition to Remove the Conditions of Residence) for removal of your conditional status.
