Permanent Residents May Obtain Temporary Evidence of Status by Mail

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Previously, if a permanent resident needed to obtain temporary evidence of their status in the form of an Alien Documentation Identification and Telecommunication (ADIT) or “I-551” stamp in their passport, the individual needed to make an appointment at their local USCIS Field Office to do so. On March 16, 2023, USCIS announced that they are now making it possible for Lawful Permanent Residents to receive temporary evidence of their lawful permanent resident status by mail rather than physically visiting a field office to receive an Alien Documentation, Identification and Telecommunication (ADIT) stamp (also known as an I-551 stamp).  According to USCIS’s announcement, Lawful permanent residents are entitled to evidence of status and may require temporary evidence of their status in the form of an ADIT stamp if:

  • They do not have their Green Card; or

  • Their Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card (Green Card), Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence, or Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, is still pending adjudication and their Green Card and extension notice have expired.

These Lawful Permanent Residents may request temporary evidence of their status by calling the USCIS Contact Center, where an immigration services officer will verify their identity, their physical mailing address, and whether that address can receive UPS or FedEx express mail. The officer will then either schedule an in-person appointment for the lawful permanent resident, if needed, or submit a request to the USCIS field office to issue the ADIT stamp. If an in-person appointment is not needed, the USCIS field office will review the request for temporary evidence and mail the applicant a Form I-94 with ADIT stamp, DHS seal, and a printed photo of the lawful permanent resident obtained from USCIS systems.

If a Lawful Permanent Resident is requesting evidence of their status and has an urgent need, does not have a useable photo in USCIS systems, or whose address or identity cannot be confirmed, they may still need to appear in person in order to receive this temporary evidence of their status.

Link: USCIS Article