Form I-551 (green card)
If your green card is lost, stolen, or expired and you have not been out of the U.S. for more than one year, you may contact us at jerusalemniv@state.gov for U.S. Embassy Jerusalem or nivtelaviv@state.gov for Branch Office Tel Aviv to coordinate an appointment with the visa section. In order for us to process your request, you need to demonstrate that:

• You were an LPR at the time of departure from the United States;
• You maintain a residence in the United States and have not been outside the United States for more than one year;
• At the time of departure, you intended to return to the United States.

If you plan to apply for an LPR boarding foil, please note that you must file the I-131A Form and pay the $575 filing fee online on the USCIS website before appearing in person at a consular section.  Information on the new form and fee is located here.  You must bring evidence of payment, in the form of a printed email receipt notice or confirmation page, when you appear in person to file Form I-131A.  As with all immigration fees, USCIS does not issue refunds, regardless of the decision on the application.

You may find additional information on and instructions for the I-131A on the I-131A Form and Instructions page.

In addition to the Form I-131A and evidence of payment, you should bring the following:

• A valid passport
• One photograph, taken within the past six months, which meets the required specifications.
• Evidence of lawful permanent resident status such as stamp in passport, photocopy of card, etc.
• Form I-551 (green card). If your I-551 was lost or stolen, please present a police report (if applicable and available) documenting when it was lost or stolen.
• (For Conditional Legal Permanent Residents only) a Form I-797 receipt issued by DHS, showing that DHS has accepted your application for the removal of conditions of residence.

Please note the Embassy does not issue replacement green cards, only boarding foils (if qualified).  New green cards can only be obtained in the United States from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.”

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can the I-131A fee paid to USCIS be refunded?  An I-131A fee will only be refunded in the event of U.S. government error.  USCIS will not process a refund if an applicant later determines that an LPR boarding foil was unnecessary.  Please contact the relevant USCIS Field Office for more information.

What evidence can LPRs present at an airport, rather than applying for a boarding foil?

To enter the U.S., an LPR may present at least one of the following items in place of a boarding foil:

1. A valid Permanent Resident Card with a 10-year expiration date, or
2. A valid Permanent Resident Card (with a two-year validity), and a Form I-797, Notice of Action, indicating that status is extended, or
3. Orders from the U.S. government (civilian or military) showing that time outside the U.S. was on official government business.  These individuals should consult their air carrier prior to completion of an I-131A and payment of the fee.

If my application is approved, how long will it take to receive my boarding foil?  In most cases, the boarding foil will be ready for pickup on the next business day following your interview. Same-day processing is not available. If your travel is urgent and you have an expired Green Card, your airline carrier can advise you on how to contact the Department of Homeland Security to request permission to board absent other documentation.

Where can I obtain my A number or find out more information?  Please direct your inquiries to the nearest USCIS field office location.

Please note the Embassy does not issue replacement green cards, only boarding foils (if qualified).  New green cards can only be obtained in the United States from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

If you were arrested in the United States for an immigration violation and were allowed to depart voluntarily, you must prove that you have returned to Israel, Jerusalem, the West Bank and/or Gaza by appearing at the U.S. Embassy Jerusalem or Branch Office Tel Aviv. Please send an email to jerusalemniv@state.gov for Embassy Jerusalem or nivtelaviv@state.gov for Branch Office Tel Aviv.

In most cases, you will be asked to present your current passport, any U.S. visas you possess, the documents you received from USCIS or the immigration judge in the United States including Voluntary Departure Forms (ICE form I-210 or ICE form I-392), and the original boarding pass for your return flight from the United States.

Please note that the money bond which was deposited on your behalf in the U.S. will not be returned to you.  You will be interviewed by a consular officer who will sign the paperwork that you received from USCIS and return it to you. The Embassy will notify the U.S. authorities of your return by providing them with a copy of the same paperwork.

• If your passport containing a U.S. visa is lost or stolen, you should report the incident to the U.S. Embassy.
  • If you do not intend to apply for a visa, but only need to report the loss or theft of your passport that contained a U.S. visa email jerusalemniv@state.gov for Jerusalem or nivtelaviv@state.gov for Tel Aviv. Please have the following information:
  • • A police report documenting the loss/theft
    • A completed Lost or Stolen visa (PDF 470kb) report (one per person)
    • A valid government-issued ID

  If you plan to apply for a new visa, please follow the standard application procedure and report the loss or theft of your previous visa at interview.

Beginning July 1, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service  (USCIS) will no longer accept Form I-407, Record of Abandonment of Lawful Permanent Resident Status at international field offices by mail or in person.

Individuals who wish to voluntarily record abandonment of their lawful permanent resident (LPR) status must submit Form I-407 via mail to:

USCIS Eastern Forms Center
Attn: I-407 unit
124 Leroy Road
PO Box 567
Williston, VT 05495

We anticipate that processing times at the Eastern Forms Center, from receipt to completion, will be within 60 days, which does not include mailing time to or from outside of the United States.

Please show the copy of the I-407 to U.S. immigration officials when you arrive in the U.S. and mail a copy to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.  Abandoning your LPR status does not prevent you from immigrating to the U.S. in the future and may not relieve you of U.S. tax obligations.  We advise you to consult with a tax attorney about your tax obligations.  If you wish to immigrate to the U.S. in the future, please contact USCIS.

For additional information, you may visit the USCIS website at https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/uscis-will-no-longer-accept-i-407-international-field-offices