Document Replacement
Despite your best efforts, you may find that you need to replace an immigration document due to it being damaged, lost, or in rare cases, stolen. The information below is intended to guide individuals who are currently in the U.S. in active status through the process of replacing existing documents. If you are a prospective student, scholar, employee, or visitor and are requesting immigration documentation for the first time, please refer to the Getting Started with the Visa Process.
Reporting lost or stolen documents Heading link
If your documents have been lost or stolen, you should immediately notify the appropriate authorities. Contact OIS if your document is lost or damaged to the point of not being usable. If you believe that your documents were stolen, you have the option to file a police report with UIC Police or the local police where the theft occurred. You can connect with UIC Police online or by calling their non-emergency line, (312) 996-2830. OIS advisors are available to support you through this process if needed.
Replacing immigration documents Heading link
OIS recommends that you maintain a personal photocopy or digital image of each immigration document as it can prove useful when a document is damaged, lost, or stolen. However, you should never attempt to use a copy of an immigration document for official business or travel. In these cases, you will need to replace the original document, per the instructions below.
Passport
Your passport is issued by your home country’s government. You will need to contact your country’s embassy or consulate in the U.S. to notify them of your missing passport and to find out how to obtain a new one. You can find contact information for foreign embassies and consulates in the U.S. at the U.S. Department of State website.
U.S. visa stamp
If your U.S. visa is lost or stolen along with your passport, you should contact the U.S. Embassy or Consulate that issued it to make sure your visa is not used fraudulently by another person. Also inform them if you had any other valid U.S. visa in your passport, such as a B-1/B-2 visitor visa. Contact information for U.S. Consulates and Embassies abroad can be found on the U.S. Department of State website. In most cases, you are allowed to remain in the U.S. so long as you continue to maintain your visa status. However, you will need to obtain a new visa the next time you depart the U.S. and prior to your return. Connect with an OIS advisor for specific guidance on your case.
Form I-94
In many cases, you can easily re-print your Form I-94 from the CBP website.
If you received a paper I-94 card upon entry to the U.S. and lost it, please connect with an OIS advisor for guidance.
Form I-20 or DS-2019
To request a replacement I-20 or DS-2019 form issued by UIC, F-1 Students and J-1 Exchange Visitors can log into myOIS and submit an e-form to request a reprint or replacement document. International students or scholars in F or J status not sponsored by UIC (e.g. Fulbright, etc.) should contact their sponsoring agency to request a replacement I-20 or DS-2019.
I-797 Approval Notice
If you are sponsored by UIC in H-1B, O-1, TN, E-3 status, your original I-797 Approval Notice (a.k.a. Notice of Action/Forms I-797A or I-797B) is provided to you from OIS at the time of status approval. If you lose your original you will be responsible for the cost of its replacement. See USCIS.gov “Form I-102” for the current replacement fee. The UIC sponsoring department may offer to cover the cost of this fee. Notify OIS in such an instance, as filing Form I-102 will require OIS assistance.
EAD for F-1 students on OPT
Please connect with an OIS advisor if you need a replacement EAD for an approved period of practical training.
Replacing other documents Heading link
There are other important documents that you may need to replace in the event they are damaged, lost, or stolen.
Social Security Card
Please see our Social Security Number and ITIN page for information on how to replace your SSN card.
UIC I-Card/Visitor Card
Connect with the ID Center as soon as possible to report a lost or stolen i-card. They can guide you through the steps to secure your personal information and replace your card.