USCIS has announced that it will begin to use U.S. Postal Service’s (USPS) Signature Confirmation Restricted Delivery service to mail Green Cards and other secure documents starting April 30, 2018. USCIS believes that this change will increase the security, integrity, and efficiency of document delivery and will provide better tracking and accuracy of delivery information.
Under this new procedure, applicants will need to present identification in order to sign for their documents upon delivery. In the alternative, they may fill out PS Form 3801, Standing Delivery Order or PS Form 3801-A, Agreement by a Hotel, Apartment House, or the Like in order to have an agent sign on their behalf. Applicants can also sign up for USPS Informed Delivery to receive delivery notifications and can also choose to pick up their documents at a post office at a more convenient date and time by selecting “hold for pickup” on the USPS website.
At first, these changes will only affect documents which are being re-mailed because they were returned to USCIS as non-deliverable, including: Permanent Resident Cards (Green Cards), Employment Authorization Cards, and Travel Booklets. Applicants who have changed their address during the application process may also be more likely to have their secure documents mailed using the Signature Confirmation Restricted Delivery Service, though USCIS plans to expand the program to all secure documents in the future.