Fact check: Can a U.S. green card (Form I-551) be photocopied or shown digitally to an immigration officer?

1. What people are claiming — a tidy map of the competing statements and gaps

The set of analyses presents three core claims: first, several sources reiterate that the physical Green Card is the standard identity and status document used for work authorization and federal verification ^{[1] [6]}. Second, one source explicitly reports that a photocopy or digital image can function as temporary evidence of LPR status without an in-person field office appearance, suggesting administrative settings may treat copies as interim proof ^[2]. Third, DHS travel guidance and recent policy updates emphasize expanded biometric and photo collection at entry and exit points, implying that ports of entry and travel screening increasingly rely on face-to-device checks and official stamps/notations rather than user-held digital images alone ^[4]. These claims leave an unresolved tension between administrative flexibility and border-control stringency.

2. What official USCIS and immigration lists actually say — the physical card as baseline

USCIS and related immigration guidance identify the Form I-551 Permanent Resident Card as a primary List A document for identity and employment eligibility verification, establishing the physical card as the baseline document for most interactions requiring proof of lawful permanent residency ^{[1] [6]}. The materials provided underscore that variants of I-551 may exist — including an immigrant visa with a temporary I-551 notation and an ADIT stamp in a passport — but treat these as formal, government-issued alternatives rather than informal copies. The emphasis on physical and government-issued evidentiary forms indicates that photocopies and personal digital images are not portrayed as equivalent substitutes in static official lists, which focus on document type and issuance status rather than medium.

3. Where the “photocopy/digital is OK” claim comes from — the temporary evidence exception

At least one authoritative analysis explicitly states that a photocopy or digital image of the Green Card may be used as temporary documentation of lawful permanent residency for some administrative processes, allowing verification without an in-person field office appearance ^[2]. This claim frames copies as provisional, situationally accepted evidence rather than a replacement for the card itself. Another source discusses the I-551 stamp as temporary proof when the physical card is unavailable, reinforcing that formal government notations (ADIT or stamps) carry recognized weight that an individual photo or photocopy lacks unless specifically permitted by an agency or officer ^{[3] [5]}. The divergence is substantive: one source allows provisional use of images; others limit acceptability to official temporary notations.

4. Border reality and DHS biometric expansions — why a copy might fail at an inspection booth

DHS travel guidance and reporting about expanded photo and data collection at U.S. ports of entry reflects an operational environment where biometric verification and government-stamped documentation are increasingly decisive ^[4]. At entry points, CBP officers rely on official records, facial-recognition systems, and immigration databases tied to passports, ADIT stamps, and system-notated visas. A photocopy or phone image lacks machine-readable security features and database linkage; consequently, a copied or digital image may be treated as insufficient for entry processing or may trigger additional inspection or requirement to present original documents or obtain an ADIT stamp. The growing emphasis on automated identity verification reduces the practical interchangeability of informal digital copies for official inspections.

5. Reconciling the conflict and what a reasonable person should do in practice

The materials together establish a practical hierarchy: carry the physical Green Card or an official ADIT/I-551 notation when possible, treat digital copies or photocopies as emergency or interim aids rather than reliable substitutes, and expect that ports of entry and employers may require original or officially recognized temporary documentation ^{[1] [3] [5] [2]}. Where guidance permits remote or temporary evidence, that permission appears limited and context-dependent; it does not eliminate the possibility of secondary inspection or demand for originals at border control points, which are governed by DHS/CBP operational practice ^[4]. Because the sources span administrative guidance and operational policy, the safest course is to secure official temporary documentation (ADIT stamp or temporary I-551 notation) if the physical card is unavailable, and to present copies only when specifically accepted by the receiving agency ^{[3] [5] [2]}.