What to do if Actual PR is lost while travelling outside USA ?

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VSCRD0200

Registered Users (C)
Friends,
           This may be uncommon but can happen to anybody and must have happened to some people since the PR card came into existance. I am talking about losing one\'s actual PR card(Green Card) while travelling/vacationing outside USA. What should one do to get back to USA ? Here is the relevant scenario that I can think of :

1. You have a copy of PR card (I think it is illegal to copy PR card but anyway let\'s assume that I have a copy) then should you go to nearest American Consulate and ask for some sort of visa or some other paper/notification that will allow you to be back to USA ? It is understood that no airlines will allow you to board unless you have the relevant papers to enter into USA.

2. You don\'t have any copy of PR card ? Can you still go to nearest US consulate and ask them to check yours A# so that they issue the relevant visa/papers ?

If you are aware of any procedure for such a scenario and/or direct me to the relevant link of the web site , please let the \'After the Green Card\' community know.

Thanks.
 
No Title

Here is the relevant portion from US consulate, Chennai\'s webpage:

Quote
Anyone having lost a Form I-551 (Green Card) may apply in our office for a Transportation Letter, a document that will allow the alien to board an airplane for return to the United States and to apply for admission at the port-of-entry in the U.S.
Those seeking Transportation Letters must come to our office Tuesday - Friday at 8:00 a.m., except for holidays and must bring the following:
>valid passport
>completed form I-90
>$120 (U.S. dollar) fee in Rupees or U.S. dollars
>evidence of Legal Permanent Resident status
>evidence of the date of your most recent departure from the United States
>four (4) identical photographs to be affixed to the letters

End quote
 
Is it really illegal to copy the GC? .. dont think so

For the I9 we submit to the company, the company does make a copy of the GC for its official records. If it were illegal, they wouldnt have done that.. also I havent seen it mentioned anywhere on the card or the other letter with the card I received that it is illegal to copy a card. In fact I am planning to carry a copy of the card rather than the actual card everyday (except for when I go to the airport ..etc)

-trishul
 
Nice discussion..thanks for starting the discussion!! - one query though

"evidence of Legal Permanent Resident status evidence of the date of your most recent departure from the United States" -

what is this document??
 
No Title

The issue of copying the card has been debated here numerous times before. Since the INS itself requests copies when you submit I-90 to replace a lost or damaged card, and also with N-400 when applying for naturalization, it is obvious they will not have a problem if you provided a copy in the case of a lost PR card (the obvious implication is that it was OK to have a copy in the first place).

When travelling abroad, you should carry your passport that had the temporary I-551 stamp in it (even if that passport and / stamp are / is now expired. That would be additional evidence of your status. And it is always good practice to keep the passport and PR card securely stored separately from each other -- losing both more than doubles your agony.
 
No Title

>evidence of Legal Permanent Resident status

I guess it means an old stamp on your passport (the temporary stamp
that you get before you get your card) or a copy of the green card

>evidence of the date of your most recent departure from the United States

Probably your tickets are the best evidence; if you work, your employer could also give a letter saying that you were in the US on XYZ date.
 
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