Hi everyone, I’m in a pretty stressful situation and would really appreciate any guidance or similar experiences.
I’m currently on STEM OPT. My EAD was approved and mailed by USCIS, but unfortunately it got lost in transit by USPS. USPS has officially confirmed that the package is lost and even mentioned that it was likely misdelivered due to a scanning overlap error.
I waited ~13 days after the last scan, followed up multiple times, and since recovery wasn’t successful, I’ve now applied for a replacement EAD. I’ve received the receipt notice (I-797C) for the replacement application.
Here’s my issue:
My new employer is asking for the physical EAD card for I-9 verification and is not accepting the approval notice. I came across the “receipt rule” in Form I-9 which mentions that a receipt for a replacement of a lost/stolen document can be used for up to 90 days, but my employer’s legal team is hesitant because I never physically received the original EAD card.
So I wanted to ask:
Has anyone been in a similar situation where their EAD was lost in transit?
Were you able to use the I-797C receipt notice for I-9 verification?
Did your employer accept it, or was the physical card mandatory?
Any suggestions on how to handle this with HR/legal?
Also, if anyone has advice on expediting the replacement process or improving chances of acceptance with the employer, I’d really appreciate it.
This whole situation is frustrating since the card was issued but lost due to USPS, and now it’s affecting my ability to start work.
Thanks in advance for any help 🙏