What to Do if You Lose Your Passport and Green Card
Hi I lost my South Korean Passport and also my green card. I have plans to travel within the next month. I have a deceased father who acquired US citizenship right around when I was 1 years old. I have his expired US passport. I recently finished my biometrics and am waiting on the physical card, but that will be several more months. According to some lawyers, I can apply immediately for the US passport? However, my mom doesn't remember whether my parents filed a marriage certificate. We used to live in Virginia and now I am here in Los Angeles California. In addition, I don't have a birth certificate. I tried to call the hospital that I was born in Korea, but they seem to have trouble locating my certificate or birth information. What is my best route of action here...?
I understand legally I am a US citizen but I have to prove it. But, seeing as I can't find my birth certificate or don't know where to find the marriage certificate for my parents I don't know how to proceed?
Re: What to Do if You Lose Your Passport and Green Card
You speak about a card - a green card is not citizenship. Can you elaborate a little, please?
Re: What to Do if You Lose Your Passport and Green Card
Quote:
Quoting
wjdgh329
Hi I lost my South Korean Passport and also my green card. I have plans to travel within the next month.
You should already be in the process of replacing your Green Card; you can explore with South Korea whether they can expedite the replacement of your passport. You need both a valid Green Card and a valid foreign passport to enter the U.S. when you return from your travels.
Quote:
Quoting wjdgh329
I recently finished my biometrics and am waiting on the physical card, but that will be several more months.
Is the issue that you lost your Green Card as you previously stated, or that you have not yet obtained permanent residency?
Quote:
Quoting wjdgh329
I have a deceased father who acquired US citizenship right around when I was 1 years old. I have his expired US passport.... According to some lawyers, I can apply immediately for the US passport?
If you have consulted lawyers who believe that they can obtain U.S. Citizenship for you based upon your father's naturalization, then I suggest working with one of them. They know far more about your circumstances than we do.
Quote:
Quoting wjdgh329
However, my mom doesn't remember whether my parents filed a marriage certificate. We used to live in Virginia and now I am here in Los Angeles California. In addition, I don't have a birth certificate. I tried to call the hospital that I was born in Korea, but they seem to have trouble locating my certificate or birth information.
So the issue is that there is a U.S. citizen who may have been your father, but is now deceased, may not have actually been married to your mother, and may not be named on your birth certificate (which you cannot locate)? If you are able to naturalize through your father, it would appear that you have a lot of legwork to do before you can accomplish that goal.
Quote:
Quoting wjdgh329
I understand legally I am a US citizen but I have to prove it. But, seeing as I can't find my birth certificate or don't know where to find the marriage certificate for my parents I don't know how to proceed?
If you have in fact lost your Green Card, work on getting the replacement. I'm not optimistic about your being able to accomplish much of anything within the space of a month, particularly if you have never actually received a Green Card, and I suggest that you get back in touch with one of the aforementioned immigration lawyers.