On March 16, 2023, USCIS announced a new policy that allows temporary green card stamps to be sent to legal residents by mail. The new policy will make it more convenient for legal residents to obtain proof of their legal status.
Lawful permanent residents are entitled to evidence of status for employment and travel purposes. However, sometimes they do not have in their possession the physical green card for various reasons. For example, they may have lost or misplaced their green cards, or they may be waiting for their renewal (I-90) or permanent green cards (I-751) to be approved by USCIS. In these situations, they will require temporary evidence of their status in the form of a stamp on their passport. This stamp is called an ADIT stamp.
For many years, if one requires temporary proof of their status, they are required to make an appointment with a local USCIS office to request for an ADIT stamp. Under the new policy, a legal resident may contact the USCIS Contact Center to request temporary evidence of status. After an immigration officer verifies his identity, physical mailing address, and whether that address can receive UPS or FedEx express mail, the request will be sent to a local field office.
The local field office will then decide if an in-person appointment is required. If it is not required, an ADIT stamp can be sent to the applicant on a Form I-94 with a DHS seal and a printed photo of the applicant. The local office will also have discretion to decide the validity period of the ADIT stamp, which is generally one year.
According to USCIS, some legal residents will still need to appear in person at a USCIS field office to receive an ADIT stamp. For examples, applicants who have urgent needs, do not have a useable photo in USCIS systems, or whose address or identity cannot be confirmed, will be required to attend an in-person appointment.
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