Form I-407 — Record of Abandonment of Lawful Permanent Resident Status

What is Form I-407?

Form I-407, Record of Abandonment of Lawful Permanent Resident Status, is how a green card holder formally records that they are giving up U.S. permanent residence. People typically file it when they have moved abroad permanently and want a clean record, for example before applying for a U.S. visa later, or when they have already abandoned their status and returned to the U.S. as a visitor or parolee and want to document it.

Filing is voluntary. The form itself says U.S. law does not require you to complete, sign or submit it, and that you may ask for a hearing before an immigration judge if you disagree with a DHS claim that you have abandoned your status. By signing, you waive that hearing. USCIS also notes that it reports I-407 filers to the IRS and that there may be significant income tax consequences, including a possible expatriation tax, so consider getting tax advice first.

FileIt fills in the I-407 in plain English and prints your answers onto USCIS's own PDF (Edition 09/25/24): your A-Number in the boxes on every page, your details, the documents you return and how you're submitting it. You print it, sign it by hand and send it yourself. FileIt never files anything with USCIS.

Who needs to fill out Form I-407?

• Green card holders who have moved abroad permanently and want to formally give up permanent resident status.
• Former permanent residents who already abandoned their status by moving abroad and have since come back to the U.S. as a nonimmigrant or parolee, and want to document it (item 18).
• Parents, custodial parents or legal guardians filing for a child 14 or younger, or a guardian for an incapacitated adult, with proof of that responsibility.
• Not for U.S. citizens, and not for a lost or expired green card you want to keep: that is Form I-90.

When to use Form I-407

• When you have decided not to live in the United States permanently and want your abandonment of LPR status on record.
• Before applying for a U.S. visitor or other nonimmigrant visa, when your old green card status could otherwise raise questions.
• When a CBP officer or consular official offers you the form. Remember it is voluntary and you can instead ask for a hearing before an immigration judge.

What you need before you start

• Your A-Number (USCIS# on the green card) and USCIS Online Account Number, if you have one.
• Your name exactly as printed on your green card, and your current legal name.
• Date of birth, country of birth and country of citizenship.
• The date you last left the United States.
• Your mailing address outside the United States and an email address, so USCIS can reach you.
• Your green card, or the reason you can't return it (lost, stolen, mutilated or other).
• Any other USCIS documents you're returning, such as a reentry permit.
• If someone interpreted or prepared the form for you, their name and contact details.

What’s on Form I-407

The 2024 edition has 4 pages. FileIt asks for it in 6 parts:

1. Part 1. Information about youGreen card holder
2. Part 1. Documents returnedGreen card holder
3. Part 1. Where you're submitting itGreen card holder
4. Part 1. Certification and signatureGreen card holder
5. Part 2. InterpreterInterpreter
6. Part 3. Person who prepared this formPreparer

How to fill out Form I-407, step by step

1 Part 1, items 1-10: About you

Enter your A-Number and USCIS Online Account Number (if any), your name exactly as it appears on your green card, your current legal name, date of birth, country of birth and citizenship, the date you last left the U.S., and a mailing address outside the U.S. The email address is optional, but USCIS recommends it if you are abroad.

2 Items 11-14: Documents returned

Say whether you are returning your green card. If not, pick the reason (lost, stolen, mutilated or other) and tick the certification, made under penalty of perjury, that you no longer have it. List any other documents you are returning, one per line.

3 Items 15-18: How you're submitting it

Choose one: from outside the U.S. in person, from outside the U.S. by mail, at a U.S. port of entry, or from inside the U.S. to document that you abandoned LPR status in the past and have since returned as a nonimmigrant or parolee.

4 Certification and items 19-20

Read the certification: you declare you have no intention of residing permanently in the U.S. (or that you already abandoned your status), that you understand your right to a hearing before an immigration judge, and that you waive it. Enter your name, then sign and date by hand. A parent or guardian signs for a child 14 or younger or an incapacitated adult and includes proof of their responsibility.

5 Parts 2 and 3: Interpreter and preparer

Fill these in only if someone interpreted the form for you or prepared it. Each signs their own part by hand. If one person did both, they complete both parts. Part 4 is for the government official and stays blank.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Signing without understanding the effect. Once recorded you are no longer a permanent resident, and you give up the right to a hearing before an immigration judge.
• Ignoring the tax side. USCIS reports I-407 filers to the IRS, and there may be significant tax consequences, including a possible expatriation tax.
• Giving a name that doesn't match the green card in item 3.
• Not returning the green card or failing to explain why and tick the certification in item 13.
• Ticking more than one of items 15-18.
• Typing a name in a signature box. Every signature must be handwritten.

After you fill it out

Print the form, sign item 20 by hand, and have any interpreter and preparer sign their parts.

USCIS asks most filers to mail it. At the time of writing its I-407 page gives USCIS, Attn: I-407, 7 Product Way, Lee's Summit, MO 64002 (USPS, FedEx, UPS or DHL). Check uscis.gov/i-407 before sending. In limited circumstances you can hand it in at a USCIS international office, a U.S. embassy or consulate, or to a CBP officer at a port of entry.

Keep a copy. FileIt saves the finished PDF in your vault, which is useful if you later apply for a U.S. visa or need to show when you gave up your status.

Form I-407: frequently asked questions

Official sources

• Blank form (PDF), published by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of Homeland Security: https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/forms/i-407.pdf
• Official instructions and guidance: https://www.uscis.gov/i-407
• Edition shown on this page: Edition 09/25/24 (OMB 1615-0130, expires 09/30/2027) (checked 2026-09-28).

FileIt is not affiliated with or endorsed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of Homeland Security or any government. This page explains the form in general terms and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Always read the official instructions, and check that you are using the edition the recipient accepts. Page last reviewed 2026-09-28.

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