Application/Guidelines
Transportation Letters
Lost/Stolen Green Card
Green Card Not Received
Expired Green Card
Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) Child Born Abroad
Permanent Resident Cards (commonly known as green cards, Form I-551 or Alien Registration Cards) can only be issued or replaced inside the United States by the Department of Homeland Security, Citizenship and Immigration Services. No DHS office outside the U.S. can issue replacements. If you left your green card in the United States, you should ask friends or relatives to send it to you by express mail. If you have been outside of the United States for over one year, you are not eligible for a transportation letter. You will need to apply for non-immigrant visa or re-apply for Permanent Resident Status. You should contact DHS/CIS, Citizenship and Immigration Services.
If you lost your green card, if your green card is expired or if you never received your green card, DHS-Kingston may be able to issue you a transportation letter to permit you to return to the United States. In order to issue such a letter, DHS must confirm your resident alien status.
To apply for a transportation letter read the guidelines and complete the application ensuring that all questions have a response. Submit the completed application and copies of supporting documents via email to: ICEKingston@state.gov
When your application is received an ICE representative will contact you to arrange an appointment for an interview and issuance of a letter. To avoid delays in interviews and issuance, be sure to bring all original documentation and information listed on the application checklists below. Do not call for an appointment. All correspondence should be directed to our office via email.
The processing time for transportation letter applications is approximately two weeks (ten business days). After adjudication, an ICE representative will call you to arrange an in-person interview. Provided that all documents are valid and presented to the representative at the time of appointment, the transportation letter will be issued at the conclusion of the interview. There is no fee for service. Interviews will be held at the U.S. Embassy, 142 Old Hope Road, Kingston 6 and are by appointment only.
Lost/Stolen Green Cards
If your Green Card was lost or stolen while abroad you should provide the following documents and information for issuance of a Transportation Letter:
Completed Application for Transportation Letter.
Police report detailing the loss/theft of applicant’s green card; if you have reason to believe that your Permanent Resident Card was lost or stolen in the U.S., please provide us with a copy of your Incident/Property report and evidence that you filed for a replacement card PRIOR to leaving the United States.
Your Alien Registration Receipt Card number.
Three passport style photographs of the applicant. Photos must have a white background, be glossy and cannot be retouched. They cannot be larger than 2x2 inches and must have been taken within the last 30 days.
A valid passport; if you traveled on a passport which has since expired, you will need to bring that as well. You must have a valid machine Readable Passport from your country of Birth or citizenship.
Proof of date of last departure from the United States,
Copy of Military/Government orders if applicant is a dependent of a U.S. government employee.
Green Card Not Received
If you are a resident of the United States but have not yet received your green card you should provide the following documents and information:
Completed Application for Replace Permanent Resident Card-I--90.
Your receipt for Application to Replace Permanent Resident card/Notification of Action
Your Alien Registration Receipt Card number.
Your valid passport; if you traveled on an expired passport bring the expired passport as well. You must have a valid machine Readable Passport from your country of Birth or citizenship.
Three passport style photographs of the applicant. Photos must have a white background, be glossy and cannot be retouched. They cannot be larger than 2x2 inches and must have been taken within the last 30 days.
Proof of date of last departure from the United States
Copy of valid temporary travel authorization
Copy of Military/Government orders if applicant is a dependent of a U.S. government employee
Expired Green Card
If you are a Legal Permanent Resident with an expired 10-year green card , which is not damaged you may travel to the United States with your expired card. Please email a copy of your expired card to our office and our office will issue appropriate documentation to you. If you are a conditional resident with an expired 2-year card you will require a transportation letter. To apply for a transportation letter you should provide the following documents and information:
Completed Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card--I-90
Your Alien Registration Receipt Card number.
Three passport style photographs of the applicant. Photos must have a white background, be glossy and cannot be retouched. They cannot be larger than 2x2 inches and must have been taken within the last 30 days.
Proof of date of last departure from the United States
Applicant’s valid passport; if you traveled on a passport which has since expired, you will need to provide the expired passport as well. You must have a valid machine Readable Passport from your country of Birth or citizenship.
Letter of explanation for traveling without a valid green card
Copy of Military/Government orders if applicant is a dependent of a U.S. government employee.
LPR Child Born Abroad
Immigration law allows a transportation letter to be issued to a child born after issuance of an immigrant visa to his or her accompanying mother, or to a child born during the temporary visit abroad of a mother who is a lawful permanent resident of the United States, provided that: the child’s application for admission to the United States is made within 2 years of birth; the child is accompanied by either parent who is applying for readmission as a permanent resident upon the first return of that parent to the United States after the birth of the child; and his/her accompanying parent is found to be admissible to the United States.
The following documents must be provided for issuance of a Transportation Letter:
Completed Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card-I-90 For child
Mother’s Alien Registration Receipt Card number.
Obstetrician medical certificate
Three passport style photographs of the applicant. Photos must have a white background, be glossy and cannot be retouched. They cannot be larger than 2x2 inches and must have been taken within the last 30 days.
Proof of date of last departure from the United States, to include mother’s passport; if mother’s passport has since expired, you will be required to provide the expired passport and a valid passport
The child’s passport, a valid machine Readable Passport from your country of Birth or citizenship
Child’s birth certificate
Voluntary Departures
An alien, who was granted voluntary departure from the United States, is requested to report his/her departure status to Department of Homeland Security-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (DHS-ICE) representative. To apply for verification of voluntary departure, you will need to arrange an appointment with an ICE representative. Appointments may be made by emailing:
ICEKingston@state.gov You will need to email copies of the following documents and bring the ORIGINAL documents to this appointment:
G-146 Form, Voluntary Departure Order
Copies of your passport biological page; entry/exit stamped page.
Airline issued boarding pass or flight ticket when you left the U.S.
Phone number for contact
The normal processing time for departure verification is one (1) week (five working days) or longer.
Should you have any question for this, please do not hesitate to contact a ICE representative, via email at ICEKingston@state.gov
