A Green Card holder (permanent resident) is someone who has been granted authorization to live and work in the United States on a permanent basis. As proof of that status, a person is given a permanent resident card, commonly called a “Green Card.” For additional information about international travel as a lawful permanent resident (LPR), please visit this page.

Boarding Foil 

An LPR of the United States must present a valid unexpired Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card (“Green Card”) to return to the United States after an absence of less than one year.

If you are an LPR wishing to return to the United States soon and you don’t have your Green Card for the following reasons:

• Lost
• Stolen
• Expired conditional Green Card
• Expired 10-year Green Card
• Not yet received, and the stamp affixed in your passport “Processed for I-551” has expired

You will need a Boarding Foil to board a commercial flight to the U.S.

Note: If you left your Green Card in the United States, have it sent to you by express mail.

If you are an LPR with an expired Green Card, please read the Special Instructions on the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website to see if you need to file Form I-131A.

HOW TO APPLY FOR A BOARDING FOIL

The following are the only locations in Brazil in where you can apply for a Boarding Foil:

• U.S. Embassy in Brasilia
• U.S. Consulate General in Sao Paulo
• U.S. Consulate General in Recife
• U.S. Consulate General in Porto Alegre
• U.S. Consulate General in Rio de Janeiro

To apply for a Boarding Foil in Brasilia:
Please scan the required documents listed below and send them to: Brasiliavisa@state.gov.

To apply for a Boarding Foil in São Paulo:
Please scan the required documents listed below and send them to: SaoPauloLPR@state.gov.

To apply for a Boarding Foil in Recife:
Please scan the required documents listed below and contact the Visa unit at Recifevisa@state.gov or call (81) 3416-3050 to schedule an appointment.

To apply for a Boarding Foil in Porto Alegre:
Pease scan the required documents listed below and send them to: portoalegreniv@state.gov.

To apply for a Boarding Foil in Rio de Janeiro:
Pease scan the required documents listed below and send them to: immigrationrio@state.gov

Required Documents to apply for a Boarding Foil at the Embassy or Consulates:
You must prepare and bring these documents on your interview date:

• Valid Passport;
• Form I-131A;
• Copy of your Green Card or other official document that shows your resident status;
• Receipt or confirmation page showing online payment of the I-131A fee. Payment instructions can be found on the form or the USCIS website;
• One passport photo (5X7cm);
• Proof of removal of your conditional status – if you have an expired conditional card with two-year validity;
• Boarding pass or airline statement showing the date of your last departure from the United States.
• Intended return date to the United States.

Important: All documents you have sent to the Consulate by e-mail must also be brought to your interview. If a document is missing, your request may be denied and you will need to reschedule. We will return all original documents after the interview. 

What if I have remained outside the U.S. for more than a year?
We cannot issue Boarding Foils to Green Card holders who have been outside of the United States for more than 364 days.  You can find instructions on applying for a Returning Resident Visa application on this page, or you can learn more here.

What if I lost my Green Card but I have a Reentry Permit?
If you have a valid, unexpired Reentry Permit, you will be able to board a commercial flight to the United States as a permanent resident. No Boarding Foil is required.

Will I be questioned or interviewed at the Consulate or Embassy?
The Consular officer will review your documents and determine if you are eligible for the Boarding Foil.

Notes:

• DHS normally requires five business days to confirm your legal permanent status in the U.S. before the Embassy or a Consulate can issue a Boarding Foil. 
• If the Boarding Foil is granted, it will be valid for 30 days for one single entry to the United States. You should not schedule travel arrangements until after the Consul has determined that you are eligible.
• A Boarding Foil is not a benefit provided for by statute. It is temporary proof of status provided for an LPR to board an aircraft to return to the United States.

A Boarding Foil is not an entry document and does not replace the expectation for a traveler to present a valid passport to the DHS officials at the U.S. port of entry. Permission to re-enter the United States as an LPR with a Boarding Foil, or with an expired Green Card, will be determined by the DHS official at your first port-of-entry.

Returning Resident Visa Application

Resident Aliens (Green Card holders) who stay outside the U.S. for the period of one year may lose their Lawful Permanent Resident status. You can find additional information here.

There are exceptions, however, such as receiving a Reentry Permit from USCIS before departing the United States. Reentry Permit holders can stay outside of the United States for up to two years from the date the permit is issued.

Green Card holders who have been out of the United States for more than one year and wish to return to live in the United States may be eligible for a  Returning Resident Visa. They will need to prove that they did not intend to abandon their U.S. residence and that they remained outside the United States for longer than the permitted period for reasons beyond their control.

• To apply for a Returning Resident Visa, fill out form DS-117, and attach any supporting evidence you believe will support your application.

Please check the fee list for the amount you will pay at the Embassy or Consulate. It is not guaranteed that your Returning Resident Visa application will be approved. If your application is not approved, the fee is not reimbursable.

How to file the DS-117 petition
The following are the only locations in Brazil in where you can file the DS-117:

• U.S. Embassy in Brasilia
• U.S. Consulate General in Rio de Janeiro
• U.S. Consulate General in Sao Paulo
• U.S. Consulate General in Recife
• U.S. Consulate General in Porto Alegre

If you wish to file your DS-117 in Brasilia, Recife, São Paulo or Porto Alegre:
Please schedule an on-line appointment with the American Citizen Services Unit (ACS). ACS operates by appointment only.  To schedule the service for your DS-117, please choose “notarial and other services” from the ACS on-line scheduling system. To schedule an appointment in Brasilia, please click here. To schedule an appointment in Recife, please click here. To schedule an appointment in Sao Paulo, please click here. To schedule an appointment in Porto Alegre, please click here.

If you wish to file your DS-117 in Rio de Janeiro:
Pease scan the required documents listed below and send them to: immigrationrio@state.gov

Required documents to apply for the returning resident process at the Embassy and Consulates:

• Completed DS-117 form (the form can be obtained here);
• Original Green Card and a copy;
• Proof of removal of the conditional status of your residency (if you have a conditional Green Card with two- year validity);
• Proof of your ties to the United States and your intention to return (Examples: tax return, and evidence of economic, family, and social ties to the United States);
• Proof that your lengthy stay outside the United States was for reasons beyond your control (Examples: medical incapacity, employment with a U.S. company, etc.).

Important: all documents you may have sent by e-mail must be printed and brought on your interview date. If any document is missing, your request will be denied and you will need to reschedule. All original documents will be returned to you after your interview.

Green Card Abandonment

To abandon your permanent resident status in the United States and relinquish your Permanent Resident Card, please download Form I-407 “Abandonment of Lawful Permanent Residence” and complete the yellow-highlighted sections. The PDF allows you to enter information prior to printing.

By Mail:
Please return the following items to the address below:

• Completed I-407
  Item 6(a) – Be sure to state why you’re abandoning your permanent resident status;
  Item 6(d) – Do not write anything in this block.
• Permanent Resident Card (I-551)
  If you don’t have your permanent resident card (lost/stolen/misplaced), please explain in 6(b).
• Your Permit to Re-Enter (I-327) (only if applicable)
• G-28 – Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Representative (only if applicable)
• Include your e-mail address.
  Note: We will only process applications that include an e-mail address.

Note: Do not submit U.S. Social Security cards. For this service, please contact fbu.lisbon@ssa.gov.

Mailing Address
USCIS Eastern Forms Center
Attn: I-407 unit
124 Leroy Road
PO Box 567
Williston, VT 05495

Note: When you travel to the United States, you should travel with a copy of the processed I-407.  

Children Born Abroad to a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR)

Children born overseas to an LPR mother may travel to the United States without a visa if the child was born during the temporary visit abroad of the LPR mother, is under two years old, and is accompanied by an LPR parent who is returning to the United States for the first time since the birth of the child.

You may find additional information here.

We recommend checking with your airline to ensure they will board your child in these circumstances without carrier documentation. If the airline refuses to board your child without carrier documentation, you will need to pay for and submit a Form I-131A for your child.