Each year, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) grant thousands of foreign nationals the right to live and work in the country on a permanent basis.
Once you become a permanent resident, you will be issued a permanent residency card, also known as a green card. This is proof that you are legally in the country. Thus, it goes without saying that this is an extremely important document. So what happens if you misplace it?
Like anything else, you can misplace your green card. Perhaps, you dropped your wallet and with it went your green card. Or, you simply cannot locate it! While misplacing your green card does not impact your residency status, this does not mean that you should not seek its replacement.
So when should you seek a replacement for your green card?
The process of replacing a misplaced green card
Generally, a number of circumstances can necessitate a replacement of the green card. Here are some of these circumstances:
- When the card is lost, damaged or stolen
- When the card contains inaccurate information like a misspelt name or a wrong date of birth
- When the card is expired
- When you legally change your name or other personal information like your gender
- When you did not receive an original card in the first place
To replace a lost or misplaced green card, you need to start by filing an Application to Replace a Permanent Resident Card form, or Form I-90. But you can only fill this form within the U.S. In other words, if you misplaced your green card while overseas, you have to return to the country to initiate the process of replacing the green card.
Safeguarding your rights
YES, you can replace a lost or misplaced green card. Learning more about U.S. immigration laws can help safeguard your rights and interests while replacing a lost green card.