Can I apply for US Citizenship without the physical Green Card?

[sookbunton]

Hi everyone!

I recently lost my green card but I'm wanting to apply for citizenship. I do have a copy of my green card front and back and I have all the information regarding my green card. I hate to apply for a new green card just to get rid of it when I get the citizenship. It costs $450! Do they HAVE TO have the physical card or will they be okay with a copy of my card? Can someone please let me know if they had the same kinds of problems before?

Thank you so much!

Sook

 

[Triple Citizen]

You should be able to do so. Just make sure you have a police report about the lost GC and also copy of your GC. Do keep in mind that if your naturalisation is delayed/denied for whatever reason, you may be hampered without a valid GC.

I recently lost my green card but I'm wanting to apply for citizenship. I do have a copy of my green card front and back and I have all the information regarding my green card. I hate to apply for a new green card just to get rid of it when I get the citizenship. It costs $450! Do they HAVE TO have the physical card or will they be okay with a copy of my card? Can someone please let me know if they had the same kinds of problems before?

 

[baikal3]

Hi everyone!

I recently lost my green card but I'm wanting to apply for citizenship. I do have a copy of my green card front and back and I have all the information regarding my green card. I hate to apply for a new green card just to get rid of it when I get the citizenship. It costs $450! Do they HAVE TO have the physical card or will they be okay with a copy of my card? Can someone please let me know if they had the same kinds of problems before?

Thank you so much!

Sook

You should apply for a replacement green card by filing I-90.

At the moment of filing N-400 a photocopy of your GC is sufficient. However, at the time of the naturalization interview and also at the time of the naturalization oath you'll be required to present an actual physical green card. Both the naturalization interview letter and the naturalization oath letter explicitly require you to bring the physical green card with you.

For comparison, the Guide to Naturalization explicitly states that if an applicant's green card has less than 6 months remaining validity at the time of filing N-400, the applicant is required to file I-90 and apply for a replacement green card prior to submitting N-400.

Think about it: if someone is actually in possession of a valid physical green card with, say, three months remaining validity, that person still must apply for a replacement card before the interview.

If that's the case, then it certainly stands to reason some-one who has lost a green card must apply for a replacement card before the interview.

So file I-90 now, get an application receipt for it and then go to the local USCIS District Office to get a temporary I-551 stamp in your proving your LPR status.

See http://www.uscitizenship.info/articles/renew-your-green-card-or-apply-for-naturalization/index.html
for details on this.

 

[Jackolantern]

Hi everyone!

I recently lost my green card but I'm wanting to apply for citizenship. I do have a copy of my green card front and back and I have all the information regarding my green card. I hate to apply for a new green card just to get rid of it when I get the citizenship. It costs $450! Do they HAVE TO have the physical card or will they be okay with a copy of my card? Can someone please let me know if they had the same kinds of problems before?

A strict officer may decide to put your case on hold until you've shown that you've applied for the replacement. If you don't apply for the replacement, you'll have to hope for a more lenient officer who will let your case proceed to the oath without it. If it was lost several months ago, I expect they'll be less likely to give you a break.