Transportation Letters

• Lost/Stolen Green Cards
• Green Card Not Received
• Expired Green Card
• Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) Child Born Abroad

United States Permanent Resident Cards (commonly known as green cards, Form I-551 or Alien Registration Cards) can only be issued or replaced inside the United States by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS).  DHS offices that are located outside the U.S. do not have a procedure in place to issue replacement permanent resident cards.  If you have left your green card in the United States, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recommends having the card sent to you by a secure mail/delivery service.  

A U.S. permanent resident card holder whose card is lost, mutilated, expired or never received from CIS, may be eligible to apply for a Transportation Letter issued by the DHS/CBP-Seoul.  The Transportation Letter will only allow you to board a flight returning to the U.S. but does not obligate the U.S. Government to admit you once you have landed.  In order for CBP to issue such a letter, you must demonstrate to DHS/CBP Seoul that you:

1. Are a lawfully permanent resident of the U.S. at the time of departure from the U.S.;
2. Maintain residence in the U.S.;
3. At the time of departure, had the intention of returning to the U.S.;
4. Have not formally abandoned your resident status (by filing Form I-407); and,
5. Have not been outside the U.S. for a continuous period of one year or more unless authorized by the U.S. Government.

To apply for a Transportation Letter send a completed application package addressed to DHS/CBP via an Embassy-approved courier company. The couriers will pick up your application materials from your home or office and deliver it to the Embassy.  Presently there is no fee for Transportation Letter.

Two courier companies provide this service to and from the Embassy. To arrange for pick up and delivery please call:

Ilyang at 1588-0002 or see their website or

Hanjin at 1588-0011 or see their website.

If you are military or civilian U.S. government personnel or dependent you may choose to mail your completed application through the Military Postal System (MPS) to:

DHS/CBP, American Embassy, Unit 9600, Box 9997, DPO AP 96209-9997

When your application is processed, a DHS representative will contact you via e-mail to arrange an appointment for an interview and issuance of a letter. To avoid delays in interviews and issuance, be sure to include all documentation and information listed on the application checklists below.

The normal processing time for Transportation Letter application is two weeks (ten working days). If you do not know your alien registration number or provide inaccurate information, it can take significantly longer.  After adjudication, the Transportation Letter will be issued on every Tuesday or Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 11:20 a.m. at window number 304 (CBP Window), U.S. Embassy, Seoul.

Lost/Stolen Green Cards

If your Green Card was lost or stolen while abroad you should provide the following documents and information for issuance of a Transportation Letter:

• Completed Application for Transportation Letter (PDF-90KB)
• Completed Contact Form (PDF-47KB)
• Three passport style photographs taken within the past 6 months
• Proof of date of last departure from the United States, including, but not limited to boarding pass and/or boarding certificate issued by the airliner
• Copies of applicant’s passport photograph page and all pages containing exit/entry stamp (both U.S. and foreign)
• Certificate of Korean Exit/Entry Record issued by Korea Immigration Office (life-time or record showing your crossing data since you obtained LPR status at minimum)
• Police report detailing the loss/theft of applicant’s green card with English translation
• Copy of your lost/stolen Green Card
• Copy of U.S. Military/Government orders if applicant is a dependent of a U.S. Military/Government employee.  (including, but not limited to, assignment order, PCS order, leave order, CSP documentation, or CPAC issued letter of employment)
• Evidence of travel arrangements indicating airline and the first port of arrival in the United States. This may include photocopies of airline tickets or copy your reservation confirmation

Green Card Not Received

If you are a resident of the United States but have not yet received your green card you should provide the following documents and information:

•  Completed Application for Transportation Letter (PDF-90KB)
• Completed Contact Form (PDF-47KB)
• Three passport style photographs taken within the past 6 months
• Approval notice for LPR status issued by USCIS Service Center
• Proof of date of last departure from the United States, including, but not limited to boarding pass and/or boarding certificate issued by the airliner
• Copies of applicant’s passport photograph page and all pages containing exit/entry stamp (both U.S. and foreign)
• Certificate of Korean Exit/Entry Record issued by Korea Immigration Office (life-time or record showing your crossing data since you obtained LPR status at minimum)
• Copy of U.S. Military/Government orders if applicant is a dependent of a U.S. Government employee (including, but not limited to, assignment order, PCS order, leave order, CSP documentation, or CPAC issued letter of employment)
• Evidence of travel arrangements indicating airline and first port of arrival in the United States. This may include photocopies of airline tickets or copy of reservation confirmation

Expired Green Card

If you are a Legal Permanent Resident with an expired green card, you should provide the following documents and information:

•  Completed Application for Transportation Letter (PDF-90KB)
• Completed Contact Form(PDF-47KB)
• Three passport style photographs taken within the past 6 months
• Copy of your expired Green Card
• Proof of date of last departure from the United States, including, but not limited to boarding pass and/or boarding certificate issued by the airliner
• Copies of applicant’s passport photograph page and all pages containing exit/entry stamp (both U.S. and foreign)
• Certificate of Korean Exit/Entry Record issued by Korea Immigration Office (life-time or record showing your crossing data since you obtained LPR status at minimum)
• Copy of U.S. Military/Government orders if applicant is a dependent of a U.S. Government employee (including, but not limited to, assignment order, PCS order, leave order, CSP documentation, or CPAC issued letter of employment)
• Evidence of travel arrangements indicating airline and first port of arrival in the United States. This may include photocopies of airline tickets or copy of reservation confirmation

LPR Child Born Abroad

Immigration law allows a Transportation Letter to be issued to a child born after issuance of an immigrant visa to his or her accompanying mother, or to a child born during the temporary visit abroad of a mother who is a lawful permanent resident of the United States, provided that: the child's application for admission to the United States is made within 2 years of birth; the child is accompanied by either parent who is applying for readmission as a permanent resident upon the first return of that parent to the United States after the birth of the child; and his or her accompanying parent is found to be admissible to the United States.

•  Completed Application for Transportation Letter (PDF-90KB) (for LPR mother)
• Completed Contact Form (PDF-47KB)
• Copies of LPR parents’ valid Green card
• Obstetrician medical certificate showing your medical check-up during pregnancy
• Three passport style photographs of the child.
• Proof of date of last departure from the United States, including, but not limited to LPR mother’s boarding pass and/or boarding certificate issued by the airliner
• Copies of LPR mother’s passport photograph page and all pages containing exit/entry stamp (both U.S. and foreign)
• A copy of child's passport (biographical page only)
• LPR mother’s Certificate of Korean Exit/Entry Record issued by Korea Immigration Office (life-time or record showing your crossing data since you obtained LPR status at minimum)
• Your newborn child’s Certificate of Korean Exit/Entry Record issued by Korea Immigration Office (life-time)
• Child’s birth certificate or Family Census Register with English translation
• Evidence of travel arrangements for LPR mother and the newborn baby indicating airline and first port of arrival in the United States. This may include photocopies of airline tickets or copy of reservation confirmation

For Transportation Letter inquiries, please e-mail us at CBP.Seoul.Inquiries@cbp.dhs.gov or fax us at 02) 795-3196

Updated: June 4, 2012