Returning Resident Visa

A Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) or Conditional Resident (CR) who has remained outside the United States for longer than one year, or beyond the validity period of a Re-entry Permit, requires a new immigrant visa to enter the United States and resume permanent residence. You can learn more about Returning Resident Visas on usvisas.state.gov. To schedule an appointment to begin the process, please send an e-mail to jerusalemIVinquiries@state.gov.

Lost, Stolen, and/or expired Green Cards

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issues LPR Cards (green cards). The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem does NOT issue replacement LPR Cards.

If you are overseas and your Permanent Resident Card was lost or stolen, and you have been out of the United States for less than 365 consecutive days, you may request a boarding foil from either U.S. Embassy Jerusalem or from the Branch Office in Tel Aviv to allow you to return to the United States. Note that you may be required to provide a police report.

Starting September 30, 2016, the new Form I-131A is the only application form used for this service. Per worldwide changes in USCIS procedures, both U.S. Embassy Jerusalem and the Branch Office in Tel Aviv no longer accepts Form I-90 in conjunction with boarding foil applications, and instead requires LPR boarding foil applicants to complete Form I-131A. The service will include a fee, which applicants must pay through the USCIS online payment system  (ELIS) before adjudication.

If you plan to file a Form I-131A to apply for a LPR boarding foil, please note that you must pay the filing fee online through ELIS on the USCIS website before appearing in person at U.S. Embassy Jerusalem. Applicants will need their A-number in order to pay the fee, which they may obtain from the nearest USCIS office. Information on the new form and fee is located here. You must bring evidence of payment, in the form of a printed email receipt notice or confirmation page, when you appear in person to file Form I-131A and one passport photo. For more details on photo requirements click here.  As with all immigration fees, USCIS does not issue refunds, regardless of the decision on the application. You may find additional information for the I-131A on the I-131A Form and Instructions page.

Please note that an I-131A fee will only be refunded in the event of a U.S. government error. USCIS will not process a refund if an applicant later determines that a LPR boarding foil was unnecessary, and USCIS will also not provide applicants an I-131A fee payment refund if the individual should have applied for an SB-1 instead of a boarding foil. Please contact the relevant USCIS Field Office for more information.

Please Note: If you have been out of the United States for MORE than a year, you may have lost your status as a permanent resident.

What evidence can LPRs present at an airport, rather than applying for a boarding foil? To enter the United States, 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 United States was on official government business. These individuals should consult their air carrier prior to completion of an I-131A and payment of the fee.