N400 and Stolen Green Card

D

DJdeMarco

Registered Users (C)
Hi,

My wife's purse was stolen last week and it had her green card in it. She will be a green card holer (through marriage) for three year this coming April. We were planning on apply for her citizenship in Jan. Should we apply for a replacement greencard first and then N400? Would we have to wait until green card arrives before we can apply? We have filed a report with police regarding this theft but have not notified USCIS yet. Do we need to?

Thank you in advance for any help.
 
Thank you.

Do you know if I must have replacement GC in my hands before I can apply for N400?

Thanks.
 
Probably not, so long as you can show an I-551 or other evidence that you have at least applied for the replacement card.
 
I checked the Adjudicator's Manual which states that the applicant at the Interview should provide evidence of having lawfully been admitted to Permanent Residence. It may be in your interest to go through the paperwork you may have submitted or received (for example the Welcome Letter). If your wife is or has been employed, she should have provided to the Human Resources with a photocopy of her Green Card; she may be able to make a photocopy of this photocopy as a backup in case her interview occurs before she receives the new Green Card.

She also should bring the police report, a copy of her I-90 application as well as the I-90 Notice of Action if she has received it.
 
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If you have a copy of the green card, attach that. If not, attach a copy of one of her I-551 stamps. Worst case, attach a copy of the police report.

DJdeMarco said:
Thank you.

Do you know if I must have replacement GC in my hands before I can apply for N400?

Thanks.
Click to expand...
 
SK Ghori,

Does this mean I should apply for replacement but I do not have to? I have a copy of the GC as well as I-551 Stamp, and Police Report.

Thanks.
 
DJdeMarco said:
SK Ghori,

Does this mean I should apply for replacement but I do not have to? I have a copy of the GC as well as I-551 Stamp, and Police Report.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Whether or not you apply for a replacement, you really need to inform USCIS that it has been stolen.
 
Expect it take 6-12 months after applying for her citizenship to be approved. Apply for the replacement to avoid hassles with travel or employment while waiting for citizenship.

I also figure that by the time the citizenship interview takes place, the interviewer would have expected her to have applied for and received a replacement by then. You don't want the interviewer to say "You lost it nine months ago and still haven't applied for a replacement? Don't you know it is a requirement for permanent residents to have a green card in their possession? Get a replacement card and come back 6 months later."
 
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You need to apply for a replacement green card. In a few months you will get an NOA from USCIS. Once you have that all you need to do is to go for an info pass to get an I-551 stamp. USCIS no more provides stamping unless the applicant has filed for a replacement card and shows the NOA.
 
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