An individual with a pending I-90 who needs evidence of permanent resident status for work, travel, or to obtain a state-issued driver’s license should be able to obtain a temporary I-551 stamp in his or her passport at a local USCIS office. The stamp, which may be obtained by scheduling an InfoPass appointment, is evidence of permanent resident status and may be valid for up to one year. If there are no InfoPass appointments available within the timeframe required, the USCIS local office should also be able to provide the stamp on a walk-in basis, although walk-in procedures vary by office. USCIS will normally issue the I-551 stamp with a validity period of 6 to 12 months; however, if the applicant’s passport expires prior to that time, the stamp will likely reflect the expiration date of the passport. Additionally, if biometrics have not yet been captured for the pending I-90, the office might further limit validity period of the stamp to a period of 30 to 60 days. Because of delays in I-90 processing — USCIS has acknowledged staffing issues — more and more individuals may have to avail themselves of this procedure in order to prove lawful permanent resident status.
Applicants should bring the following items to USCIS when seeking an I-551 stamp:
• Valid passport
• InfoPass appointment notice (if applicable)
• Form I-90 receipt notice
• Proof of residence within the jurisdiction of the USCIS office
• Copy of expired/lost green card, if available
• Copy of date-stamped ASC appointment notice evidencing biometrics capture (if applicable)
USCIS also advises that if the request is based on an emergency walk-in, the emergent need for the stamp must be clearly documented (i.e., documentation of flight itinerary, doctor’s letter or death certificate, along with evidence of the relationship to an ill or deceased relative; company letter if emergency travel is work-related, etc.).