USCIS Announces New Security Measures for Green Card Delivery

Beginning April 30th, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) will begin implementing the Signature Confirmation Restricted Delivery Service provided by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) for all mailed Green Cards and other secure documents. To receive a secure document or Green Card, recipients must provide the mail courier with a photo ID to sign for the secured mail.

Phase One

USCIS announced that the new secure delivery measure will begin operating first through documents that must be re-mailed. Typically, USCIS must re-mail documents because the original address of the recipient was out of date or incorrect.  The new delivery method will guarantee that sensitive documents are provided to the correct recipient.  If a document is returned as undeliverable to USCIS, the re-mailed package will require a verified signature upon re-delivery. Documents included in this new secured delivery include: Permanent Resident Cards (Green Cards), Employment Authorization Cards (EAD), and Travel Booklets. After phase one, USCIS plans to incorporate the secured delivery method for all secured documents sent through mail.

What if I can’t sign for my Green Card?

If you have recently changed your address, it is likely that your documents have been mailed to the incorrect address. Therefore, to have a green card or EAD mailed to the correct address, recipients must be present during delivery. However, for those who may be away from their home for travel or work, recipients may designate an agent to sign on their behalf. According to USCIS, to designate an individual to sign on your behalf, you must complete either at PS Form 3801, Standing Delivery Order (PDF)orPS Form 3801-A, Agreement by a Hotel, Apartment House, or the Like (PDF). Thus, a green card recipient, who may be away from the house during the day, can designate their spouse or roommate to sign for the secure document. Additionally, recipients of secured documents can sign up for USPS Informed Deliveryto track their documents and opt for “hold for pickup” to pick up their documents at a local post office at a specified date and time.