USCIS to stop issuing I-551 stamps routinely

USCIS has announced that is is rescinding the May 2009 policy that asked CIS district offices to issue I-551 stamps as a matter of course. The I-551 is a stamp in a passport that confirms that permanent residence has been approved. It is temporary evidence of permanent residence until the "green card" is produced.

In recent years, green cards have been created and mailed withing a couple of weeks of permanent residence approval, so CIS did not issue the I-551 stamps unless there was an emergency. However, in May 2009, card production was delayed while they upgraded equipment, so CIS started issuing the I-551 stamps again.

Hopefully card production is back to normal, and approved permanent residents won't have problems because of having no evidence of permanent residence approval. CIS will still issue I-551 stamps, but only in emergency cases.