Obtaining A Transportation Letter/Boarding Authorization With A USCIS Office Abroad

I sometimes get frantic calls from people visiting abroad regarding lost, stolen, expired, and/or destroyed green cards and/or re-entry permits. This article will serve as a primer as what to do in such a situation.
 

On September 30, 2016, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) implemented the new Form I-131A, Application for Travel Document (Carrier Documentation), which is to be used when seeking a transportation letter or a boarding authorization document. With this new Form I-131A, the responsibility of issuing travel documents for lost, stolen, expired and/or destroyed green cards and/or re-entry permits falls with the USCIS. In locations where a USCIS international office is not present, the Department of State (DOS) will accept these requests, except for Kingston, Jamaica, where ICE continues to handle these requests.
 

To apply for a transportation letter or boarding authorization, the applicant must complete Form I-131A (for submission in person at the USCIS office or DOS consular post) and submit the fee payment through the USCIS website. An appointment with the appropriate USCIS office (or DOS) may not be scheduled until the fee is paid. In order to pay the fee, go to the USCIS website (www.uscis.gov), select “FORMS,” and navigate to Form I-131A.  The fee may be paid via credit card, debit card or U.S. bank account. Currently, the on-line payment system will only accept U.S. bank cards and addresses. It is important to print off all documents at each stage, including confirmation of payment. There must be an exact match of the alien’s full name as it appears on the LPR card– first and last name, no middle name. Names are stored in the “central index system,” and only this name can be used. Please note that if you are timed out of the system, you will need to start over.
 

For further information or questions you may have, please do not hesitate to contact The Law Offices of Michael H. Markovitch.