Immigrant Visas
Renewing or Replacing a Green Card
U.S. Legal Permanent Residents (LPRs) are issued a Green Card -- also known as an Alien Residency Card (ARC) or I-551 -- to permit them to enter and exit the United States without a visa.
Green Card Has Not Yet Expired
If LPRs are outside of the United States and their Green Cards will expire or are lost, they must return to the USA in order to apply to renew or replace the Green Card. Green Cards cannot be renewed/replaced at U.S. Embassies or Consulates abroad. If interested in applying back in the United States, LPRs can find the forms and instructions for applying for a new Green Card on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website at: http://www.uscis.gov/.
There is one exception: LPRs serving in the U.S. military may use their APO address in order to mail in the application (Form I-90) for a new Green Card from overseas.
Green Card Has Already Expired
If the Green Card is lost or has expired while the LPR is overseas, the LPR still must return to the USA to apply for a new Green Card. The LPR must first prove he/she has been outside of the USA for less than one year. LPRs who remain outside of the USA for over one year risk losing their LPR status. Proof of travel to/from the USA can include plane tickets, a letter from the airline, or entry/departure stamps in their passport.
LPRs who have remained outside of the USA for more than one year, without prior permission, and who wish to return to the USA, must travel to the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad to apply for a returning resident visa. For more information, please see http://usembassy.state.gov/pakistan/im_returning_resident.html.
Once it has been established that the LPR has been outside of the USA for less than one year, and his/her Green Card is expired, the U.S. Embassy may issue a transportation letter to enable the LPR to board and plane and enter the USA, where he/she can submit the application for a new Green Card.
An application for a transportation letter must include:
- Passport
- Expired Green Card or a police report or written statement explaining the loss of the Green Card (with English translation if necessary)
- Proof of identify (i.e. U.S. drivers license or other U.S.-issued ID card)
- Ticket or boarding pass from flight on which you departed the USA
Four photos (2 inches x 2 inches on a white background; both ears must be visible) - $190 cash
Once these documents and photos are collected, please call the Consular Section at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul at 070-10-8398 or 070-20-1908 to arrange for a time to come to the Embassy and apply for the transportation letter.
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