Mahaprasad Nanda

Officially known as a Permanent Resident Card, your green card is physical proof of your right to live and work in the United States. It's also an essential document for re-entering the United States after a trip abroad, obtaining employment, getting a home loan, and even renewing a driver's license. In fact, you are legally required to carry proof of your permanent resident status with you if you are age 18 or older. Even after you've submitted the green card replacement application, it will likely take several months to get a new card. However, there is a solution to help you get temporary proof of your permanent resident status relatively quickly.

Permanent residents use Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card, to replace or renew a green card. By law, permanent residents age 18 and older must have a valid, unexpired green card (or equivalent identification) at all times. Valid reasons to use this application include:

• Your card was lost, stolen or destroyed
• Your card was issued but never received
• Your name or other biographic information has been legally changed
• Your card was mutilated
• You have a prior edition of the Alien Registration Card
• Your card has incorrect data
• You have reached your 14th birthday and are registering as required
• Your existing card has already expired or will expire within six months

It's important to know that you generally must be physically present in the United States to replace a green card. If you're outside the United States and have lost a green card, you likely must file Form I-131A, Application for Carrier Documentation, to obtain temporary travel documentation for the purpose of boarding a transportation carrier and returning to the United States.

Our customers generally report shorter processing times, but typical Form I-90 processing times exceed 8 months. You may need more urgent proof of permanent resident status to travel abroad, renew a driver’s license, get a new job, or apply for a mortgage. In these cases, you can get temporary proof. It's not a temporary green card, but it is valid evidence of of your status and is the equivalent of a card.

You will need a valid, unexpired passport from your home country. If yours is expired, you'll need to renew it through your country's consulate in the United States. Follow these steps to quickly get proof of permanent residence.

For green card replacement, you'll need to file Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card, and a $540 filing fee with USCIS. You may obtain the application directly from USCIS.gov and prepare it on your own. Or use CitizenPath's Green Card Renewal/Replacement Package to make it easy. We provide a low-cost service that helps you prepare the application in about 15 minutes. The service helps to eliminate common I-90 errors, delays and rejections. We even guarantee USCIS approval.

Our customers generally report shorter processing times, but typical Form I-90 processing times exceed 8 months. You may need more urgent proof of permanent resident status to travel abroad, renew a driver’s license, get a new job, or apply for a mortgage. In these cases, you can get temporary proof. It's not a temporary green card, but it is valid evidence of of your status and is the equivalent of a card.

You will need a valid, unexpired passport from your home country. If yours is expired, you'll need to renew it through your country's consulate in the United States. Follow these steps to quickly get proof of permanent residence.

It's most convenient to schedule your appointment online. When scheduling, select "ADIT Stamp" as the reason for your appointment. Be prepared with your I-90 receipt number, alien registration number, and green card expiration date. (Understandably, many people who lost a green card may not know their alien registration number or expiration date.) Unfortunately, at this time, the online scheduler will not allow you to create an appointment if you do not know your expiration date or your expiration date is in the future. In these situations, you must call.

Alternatively, call USCIS at 1-800-375-5283 and request the ADIT stamp. Be prepared with your receipt number and an explanation why you need urgent proof of your permanent resident status. For example, you may need proof of permanent resident status for employment or to reenter the U.S. after an upcoming trip abroad. USCIS does not make it easy to reach a live person. When the automated system answers, wait for it to ask “How can I help you?” Then, say “Infopass Appointment.” This may help put you in a queue to talk to a live agent.

Appear at your local USCIS office for the scheduled appointment. With proof that you've started the green card replacement process and evidence of an urgent need, the USCIS officer can give you temporary proof of your status. If you have an urgent need to travel abroad, use your tickets as evidence. If you have a sick relative, try to get a doctor's note or other evidence demonstrating the situation and urgent need to travel. Likewise, get a job offer letter if you need proof for employment. In the case of a home loan, take your mortgage company's requirements and evidence of the real estate purchase offer. The officer will generally add an I-551 stamp to your passport. Also called an Alien Documentation Identification and Telecommunication (ADIT) stamp, you may use the stamped passport just like a green card.

Be sure to take the following items to the appointment:

• Valid, unexpired passport
• Copy of most recent green card (if available)
• InfoPass appointment notice (if available)
• Form I-797 Notice of Action (I-90 receipt notice)
• Evidence of urgent need (e.g. airline tickets/receipt, doctor’s letter, job offer, mortgage documents, etc.)

If your green card is expired (but still in your possession), you'll need to file Form I-90. But the process to obtain temporary proof of status after green card renewal is slightly different.

Use Form I-90 (Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card) to replace a green card that was lost, stolen or damaged. Each year, USCIS rejects or denies thousands of I-90 applications. Therefore, it's important to get it right.

I-90 applications are filed*

CitizenPath's affordable, online service makes it easy to prepare Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card. Designed by immigration lawyers, the Green Card Renewal/Replacement Package helps you eliminate the common errors that create delays, rejections and even denials. That's because the service alerts you when your answer to a question may be a problem. You'll also get customized filing instructions based on your situation. It's a powerful, do-it-yourself tool that puts you in control. And we've got your back -- CitizenPath provides live customer support and provides a money-back guarantee that USCIS will approve the application.

The documents that you submit with Form I-90 vary based on your answers in the Form I-90 application. Generally, most people will need to submit the USCIS filing fee and a copy of a government-issued photo identification. Examples of other government-issued ID that are acceptable include a driver's license, passport or U.S. military ID.

Specific details about required documentation will be printed on your personalized instructions once you complete Form I-90 through CitizenPath. Get started.

When filing Form I-90 to replace a lost green card or renew a card, you'll need to pay a USCIS filing fee. The fees do change occasionally. Find current USCIS fees here >>

Yes, you can file one Form I-90 application to replace your green card and renew it at the same time. If you card was lost or stolen, make sure you select this as the reason for submitting your application. USCIS will automatically renew it as part of the process.

Denials of Form I-90 (Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card) are relatively low compared to other USCIS applications. However, approximately 11 percent of applicants experience delays related to filing errors, and some have additional delays due to Requests for Evidence. It's important to file your application properly.

Yes. It's worthwhile to contact your local police department to file a report. This police report will serve as an important record if someone attempts to fraudulently use it for green card identity theft in the future.

Include the police report when filing the green card replacement application (Form I-90).