USCIS Allows Lawful Permanent Residents to Receive Temporary Evidence of Status by Mail

US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced a new measure that allows lawful permanent residents to receive temporary evidence of their status through mail rather than visiting a field office to receive an Alien Documentation, Identification and Telecommunication (ADIT) stamp. This measure applies to those who don’t have their Green Card, whose application to replace their Green Card or naturalization is still pending adjudication, or whose Green Card and extension notice have expired.

When contacting the USCIS Contact Center, an immigration services officer will verify the identity and physical mailing address of the applicant and determine whether the address can receive UPS or FedEx express mail. If an in-person appointment is not needed, the USCIS field office will review the request for temporary evidence and mail the applicant a Form I-94 with ADIT stamp, DHS seal, and a printed photo of the lawful permanent resident obtained from USCIS systems.

However, some lawful permanent residents will still need to appear in person at a USCIS field office to receive temporary evidence of their status, including those who have urgent needs, do not have a usable photo in USCIS systems, or whose address or identity cannot be confirmed.

USCIS has the discretion to determine the validity period of the ADIT stamp based on the lawful permanent resident’s situation, not exceeding one year unless specified otherwise by regulation or policy. This measure will help reduce the burden on applicants and increase the availability of USCIS field office resources.