On March 16, 2023, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a new delivery process for an Alien Documentation, Identification, and Telecommunication (ADIT) stamp that is intended to relieve some burden from both the USCIS field offices and eligible applicants. Follow along to find out what this delivery entails and how a proficient Baltimore County, Maryland green cards lawyer at Sheri Hoidra Law Office, LLC can help you take advantage of this opportunity.
What is an ADIT stamp?
Also known as an I-551 stamp, the ADIT stamp may be used as temporary evidence of one’s lawful permanent resident status in the United States. More specifically, lawful permanent residents are entitled to this temporary evidence under either of the following circumstances:
- They have not yet received their green card.
- They still have an application that is pending adjudication (i.e., Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card, Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence, or Form N-400, Application for Naturalization) all while their green card and extension notice have expired.
What is the new delivery process for an ADIT stamp?
Typically, applicants were required to schedule an appointment and physically visit one of the USCIS field offices to pick up an ADIT stamp. But as of recently, the USCIS now allows these stamps to be delivered by mail.
With this, applicants may receive this temporary evidence in a more timely manner, all while the USCIS field offices can free up availability for other resources.
What is the process for receiving an ADIT stamp via mail?
And in order to be eligible to receive an ADIT stamp via mail, you must first make a phone call to the USCIS Contact Center. Once you get connected to a USCIS officer, you will need to disclose your identity, your physical mailing address, and whether this physical mailing address can receive UPS or FedEx express mail.
From here, the officer may approve your request for this temporary evidence and send you an ADIT stamp along with the following:
- A copy of Form 1-94.
- A Department of Homeland Security seal.
- A printed photo of yourself retrieved from the USCIS systems.
It is important to note that an ADIT stamp via mail is not guaranteed. Meaning, after your conversation with the officer, they may conclude that you need to schedule an appointment with a field office to physically pick it up. Namely, they may conclude this if they believe that you are in an urgent situation, if a usable photo is not found in the system, or if your address cannot be confirmed.
You should not have to go through any part of your application process alone, including your attempt to obtain an ADIT stamp. So, without further hesitation, you must reach out to a talented Baltimore County, Maryland immigration lawyer. We look forward to hearing from you.
