lost green card, need help ASAP

phoenixsaint

Registered Users (C)
Hi guys,

I've had my green card approved april of 2004. passport was stamped with temporary stamp which I provided to my employer for there I-9 form. After a few months I received the physical green card. I probably should have shown my employer the green card and updated the I-9 form then but, I forgot.

Now my employer says my I-9 form is expired because the temporary stamp on passport was expired. I need to show them my green card but I lost it during a recent vacation trip.

What can I do? I don't know if they'll accept a photocopy of the card (I'm looking to see if I have a photocopy), or the I-485 letter of approval and the paperwork that arrived with the physical green card....


Please help since they want to update my I-9 tomorrow.

Thanks.
 
Thanks for the info, Apollo.
By the way, did you lose your GC, if so, did you apply for re-issue?
If you did, can you explain some details on that.

Thanks in advance.
Phoenix Saint.
 
phoenixsaint said:
Thanks for the info, Apollo.
By the way, did you lose your GC, if so, did you apply for re-issue?
If you did, can you explain some details on that.

Thanks in advance.
Phoenix Saint.

nope, I didn't loose my GC. I filled in I-9 form, took a photo copy of my GC and faxed them to my company. Thats it.

Thats all they want.
 
Apollo,

so your company is not physically near where you are? In my case, HR is right next door, so they want me to come down with the updated documents.
I'm just worried that they will ask me to show them the actual green card, and give me trouble if I tell them I lost it and don't have it with me. They may say for me to stop working until I can produce reissued card?!!!
 
Apollo,

somebody in another forum said:

"You are likely to be in trouble. You have no proof of work authorization at this time. HR is required to accept only original documents, not copies. Also they will not accept I-485 approval notices. Your only choice is to apply for a replacement green card and show the receipt notice as a temporary proof.
Sorry!"

Am I really in trouble? To get temporary proof of GC what do I have to do?
To get renewal GC submitted and a receipt from UCIS will also take time won't it?

I need some help fast people.

Thanks.
 
I think you can go to the nearest BCIS office and get the stamping done again temporarily for a year. Then you have to file for a replacement/new card (I dont have the exact form number but you can get that from the forum or the BCIS website). You can show the temporary stamp in the meantime. I dont know but you may need an Infopass appt.

Rgds,

Yeppo
 
yeppo,

What's the InfoPass and how do I get that?
also, to get passport stamping, I just need to take passport and I-485 approval notice? What else do I need? Also, what is the cost if any?

Thanks, you may save my skin.
 
phoenixsaint said:
yeppo,

What's the InfoPass and how do I get that?
also, to get passport stamping, I just need to take passport and I-485 approval notice? What else do I need? Also, what is the cost if any?

Thanks, you may save my skin.


Go to the following URL:

http://infopass.uscis.gov/

and schedule an infopass appointment and take a PRINT OUT which you would need when you go to USCIS office.

In your case, I guess you would need only passport and I-485 approval notice. Just in case, you may need a proof that you applied for a replacement card.
 
To apply for a renewal card: can that be done through website or
mail or must that be done at local UCIS? Please exlain the procedure for
getting GC re-issued.

Thanks.
 
That is why it can be potentially useful for one to get a no-legend SSN
card. By law, a SSN card without work restriction plus a DL is
enough for I-9 process
 
To get GC re-issued for lost GC card, do I need a police report at the
time of showing up for the biometrics appt?

Thanks.
 
AmericanWannabe said:
That is why it can be potentially useful for one to get a no-legend SSN
card. By law, a SSN card without work restriction plus a DL is
enough for I-9 process


I didn't know this. This is a good point to know. I will have my SSN card changed immediately, just in case.

Thanks.
 
Here two interesting bits of information from the USCIS website about the I-9 form:

http://uscis.gov/graphics/howdoi/eev.htm


1) "Can I fire an employee who fails to produce the required document(s) within three (3) business days?
Yes. You can terminate an employee who fails to produce the required document(s), or a receipt for a replacement document(s) (in the case of lost, stolen or destroyed documents), within three (3) business days of the date employment begins. However, you must apply these practices uniformly to all employees. If an employee has presented a receipt for a replacement document(s), he or she must produce the actual document(s) within 90 days of the date employment begins."

This suggests that if you lost a GC and filed I-90 electronically, presenting a receipt would give you at least some breathing space, 90 days to be exact.
This should be enough time to get an appointment at a local USCIS office and get a passport stamp from them verifying your status and valid for a year.

Also, as JoeF pointed out, it appears that if you have a valid driver's licence and a soc. sec. card with no restrictions printed on it, this ought to be enough to satisfy the I-9 requirements.


2) "May I accept a photocopy of a document presented by an employee?
No. Employees must present original documents. The only exception is an employee may present a certified copy of a birth certificate."

This speaks for itself.
 
baikal3 said:
2) "May I accept a photocopy of a document presented by an employee?
No. Employees must present original documents. The only exception is an employee may present a certified copy of a birth certificate."

This speaks for itself.

Many consulting firms can not follow this rule. The headquarter hire people
thru phone, fax, mails and then send new hires to some client sites without
even face-to-face interview. Usually new hire do not send their original
documents to headquarters but they only fax a copy or mail a copy
 
AmericanWannabe said:
Many consulting firms can not follow this rule. The headquarter hire people
thru phone, fax, mails and then send new hires to some client sites without
even face-to-face interview. Usually new hire do not send their original
documents to headquarters but they only fax a copy or mail a copy

Yes, you are right, thats common norm followed by consulting companies.
 
JoeF said:
Irrelevant. Companies who are not in compliance can be fined.

Sometimes they do follow-up but usually after several months. Maybe there is
some clause in the law that allow that for companies whose employees
are usually several thousands of miles away from headquarters.

That maternity leave law permit such companies to fire pregnant
female employees
 
JoeF said:
Not to my knowledge.
Huh? I strongly doubt that. Any reference?


There are some exceptions to that familay leave law.
It does not apply when some distance factor kick in
and distance factor is there for consulting firms.


As for I-9, is the law says the company personel
must physically see the original documents in person.
Do the person who see the documents has to be
a HR person? Can teh compay just let a old hire
check the new hire's documents even if the old hire
is doing the technical scopnsulting at teh same client site
of the new hire?
 
AmericanWannabe said:
Many consulting firms can not follow this rule. The headquarter hire people
thru phone, fax, mails and then send new hires to some client sites without
even face-to-face interview. Usually new hire do not send their original
documents to headquarters but they only fax a copy or mail a copy


I'd say that many consulting firms do not follow (rather than cannot follow) this rule. I am sure you are quite right that non-compliance with this rule is very widespread and perhaps even something of a norm in the consulting business.
However, they are still breaking the law that actually is being fairly actively enforced and are thus taking a real risk. This is not just some abstract hypothetical issue but quite a practical one. If you do a google search under smething like "I-9 compliance audit", you will get quite a phonebook of hits and will see thatensuring I-9 compliance is a big part of the immigration law practice and that Immigraion and Customs Enforcement audits of the employers are quite real.

It is interesting that USCIS has actually given some thought to the very situation you describe and here is what they have to say at their website
http://uscis.gov/graphics/howdoi/faqeev.htm

"REMOTE HIRES
It is not unusual for a U.S. employer to hire a new employee who doesn’t physically come to that employer’s offices to complete paperwork. In such cases, employers may designate agents to carry out their I-9 responsibilities. Agents may include notaries public, accountant, attorneys, personnel officers, foremen, etc. An employer should choose an agent cautiously, since it will be held responsible for the actions of that agent. Note: Employers should not carry out I-9 responsibilities by means of documents faxed by a new employee or through identifying numbers appearing on acceptable documents. The employer must review original documents. Likewise, Forms I-9 should not be mailed to a new employee to complete Section 2 himself or herself."
 
Baikal,

If I file I-90 electronically, do I get a receipt of that application right away?
usually it seems INS applications receipts arrive in mail about a month after it is sent.

I'm worried that I may not even get the filing receipt in time to show to HR.

Appreciate anyone from the forum to respond....

Thanks.
 
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