Applications for Boarding Foils (formerly Transport Letters)

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Overview

If you need to travel back home to the United States and your resident alien card (“green card”) has been damaged, lost or stolen, you will need to visit the Consular Section in person and apply for a Boarding Foil, which will be inserted in your passport and allows you to board your flight back to the United States and apply for entry as a Permanent Resident (LPR). There is a filing fee for this service which you must pay online before coming to the consular section to apply.

Applying for a Boarding Foil

If you plan to file a Form I-131A to apply for a LPR boarding foil, please note that you must pay the filing fee online on the USCIS website  before appearing in person at a consular section.  Information on the new form and fee is located here.  You must bring evidence of payment, in the form of a printed-out email receipt notice or confirmation page, when you appear in person to file Form I-131A.  As with all immigration fees USCIS does not issue refunds, regardless of the decision on the application.

Additional information on the I-131A and instructions can be found on the I-131A Form and Instructions page.

To make an appointment to apply for a Boarding Foil, please send an e-mail with the subject line “Boarding Foil” to CopenhagenNIV@state.gov briefly explaining your situation and giving the date of your last departure from the United States. Please attach a scanned .pdf copy of evidence of payment of the I-131A filing fee, first page of the completed I-131A as well as a copy of the bio page/photo page of your valid passport.

When we have received your e-mail and the scanned copies we will schedule you to come to the Embassy and file the application.

When coming to the Embassy to apply, please bring the following items:

  • A valid passport (if your passport has also been lost/stolen, you must obtain a new passport or other travel document before seeing us).
  • The original completed form I-131A (All pages).
  • Evidence of payment of the I-131A filing fee in the form of a printed-out email receipt notice or confirmation page
  • A recent passport size photograph (please find guidance on the preferred format at the Consular Affairs website).
  • Credible evidence of your resident alien status.
  • Airline ticket (evidence of travel from and back to the U.S.)
  • A police report reporting the theft of your card. (If your card was stolen) 

The consular officer must verify that you have maintained your status as a Lawful Permanent Resident in order to issue the Boarding Foil and may ask to see additional documents.

Please see the USCIS website for more information on how to maintain Lawful Permanent Resident Status.

A Boarding Foil is issued for a single entry into the United States, valid for a maximum of 30 days and has the same physical format as a U.S visa. Although a Boarding Foil has the same format as a visa, it is not a visa. A Permanent Resident of the United States traveling with a Boarding Foil does not need to present an I-94 form at port of entry. The immigration officer at Port of Entry will verify the Permanent Resident status of the traveler before admitting him or her into the United States.

Return of the Passport and Processing Time

It will most likely take at least 24 hours before the foil can be issued. If you need to travel soon after your appointment, the consular officer may allow you to pick up your passport. If you are not traveling right away we suggest that you bring a self addressed (with a Danish address) envelope with 97 Danish kroner in postage for the return of the passport by registered mail. Please inquire about your options for receiving your passport back when you come to the Embassy to apply.