Lost or stolen green card: what to do
If your green card is lost, stolen or destroyed, you replace it with Form I-90, the same form used for renewal. If it happened while you were outside the United States, the route home is different: Form I-131A at a U.S. embassy or consulate.
Checked against USCIS guidance on September 21, 2026. The sources are listed at the end of this page.
If you lost it in the United States
- File Form I-90 online or by mail, choosing “My previous card has been lost, stolen, or destroyed.”
- Send a copy of the card if you have one. If not, a government-issued ID showing your name, date of birth, photo and signature, such as a passport, driver’s license or military ID. That is what the I-90 instructions ask for.
- Pay the fee: $415 online or $465 on paper.
- If a thief could use the card, a police report is worth having for your own records. The I-90 instructions don’t require one.
Proving your status while you wait
Without a card, your receipt notice alone isn’t enough, because the 36-month wording works *together with* the card. USCIS says that if you no longer have your card and need evidence of status while you wait, it may issue an ADIT stamp (a temporary I-551 stamp) after you file. Ask through the USCIS Contact Center at uscis.gov/contactcenter.
Plan ahead if you need to travel or start a job: getting an ADIT stamp usually means an in-person appointment at a USCIS office.
If you lost it abroad
You can’t file an I-90 from outside the U.S. to get back in. USCIS’s Form I-131A, Application for Carrier Documentation, is for permanent residents whose green card was lost, stolen or destroyed during a temporary trip of less than a year. It gives you a document an airline will accept to board.
You file it in person at a U.S. embassy or consulate, pay before you go, and can’t ask for a fee waiver. Once you are back, file Form I-90 for the card itself.
If your card never arrived
If USCIS says it mailed a card that you never got, check Green Card Mailed but Not Delivered? What to Do Now first. When a card came back to USCIS as undeliverable, the status shows Notice Was Returned To USCIS As Undeliverable, and filing Form I-90 for a card you never received costs $0 in that case.
Frequently asked questions
What do I do if I lost my green card?
File Form I-90 with USCIS, choosing the lost, stolen or destroyed reason, and include a copy of the card if you have one or a government-issued photo ID. If you need proof of status before the new card arrives, ask USCIS about an ADIT stamp.
I lost my green card and need to travel. What should I do?
If you are in the U.S., file Form I-90 and ask USCIS for an ADIT stamp before you leave, because without the card the receipt notice alone doesn’t prove your status. If you are already abroad, apply for Form I-131A in person at a U.S. embassy or consulate.
How much does it cost to replace a lost green card?
$415 online or $465 on paper, the same as a renewal.
Do I need a police report to replace a stolen green card?
The Form I-90 instructions don’t require one. They ask for a copy of the card if you have it, or a government-issued photo ID. A report can still be useful for your own records if the card was stolen.
What if I lost my green card outside the U.S.?
File Form I-131A in person at a U.S. embassy or consulate. It is for permanent residents who lost their card on a trip of less than a year, and gives you a document to board a flight home. File Form I-90 once you are back.
Can a conditional resident replace a lost 2-year green card?
Yes. USCIS lets conditional residents use Form I-90 for a card that is lost, stolen, mutilated or destroyed, has incorrect information, needs a new name, or was never received. What they can’t use it for is an expiring card, which needs Form I-751 or I-829.
More Green card renewal guides
- Green card renewal guide
- Green Card Renewal Cost: The Form I-90 Fee
- Green Card Renewal Processing Time and Status
- Expired Green Card: Travel, Work and What to Do
- Form I-90: How to Fill It Out, Step by Step
- Green Card Mailed but Not Delivered? What to Do Now
- Form I-131 Explained: Advance Parole and Travel Documents
Sources
General information from USCIS guidance, not legal advice. MyCheck is not affiliated with USCIS or any government agency, and doesn’t file forms for you. Fees and addresses change: check USCIS.gov before you file. If your status is at risk, talk to an immigration attorney.
