Does my conditional green card arrive by mail or at the consulate?

It depends on which path your EB-5 process followed. In neither case is the card delivered at the consulate: the physical conditional green card always arrives by mail.

If you were already in the United States and completed adjustment of status, the conditional green card is mailed in a secure envelope to the address on file for your case. It is the document that proves your conditional resident status.

If the process went through consular processing abroad, the path is slightly different. First, you receive an immigrant visa stamped in your passport. After entering the United States with that visa and completing a validation step, the conditional green card is mailed to the address you provided.

• Adjustment of status: card arrives by mail, with no visit to the consulate.
• Consular processing: immigrant visa in your passport first, card by mail after entry.
• The consulate issues the immigrant visa, not the physical green card.

Track your case through official channels and keep your address up to date. When in doubt, confirm with USCIS or a qualified immigration professional.

About the author

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Meet the author

As a journalist and lead editor at Visto n’ Visa, Victoria helps ensure that immigration topics are covered in a clear, trustworthy, and easy-to-understand way. Her focus is on delivering useful, human, and relevant content for people exploring new paths abroad.