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How do I renew my green card?

A little girl in the airport holding a passport and luggage

Permanent Residents are usually issued a green card for 10 years (unless they were issued a conditional green card). Before your green card expires, you should file Form I-90 with USCIS to renew your green card. You will need to pay a USCIS filing fee and it will probably take USCIS several months to make a decision on your case.

What form do I need to submit?

To renew your green card, you will need to submit Form I-90. The filing fee for this form is currently $455 (this changes often so you should check the current filing fee before you file this petition). You will need to enter information such as your name, current address, SSN, biographic information, or information where your green card was originally issued in the I-90 form. You will also need to submit a copy of your current green card with the I-90 form and passport size photos for your new green card.

How long does it take to get a new green card?

The processing time often changes depending on USCIS’ caseload but the current processing time is around 12 months.

My current green card expired but my new green card has not come yet. What serves as evidence of my status in the U.S.?

If your current green card already expired but you have not received the new one yet, your expired green card and the I-90 Receipt notice will serve as evidence of you LPR status in the U.S. This will serve as evidence for 12 months from the green card expiration date and you can work in the U.S. and travel internationally with these 2 documents.

If your green card expired more than 12 months ago and you have not received the new one yet, USCIS can issue you an I-551 stamp in your passport at their local field office. You should call USCIS to make an appointment if you need this stamp.

When can I file Form I-90?

You can generally file an I-90 form 6 months before your green card expiration date.

When can I apply for US citizenship? Do I have to apply for citizenship?

You can apply for U.S. citizenship if you have had your green card for 5 years (or 3 years if you received your green card due to marriage to a US citizen). You will need to meet several requirements to be eligible for citizenship (such as physical presence or continuous residence). Please note that you do not have to apply for U.S. citizenship and you could just keep renewing your green card indefinitely, as long as you qualify.

If you have a green card, you should not spend substantial amount of time abroad, please see our blog post on this topic here.

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