If your alien resident card has been lost or stolen, you will need to schedule an appointment with the Visa Unit in order to obtain a boarding foil.

Please visit Visa Information and Appointments in order to schedule an appointment with the Visa Unit at the Embassy.  Please bring the following documents to your interview:

• A valid passport (if your passport has also been lost/stolen, you must obtain a new passport or other travel document before seeing us);
• Form I-131A Application for Travel Document (Carrier Documentation).  Please complete the form and sign it;
• The fee of $575 must be paid online prior to your appointment at the U.S. Embassy.  See the instructions on the form about payment methods.  You will need to bring the payment confirmation page or a copy of the email about the payment receipt notice;
• 1 recent 5cm x 5cm photograph; (for photo specifications, please see the instructions for Form I-131A instructions);
• Original police report filed in connection with your loss;
• Credible evidence of your resident alien status and/or Alien Registration Number (copy of your green card, USCIS admission stamp, etc.);
• Evidence showing that you did not abandon your LPR status (entry/exit stamps, airline tickets, boarding passes).

Processing Time

We will process your case as quickly as we can. However, we cannot guarantee same-day processing. The issuance of the boarding foil usually takes at least two working days. A boarding foil is valid for 30 days; therefore, please plan your trip to the United States accordingly.

NOTE:  The I-131A fee will be refunded only in the event of U.S. government error.  USCIS will not process a refund if an applicant later determines that a Boarding Foil was unnecessary.  Please contact the relevant USCIS Field Office for more information.

What evidence can a LPR present at an airport, rather than applying for a boarding foil?

To enter the U.S., a LPR may present at least one of the following items in place of a boarding foil:

1. An expired Permanent Resident Card with a 10-year expiration date,

   or

2. A valid Permanent Resident Card (with a two-year validity), and a Form I-797, Notice of Action, indicating that status is extended,

   or

3. Orders from the U.S. government (civilian or military) showing that time outside the U.S. was on official government business.  These individuals should consult their air carrier prior to completion of an I-131A and payment of the fee.