On April 30, 2018, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) began phasing in the use of the U.S. Postal Service’s (USPS) Signature Confirmation Restricted Delivery Service for the mailing of Green Cards and other secure documents [PDF version].
During initial phase of the transition to the secure delivery method, the USCIS will use the USPS Signature Confirmation Restricted Delivery Service for documents that need to be re-mailed because they had previously been returned as non-deliverable. These documents include:
Permanent Resident Cards (Green Cards);
Employment Authorization Cards; and
Travel Booklets.
The USCIS explained that applicants who changed mailing addresses during the application process will be more likely to receive their secure documents sent by the new delivery method. The USCIS will expand its use of the secure delivery method for all secure documents in the future.
In order to accept the delivery of a secure document sent through the USPS Signature Confirmation Requested Delivery Service, an applicant must present identification to sign for the document upon delivery. An applicant who will be receiving his or her documents through the new secure delivery method may designate an agent to sign on his or her behalf either by completing the USPS’s PS Form 3801, Standing Delivery Order, the PS Form 3801-A, Agreement by Hotel, Apartment House, or the Like. The current versions of these forms are available on the USPS website. Finally, an applicant may arrange for pickup of the secure documents at a post office by selecting “hold for pickup” on the USPS website.
An applicant may find the tracking number for his or her secure document when it is mailed on his or her “Case Status Online account” through the USCIS website, which also provides automatic case updates. Applicants may track their documents in the mail by registering for “Informed Delivery” through the USPS website. We have uploaded a capture of the USCIS page on these issues for your convenience [PDF version].
