How to Report Stolen Green Card

A stolen green card creates two separate tasks: report the theft to law enforcement and ask USCIS for a replacement card. Handle them in that order when you can. First document what happened. Then file Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card (Green Card), with USCIS. Keep every report, receipt, and case update together.

What to do immediately after your green card is stolen

Start by writing down the details while they’re fresh. Note when and where you last had the card, when you noticed it was missing, and what else may have been taken. If your wallet or bag was stolen, list the other items too.

Gather any information that can help identify the card, such as:

• Your full name and date of birth
• Your A-number, if you have it
• The card’s expiration date
• A copy or photo of the front and back, if you saved one
• The place and approximate date the card was issued
• Details about the theft, including the location and time

You don’t need to wait for every detail before taking action. If you don’t have a copy of the card, report what you know and explain what is missing.

Your basic sequence is:

1. Document the theft.
2. Make a police report.
3. Submit Form I-90 to USCIS.
4. Save the receipt and track the case.

A police report and a USCIS replacement application do different jobs. The police report records the crime. Form I-90 asks USCIS to issue a new permanent resident card. Filing one does not replace the other.

How to file a police report for a stolen green card

Contact the police department that handles the area where the theft happened. If you were traveling when it happened, that may be the local department where you were staying. The department’s website may explain whether you can report the theft online, by phone, or in person.

Tell the officer that your permanent resident card, also called a green card, was stolen. Give the facts you recorded. Avoid guessing if you aren’t sure about the time or location. It’s fine to say that you don’t know the exact details.

Ask for:

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

Keep the report with your immigration records. USCIS replacement instructions focus on filing Form I-90 when a green card is lost, stolen, or destroyed. The police report is still useful because it creates a formal record of the theft and may help if the card is misused.

A police report does not itself order USCIS to issue a new card. You still need to submit Form I-90.

How to file Form I-90 with USCIS

USCIS says people whose green cards were lost, stolen, or destroyed should file Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card (Green Card).

The form asks for information about you and the reason you need a replacement. Choose the reason that matches the theft. Answer every question carefully, using the same spelling and personal details shown in your immigration records when possible.

Before submitting, prepare:

• Your completed Form I-90
• Information from your stolen card, if you have it
• Your A-number and other identifying details
• Your police report information
• Any documents the current USCIS instructions say to include
• The required filing payment, unless USCIS confirms that a different rule applies to you

Check the current form instructions before sending anything. USCIS requirements can change, and an older copy of the form or an old checklist may not match the current process.

Review the application for simple mistakes. Check your name, address, date of birth, A-number, and the reason for replacement. A wrong address can create problems with notices or the new card.

Online versus sending a paper application

USCIS allows Form I-90 to be submitted online or by mail. Neither option changes the main purpose of the application: you are asking for a replacement permanent resident card.

An online application may be useful if you want to manage the case through a USCIS account. The available account features include:

• Paying the filing fee online
• Checking case status
• Receiving notifications
• Viewing case updates
• Accessing personalized case information

Take screenshots or save confirmation pages after you submit. Keep the receipt number somewhere safe. Don’t assume that seeing a payment screen means the full application was accepted. Look for the USCIS confirmation and keep watching for later notices.

A paper application may make more sense if you prefer printed records or cannot use the online system. Use the current USCIS mailing instructions and the correct filing address for the way you are submitting the application. USCIS filing addresses can depend on the form and delivery method, so don’t rely on an address copied from an old application.

For a mailed packet, keep:

• A complete copy of everything you send
• Proof of delivery, if you use a trackable mailing service
• A copy of the payment record
• The date you mailed the application
• Any USCIS receipt notice that arrives later

Don’t mail your only original immigration document or personal record unless the current instructions specifically call for it.

Paying the replacement fee and checking waiver options

Form I-90 requires the applicable USCIS filing fee in many cases. The research available for this guide does not confirm the current dollar amount, so check the USCIS Form I-90 page and fee information immediately before filing.

The amount may change. Using a number found in an old article, social media post, or saved form could lead to an incorrect payment.

The same caution applies to a Green card replacement fee waiver. Some applicants may have questions about whether they can avoid or reduce a fee, but the information available here does not confirm who qualifies or what evidence USCIS currently requires.

If paying the fee would be difficult, look at the current USCIS instructions for:

• Whether a fee waiver is available for your filing reason
• Which form USCIS requires for a waiver request
• What proof of financial hardship or another qualifying basis is needed
• Whether the waiver request must be sent with the Form I-90 packet
• Whether online filing supports the option you need

Don’t simply leave out the payment. If USCIS requires a fee and you send neither the fee nor an accepted waiver request, the application may not move forward. Verify the current rule before submitting.

What happens after you submit Form I-90

Save your receipt number as soon as USCIS gives you one. You’ll use it to check the case and connect later questions to the right application.

If you filed online, sign in to your USCIS account and check for messages, notices, and updates. If you filed by mail, watch the address you provided and keep your mailing proof. USCIS case-status and notification tools can help you follow the application.

You may need to respond if USCIS sends a notice asking for more information or requesting another step. Read each notice carefully. Follow the deadline and instructions shown on that notice rather than relying on general advice from an older article.

Keep a simple case file with:

• Your Form I-90 copy
• The USCIS receipt notice
• The police report
• Payment or fee-waiver records
• Copies of every notice
• Notes about calls or messages with USCIS
• Any update to your mailing address

If you move, follow the current USCIS instructions for updating your address. A changed address should not be left to chance, especially while you’re waiting for case notices.

The available information does not confirm a standard processing time for every Form I-90 case. Avoid planning around a number from a third-party website. Use your USCIS case information and current official notices instead.

What to do if you need to travel while your replacement is pending

“I lost my green card and need to travel” is a different problem from simply requesting a replacement. A pending Form I-90 does not, by itself, answer what documents you may need for a trip.

Before making travel plans, verify the current USCIS guidance for your exact situation. Check what applies if:

• The card was stolen in the United States
• The card was stolen while you were outside the United States
• You have already submitted Form I-90
• You have not yet received a USCIS receipt notice
• You have another immigration document
• Your card was expired or close to expiring

The research available for this article does not confirm a specific travel document rule, airport procedure, reentry process, or timeline. Don’t treat a police report or Form I-90 receipt as automatically replacing the physical card for travel.

If your departure is soon, contact USCIS through its current official channels and ask what documentation applies to your case. You may also need advice from a qualified immigration lawyer or accredited representative, especially if you are already abroad, have a complicated immigration history, or have an urgent trip.

Carry copies of your police report, Form I-90 receipt, and other immigration records when appropriate. Copies can help explain the situation, but they are not a substitute for checking the current travel requirements.

Does losing the physical card affect your permanent resident status?

Losing the card and losing permanent resident status are not the same question. The available information confirms that USCIS directs people with a lost, stolen, or destroyed green card to file Form I-90. It does not establish that losing the physical card automatically causes deportation or explain every legal effect of not having the card.

So don’t assume either extreme. Don’t treat the theft as proof that your status has ended, and don’t assume every travel or employment question is resolved without a valid card. Those questions can depend on facts that this basic replacement process does not answer.

If you are worried about your status, have received an immigration notice, or face a time-sensitive travel or work issue, get case-specific legal help. Keep the theft report and USCIS records ready so the person helping you can see the full timeline.

The safest next move is to verify the current Form I-90 instructions, filing fee, fee-waiver rules, and travel guidance through USCIS before you submit anything. Then follow one clear paper trail: record the theft, report it to police, file the replacement application, and track the USCIS case.