How to Report a Lost Permanent Resident Card

A missing Green Card creates two separate problems: you need to document what happened, and you need to replace the card. The usual replacement route is Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card. If you’re traveling or already outside the United States, the next step may be more urgent: contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate before making travel plans.

Use this decision path first:

• Card missing inside the United States: consider a police report, then file Form I-90.
• Card missing while traveling: report the loss locally and check with the airline, border officials, USCIS, or a U.S. Embassy or Consulate before traveling.
• Card missing while abroad: contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for current instructions, then handle the replacement process as directed.

The details can change, especially for travel documents, fees, and temporary proof of status. Confirm those points with current official guidance.

What to do immediately after losing a permanent resident card

Start by checking the obvious places. Look through your wallet, bags, car, workplace, hotel room, and any place you visited recently. If you think the card was stolen, treat it as stolen rather than simply misplaced.

Then write down what happened while the details are fresh:

• When you last saw the card
• Where you may have lost it
• Whether you believe it was stolen
• Your travel plans, if any
• Your A-Number, if you have it saved somewhere
• The expiration date shown on the card, if you remember it

A police report is recommended as soon as you realize the Green Card is missing, especially if you believe someone took it. The report does not replace the card, and it does not replace Form I-90. It gives you a record of the loss or theft that may be useful when dealing with USCIS, an airline, an employer, a bank, or a consular office.

After that, the main replacement step is to file Form I-90. USCIS directs people whose Green Card was lost, stolen, or destroyed to use this form.

If you need to travel soon, don’t wait until the day before your trip to deal with the problem. Travel rules and temporary proof options depend on your situation. Check current USCIS instructions and contact the relevant U.S. Embassy or Consulate if you are abroad or your trip is time-sensitive.

When to file a police report for a lost or stolen Green Card

You can file a report when the card is lost, but it is especially sensible when the card was stolen or may have been taken with other personal documents.

If the loss happened in a store, hotel, airport, public place, or another location with security staff, ask whether they have a lost-and-found process. You can still make a police report if the card is not recovered.

How to file a police report for lost green card

Contact the police department that serves the place where the card went missing. If you don’t know the exact location, start with the department where you discovered the loss or where you believe the theft occurred.

Explain clearly that your permanent resident card, also called a Green Card, is missing. Ask for:

• The report number
• A copy of the report, if available
• Instructions for getting a copy later
• The name or contact details of the officer or department handling it

Keep the report with your immigration records. If the card is later found, do not assume you should keep using it without checking the current instructions. A card that was reported stolen may raise questions when used as identification.

A police report is a protective step. It is not the USCIS application. You still need to file Form I-90 for the replacement.

How Form I-90 replaces a lost permanent resident card

Form I-90 is the application USCIS uses to replace a Permanent Resident Card. It is the standard form for a Green Card that was:

• Lost
• Stolen
• Destroyed
• Damaged or mutilated
• Expired
• Issued without an expiration date, where the current instructions call for replacement

Choose the reason that best matches what happened. Read each question carefully and use your immigration records to avoid guessing.

The form asks for identifying and immigration information. You should also be ready to explain the reason for the replacement and provide the supporting documents requested in the current instructions.

Filing Form I-90 starts the replacement process. It does not mean you receive a new physical card right away. USCIS may send notices or request more information while the application is being handled.

If USCIS asks you to attend an appointment or provide additional evidence, follow the notice closely. Keep copies of everything you submit, including the completed form, payment record, police report, and USCIS notices.

Filing Form I-90 online or by mail

The available filing options for Form I-90 are online or by mail. Pick the option you can complete accurately and track reliably.

Filing online

Online filing can be useful if you have stable internet access and want to manage notices through a USCIS account. Before starting, gather your identity and immigration details so you don’t have to stop halfway through.

Review every answer before submitting. A small error in your name, date of birth, A-Number, address, or card information can create delays or confusion.

Save or print:

• Your submitted application
• The confirmation page
• Your receipt or case number
• Any payment confirmation
• Copies of uploaded documents

Filing by mail

If you file a paper Form I-90, use the current form edition and mailing instructions. USCIS filing addresses can depend on how you send the package, so check the current instructions rather than relying on an old address.

Make a complete copy of the package before mailing it. Use a delivery method that gives you proof the package arrived. Keep that proof with your records.

Whether you file online or by mail, check the current USCIS instructions for the required fee, evidence, signatures, and filing address. An application can be rejected or delayed if it is incomplete or sent with the wrong payment or supporting material.

What conditional permanent residents need to know

Conditional permanent residents also need to replace a Green Card that was lost, stolen, mutilated, or destroyed. A conditional resident’s card is still the person’s Green Card, even though it has a limited validity period.

Form I-90 is used to replace the missing physical card. But replacing the card and dealing with the conditions on residence are not always the same issue. If your conditional residence is near its expiration date, or you have a separate filing related to removing conditions, check the current USCIS instructions for that process too.

Don’t assume that a replacement card fixes every immigration deadline. Gather copies of any prior notices and filings, then confirm the right next step with USCIS if your conditional status is involved.

What to do if the card is lost while traveling or abroad

Travel creates a different decision path.

If you lose the card during a trip inside the United States

Make a police report if the card was stolen or cannot be located. Then begin Form I-90. If you have a flight or other travel planned, check current USCIS guidance before leaving.

Ask the airline or travel provider what identification it requires. Also check whether you need current proof of permanent resident status for the trip or for your return. Do not rely on an old photograph of the card as a replacement for official documentation unless the relevant authority confirms it is acceptable.

If you lose the card outside the United States

Contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate as soon as possible. Explain that you are a permanent resident whose Green Card was lost, stolen, or destroyed.

The consular office can tell you what current steps apply to your situation. It may ask for identity information, proof of permanent residence, a police report, travel details, and other documents. The exact requirements can change, so don’t rely on advice from an old trip or another traveler.

You should also file Form I-90 as directed by current USCIS instructions. The embassy or consulate may provide travel-related guidance, but it is not a substitute for the permanent card replacement process.

If you’re asking, “I lost my green card and need to travel,” treat the trip as urgent paperwork, not a minor inconvenience. Contact the relevant U.S. office before booking a new itinerary or going to the airport. Travel-document rules must be confirmed for your exact location and circumstances.

Expired cards and permanent resident cards with no expiration date

A lost card is not the only reason to use Form I-90. The available guidance also directs people with expired Green Cards and cards that have no expiration date to file Form I-90 and pay the required fee.

If your card has expired, don’t assume that losing it is the only issue. You may need to explain that it was expired when you file. Read the current USCIS instructions for the correct filing reason and any evidence USCIS asks for.

Older cards without an expiration date can raise different questions. Keep any copies, old immigration documents, or naturalization records that help show your status and identity. Then check the current Form I-90 instructions before filing.

A card’s expiration date concerns the document. Your immigration status may involve separate questions. If an expired or undated card affects a job, benefit, border crossing, or planned trip, get current guidance before relying on the card alone.

Replacement fees, fee waivers, and processing-time questions

Form I-90 requires the fee listed in the current USCIS instructions. The amount and payment rules can change, so this article does not give a fee figure. Check the official instructions immediately before filing.

Some applicants ask about a Green Card replacement fee waiver. Don’t assume a waiver is available just because the card was lost or stolen. Check the current USCIS fee-waiver instructions to see whether your situation qualifies and whether a separate request or form is required.

A fee waiver request can affect how you file. Read the instructions for both Form I-90 and the fee-waiver process before sending anything. If the waiver request is incomplete, it may affect the filing.

People also often ask, “How long does it take to replace a lost green card?” There is no single timeline to rely on here. Processing can change, and your case may involve additional notices or requests. Check current USCIS processing information and keep your receipt or case number so you can follow the application.

Documents and details to gather before filing

Make a small file before you start. It will make the application easier and help if USCIS or a consular office asks questions later.

Gather:

• A copy or photo of the lost card, if you have one
• Your A-Number and USCIS account details, if available
• Your passport or other identity documents
• A police report, if you filed one
• The date, place, and circumstances of the loss
• Copies of prior USCIS notices
• Your current mailing address
• Details of upcoming travel
• Proof of any related filing, especially if you are a conditional resident
• The current Form I-90 instructions and fee information

Check each name, number, date, and address before submitting. Save the completed application and every notice that follows.

For a lost card inside the United States, the usual path is a police report when appropriate, followed by Form I-90 online or by mail. For a loss during travel or abroad, add the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate to the process before you make travel decisions. Verify the current Form I-90 instructions, fees, filing rules, and travel guidance with USCIS or the relevant U.S. Embassy or Consulate.