“What documents do I need to carry with me at all times as a green card holder? Do I need to carry my passport, I-94, or an AR-11 form?”
You already have the only document you need. As long as you keep your unexpired Green Card in your wallet, you are fully complying with the law.
Under federal law, every immigrant 18 years of age and older must carry their certificate of alien registration at all times. For a Lawful Permanent Resident, this certificate is your Form I-551, commonly known as the Green Card.
Failing to carry your Green Card is a federal . The official penalty is a fine of up to $100, imprisonment for up to 30 days, or both.
In daily life, immigration attorneys note that this specific law is rarely prosecuted on its own. However, the law remains on the books and authorities can enforce it at any time. Keeping your card on you is the safest way to avoid trouble during any encounter with law enforcement or immigration officials.
You asked about carrying your passport, an I-94, or an AR-11. As a green card holder, federal law requires you to carry your valid Permanent Resident Card (Green Card) with you at all times. You do not need to carry an I-94 or an AR-11 on your person:
Form I-94: This is an arrival and departure record for . As a returning resident alien, you are explicitly exempt from needing a Form I-94.
Form AR-11: This is the Alien's Change of Address Card. It is a form you must submit to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) within 10 days of moving to a new home. It is not an identification document that you carry with you.
You are not the first to go through this. Here is how it went for others who asked the same thing.
u/Various_Mango9161r/USCISOct 17, 2025
u/Specialist-Most-2783r/USCISOct 30, 2025
u/mp271010r/greencardJun 27, 2026
The rules for carrying immigration documents come from the Immigration and Nationality Act and USCIS guidelines, with practical context from immigration attorneys.
8 USC 1304(e)
Federal law requires immigrants 18 and older to carry their registration card at all times, and failing to do so is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine or up to 30 days in prison.
Every alien, eighteen years of age and over, shall at all times carry with him and have in his personal possession any certificate of alien registration or alien registration receipt card issued to him pursuant to subsection (d). Any alien who fails to comply with the provisions of this subsection shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall upon conviction for each offense be fined not to exceed $100 or be imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both.
Murthy Law Firm
For lawful permanent residents, the required registration document to carry is the Form I-551, or Green Card.
In practice, this would be the I-94 card for most nonimmigrants in the U.S., or, in the case of lawful permanent residents, the I-551 card (i.e. the “green card”).
Murthy Law Firm
While prosecutions for not carrying the card are rare, the law remains active and can be enforced during any encounter.
As indicated above, it has been relatively rare for foreign nationals to be prosecuted under these legal provisions. But these laws are still on the books and may be enforced at any given time.
USCIS Form I-94 Information
Returning resident aliens are exempt from needing a Form I-94.
All persons need a Form I-94 except U.S. citizens, returning resident aliens, aliens with immigrant visas, and most Canadian citizens visiting or in transit.
USCIS Form AR-11
The AR-11 is a form used to report a change of address within 10 days of moving, not an identification document to carry.
If you are a alien in the United States, you must report any change of address to USCIS within 10 days of moving.
SettleKit is not a law firm and this is general information, not legal advice. Always confirm with a licensed immigration attorney.
SettleKit is not a law firm and this is general information, not legal advice.
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