Lost Green Card While I751 Pending

[catnap 12]

Hi all,

 

With social security offices being closed, I was told to drop off my original documents in a "dropbox" and they'll process and mail it back to me. It has been 6 weeks since I've done that. I went down to the social security office today, and they LITERALLY COULDN'T FIND ALL MY DOCUMENTS, including my green card.

 

They said they will investigate and call me back. I'm freaking out here.

 

If it's really lost, what should I do now? I have filed for I751, which is currently pending, and I have received my extension letter.

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you!

Edited October 26, 2021 by catnap

[SoCal2021 201]

15 minutes ago, catnap said:

Hi all,

 

With social security offices being closed, I was told to drop off my original documents in a "dropbox" and they'll process and mail it back to me. It has been 6 weeks since I've done that. I went down to the social security office today, and they LITERALLY COULDN'T FIND ALL MY DOCUMENTS, including my green card.

 

They said they will investigate and call me back. I'm freaking out here.

 

If it's really lost, what should I do now? I have filed for I751, which is currently pending, and I have received my extension letter.

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you!

Hmmm.  I always strongly suggest people NOT to mail important documents.  Things do get lost in the mail.  In any case, if you have no plans to leave the country or change employment (In which case they may need to see your GC and validate your employment authorization), I would say give it another few weeks.  Of course, you could always initiate the process to replace your green card (form I-90) and there is a $455 fee with that and I am sure it take weeks if not months to get replacement.  I would personally go back to post office and keep asking them it about it.  You followed their instructions and mailed it to their dropbox.  They need to do their job.  Hopefully, you kept a copy of your green card.  

 

Good luck. 

Edited October 26, 2021 by SoCal2021

[catnap 12]

Just now, SoCal2021 said:

Hmmm.  I always strongly suggest people NOT to mail important documents.  Things do get lost in the mail.  In any case, if you have no plans to leave the country or change employment (In which case they may need to see your GC and validate your employment authorization), I would say give it another few weeks.  Of course, you could always initiate the process to replace your green card (form I-90) and there is a $455 fee with that and I am sure it take weeks if not months to get replacement.  I would personally go back to post office and keep asking them it about it.  You followed their instructions and maile it to dropbox.  They need to do their job.  Hopefully, you kept a copy of your green card.  

 

Good luck. 

I did not mail documents. I went down to their office and put it in their dropbox as instructed. Does the form I-90 work even with expired green card? I do have extension letter though.

 

Yeah, I took pictures. 

[SoCal2021 201]

Just now, catnap said:

I did not mail documents. I went down to their office and put it in their dropbox as instructed. Does the form I-90 work even with expired green card? I do have extension letter though.

 

Yeah, I took pictures. 

I see.  Then hopefully it is just misplaced and they can find your documents.  Regarding 18/24 months extension letter, it needs to be used WITH your GC.  Meaning you need your card and extension letter both for traveling, etc.  So if post office can not find it, then you may be forced to file I-90 and get a replacement.  You also need proof that you have informed USCIS that you have lost your green card.  So, I-90 is the mechanism that you use for that.  If they call you for your I-751 interview, they need to see your GC.  

 

Hope this helps.

[HRQX 4,145]

10 minutes ago, catnap said:

I went down to their office and put it in their dropbox as instructed.

You should have challenged them since their own policy says to schedule an in-person appointment and not to use the drop box: https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/reference.nsf/links/05262021015248PM

This Emergency Message (EM) provides Field Offices (FOs) and Social Security Card Centers (SSCCs) information regarding the nationwide implementation of the Express Interview (EXI) process. In addition, this EM provides instructions for scheduling appointments, conducting interviews, and documenting interviews, as part of the EXI process. This process was established to address the challenges the public has faced in providing enumeration and documentary proofs, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

IMPORTANT: Do NOT request a non-citizen to submit his or her immigration documents by mail or using the drop box. Due to DHS regulations, non-citizens are required to have their immigration documents in their possession at all times (GN 00303.610.B).

[Mike E 11,723]

@catnap  sorry this happened to you.  Your green card is gone.  SSA is neither trained nor set up to handle important documents the way  the department of state is.  
 

File I-90 online.  When you get the electronic acknowledgment, if you have a need (dmv, job, travel) you can call USCIS, say “info pass”, and ask for an I-551 stamp on your passport. 

[Rocio0010 5,569]

50 minutes ago, Mike E said:

SSA is neither trained nor set up to handle important documents the way  the department of state is

Yeah no kidding. When I needed to have mine replaced I swear they didn’t even know what a green card was.

OP, consider your GC lost. File i90 in case you need to use it as part of i9 documentation if you need to change jobs.

I had to replace my SS card in the middle of the pandemic. They were, of course, not taking in person appointments and wanted me to mail my documentation. NO NO NO NO!!! Rule of thumb: never, EVER mail or leave important documentation in a Dropbox. They lose stuff all the time and are not held accountable.

When I replaced it there were absolutely no in person appointments, and the in- person policy was not in place. So I contacted my Congressman and in less than a week I got my in- person appointment.

[RamonGomez 259]

I've heard of the SSA taking up to 12 weeks to process docs. Keep hounding them. 

[Cathi 5,614]

10 hours ago, SoCal2021 said:

I see.  Then hopefully it is just misplaced and they can find your documents.  Regarding 18/24 months extension letter, it needs to be used WITH your GC.  Meaning you need your card and extension letter both for traveling, etc.  So if post office can not find it, then you may be forced to file I-90 and get a replacement.  You also need proof that you have informed USCIS that you have lost your green card.  So, I-90 is the mechanism that you use for that.  If they call you for your I-751 interview, they need to see your GC.  

 

Hope this helps.

Why would the post office be able to find it when the OP told you TWICE that they did NOT mail anything? 

[Mollie09 1,543]

DO NOT FILE I-90 - YOU ARE NOT ELIGIBLE IF YOUR I-751 IS PENDING!!!

 

I don't understand why this incorrect advice keeps being given, but in the instructions for the I-90 it says "Conditional permanent residents may not
use this application to replace, for any reason, an existing Permanent Resident Card that is expired or will expire within 90 days.

 

https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/forms/i-90instr.pdf

 

"Upon receipt of your properly filed Forms I-751 or I-829, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) shall extend your conditional permanent resident status automatically, if necessary, until such time as USCIS has adjudicated the petition. The Form I-797 Receipt Notice for such a pending petition will serve as your proof of conditional permanent resident status."

 

If you need it, you can apply for a stamp at a USCIS location.

[catnap 12]

Thank you all so much for your responses. Quick follow up: will DMV accept I-551 stamp + NOA in lieu of the expired GC? My DL expires same time as GC and that's now missing as well.

[Rocio0010 5,569]

33 minutes ago, catnap said:

Thank you all so much for your responses. Quick follow up: will DMV accept I-551 stamp + NOA in lieu of the expired GC? My DL expires same time as GC and that's now missing as well.

It should. Read this https://services.dps.ohio.gov/BMVOnlineServices/DL/AcceptableDocuments

This is for Ohio, however, the DMV is a federal institution and it should work for other States as well.

[Crazy Cat 39,349]

2 hours ago, Mollie09 said:

If you need it, you can apply for a stamp at a USCIS location.

That is what I would do.  

 

1 hour ago, catnap said:

Quick follow up: will DMV accept I-551 stamp + NOA in lieu of the expired GC? My DL expires same time as GC and that's now missing as well.

The individual state DL regulations I recall all list a valid "I-551" stamp as an acceptable document. 

[millefleur 5,037]

3 hours ago, Mollie09 said:

If you need it, you can apply for a stamp at a USCIS location.

Get the I-551 stamp if possible, and since it was a conditional card, hope that you don't need to replace it. Just explain that SSA lost it due to pandemic procedures. Then wait for your 10 year GC to arrive once you get approved for ROC.

[Dashinka 23,279]

1 hour ago, ra0010 said:

It should. Read this https://services.dps.ohio.gov/BMVOnlineServices/DL/AcceptableDocuments

This is for Ohio, however, the DMV is a federal institution and it should work for other States as well.

The various state DMVs/SOSs are not a federal institution.  Each state has their own requirements for ID, residency proof, etc. for getting or renewing a DL.