Lawful permanent residents receive a permanent resident card, most commonly known as a green card, to prove their immigration status. Once issued, a green card expires after 10 years, upon which time the resident must either renew their green card or apply for citizenship. To remain a lawful permanent resident in the United States, residents must have a valid and unexpired green card in their possession. Lawful permanent residents can file if their green card is expired or will expire within the next 6 months.

Immigration Form I-90 is the USCIS form for applying to renew a green card. Form I-90 can also be used for those who need to replace their green card, in situations where the card is lost, stolen, or damaged. In certain situations, lawful permanent residents will need to update their biometric information on their green cards, such as legal name change or change of gender or sex marker. This can also be accomplished by filing Form I-90.

For those with conditional resident status, such as investor-based or family-based conditional residents, they are issued a 2-year green card instead of a 10-year green card. USCIS will not renew a 2-year green card. As a result, conditional residents can use Form I-90 to replace a lost, stolen, or damaged card, but cannot use it to renew their green card. Instead, these conditional residents must petition to remove their condition through a Form I-751 or Form 1-829.

Reasons to File a Form I-90

Lawful permanent residents can file a Form I-90 to renew their green card.

Conditional permanent residents and lawful permanent residents may file a Form I-90 for the following purposes:

• If they have legally changed their name, and need to update their name on their green card
• If they have legally changed their gender, and need to update the sex marker on their green card
• If their green card has been lost, stolen, mutilated, or destroyed
• If their green card was issued but never received, such as getting lost in mail
• If their green card was issued with incorrect information
• If the resident is turning 14 years of age

Process for Applying to Renew or Replace a Green Card

1. To renew or replace a green card, a lawful permanent resident should first complete Form I-90. An immigration attorney can help with the preparation and ensure that all requirements of the form are met
2. Before submitting the Form I-90, ensure that all supporting documentation is included. The supporting documentation requires the expired green card (Forms AR-3, AR-103, or I-151) to be submitted; depending on the situation, USCIS could also require a government-issued ID (passports, driver's license, military ID), a Form I-797 Notice of Action, legal documents (marriage certificate, name change court documents, passport, etc.)
3. Once the form is completed and successfully submitted, the resident should receive a confirmation notice from USCIS indicating that the form has been accepted. If the Form I-90 is filed after September 26, 2022, that notice will indicate that the green card expiration date is automatically extended by 24 months.
4. If required, USCIS will also send a letter notifying the resident of a biometrics appointment, to collect fingerprints, photo, and signature.
5. Once the application is in process, the resident could receive another notice from USCIS - a Request for Evidence (RFE) letter, if they require additional documentation for the renewal or replacement.
6. After the application is processed successfully, the resident will receive a decision letter indicating if the application was approved or denied.
7. Once the decision letter is issued, the new green card will be sent in the mail.

Documents Required for Form I-90

When applying for a green card renewal, USCIS will only require the expired green card. This can be provided in the form of the expiring green card, or by sending in a Form AR-3, AR-103, or I-151.

USCIS will require additional documentation for those seeking to replace a lost, stolen, or damaged green card, or needing to update the information on the green card.

If the card is missing or destroyed, USCIS will require a government-issued ID, such as a passport, driver's license, or military ID.

If the lawful permanent resident's personal information has changed, USCIS will require a copy of the green card, as well as legal documents showing the updated personal information. This can take the form of a marriage certificate, divorce papers, adoption papers, passport, birth certificate, court document of a gender or name change, or other court documents as needed.

In other situations, such as never receiving an issued green card, USCIS may required the latest Notice of Action (Form I-797) or passport with an I-551 stamp.

Extensions to Expiration Dates - 2022 Updates

In September of 2022, the Biden Administration implemented a rule change that directed USCIS to automatically extend the expiration date of green cards by 24 months once a lawful permanent resident has filed a Form I-90. Previously, green cards were automatically extended by 12 months once a Form I-90 had been filed.

It is recommended that the Form I-90 should be filed within 6 months of the green card expiration date, but not before. If the green card needs to be replaced or updated, the Form I-90 should be submitted as soon as possible.

Frequently Asked Questions