The Alien Registration Card is the historical name for what the federal government now calls the Permanent Resident Card, issued as Form I-551 and known to almost everyone as the green card. It is the official proof that the holder is a lawful permanent resident of the United States, with the right to live and work in the country indefinitely. Federal law requires every permanent resident age 18 or older to carry it at all times.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1304 – Forms for Registration and Fingerprinting
Why the Name Keeps Changing
In July 1946, the Immigration and Naturalization Service began issuing Form I-151, the Alien Registration Receipt Card. It was printed on green paper, and immigrants quickly nicknamed it the green card.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The Colorful History of the Green Card The I-151 was replaced by Form I-551 in late 1978, and the physical card has since cycled through several colors, but the nickname stuck.3Social Security Administration. RM 10210.805 Form I-151, Alien Registration Receipt Card In 1998, the INS formally renamed the document the Permanent Resident Card, and that is the title USCIS uses today.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Green Card Older statutes still use “alien registration” language, which is why the older phrase keeps surfacing in legal texts even though the card itself has a new name.
What Is on the Modern Card
The current Form I-551 is designed for quick verification by federal officers and employers. Each card carries the holder’s photograph on both the front and back, full legal name, date of birth, USCIS number (also called the A-Number), a laser-engraved fingerprint, and an expiration date. The A-Number also appears on the back.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Handbook for Employers M-274 – 13.1 List A Documents That Establish Identity and Employment Authorization Security features layered into the card include holographic images that shift when tilted, high-resolution photography, laser-engraved biometric data, and optical media that protect the embedded information. USCIS redesigned the card again in January 2023 with updated security elements.
The Duty to Carry the Card
The obligation to carry the card is not guidance; it is a criminal provision. Failing to have your card in your personal possession is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $100, up to 30 days in jail, or both.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1304 – Forms for Registration and Fingerprinting If the card is lost, stolen, or damaged, filing for a replacement quickly matters for staying in compliance.
Using the Card to Prove You Can Work
Every U.S. employer must complete Form I-9 to verify that new hires are authorized to work. The I-551 counts as a “List A” document, meaning it establishes both identity and work authorization on its own. An employee who presents a valid green card does not need to show anything else.6eCFR. 8 CFR 274a.2 – Verification of Identity and Employment Authorization Employers must examine the card within three business days of the hire date.
When the physical card has not yet arrived, USCIS or Customs and Border Protection can place a temporary I-551 stamp, called an ADIT stamp, in a foreign passport. The stamp is valid until the date printed on it and serves as evidence of permanent resident status.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Handbook for Employers M-274 – 13.1 List A Documents That Establish Identity and Employment Authorization If the resident has no foreign passport, the stamp can be placed on a Form I-94 with a photograph attached. That stamped I-94 works as a temporary List A document for the I-9.
Traveling Outside the United States
A valid green card lets you re-enter the country after travel abroad without a separate visa, but the length of the trip matters. Absences under six months are generally routine. Trips between six months and a year can trigger extra questioning at the border, though you do not need a reentry permit for those.7U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) Frequently Asked Questions
If you plan to stay away for a year or more, you need a reentry permit. Apply on Form I-131 before you leave; you cannot file it from outside the country.8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records The permit is generally valid for two years, but USCIS limits it to one year if you have been outside the country for more than four of the past five years. It cannot be extended.9U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Form I-131 Long or frequent absences without a reentry permit can be treated as evidence that you have abandoned permanent resident status, and DHS could initiate removal proceedings when you return.
Renewing or Replacing the Card
Standard green cards are valid for 10 years. Before yours expires, file Form I-90 to apply for a replacement. You also use Form I-90 if the card is lost, stolen, damaged, or if your legal name or other biographical information has changed.10U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card (Green Card)
Processing can take a long time, so USCIS automatically extends the validity of an expiring card while the renewal is pending. As of September 2024, filing Form I-90 extends the card’s validity by 36 months from the printed expiration date, up from the previous 24-month extension. The I-90 receipt notice, shown together with the expired card, works as proof of continued status and work authorization during that window.11U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Extends Green Card Validity Extension to 36 Months for Green Card Renewals
Conditional Green Cards Are Different
Not every green card is a 10-year card. If you obtained permanent residence through marriage to a U.S. citizen and the marriage was less than two years old when your status was approved, you receive a conditional green card that is valid for only two years. The same applies to any children who obtained residence through the same petition.12Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1186a – Conditional Permanent Resident Status for Certain Alien Spouses and Sons and Daughters
To keep your status, you must file Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence, jointly with your spouse during the 90-day window right before the two-year card expires. If you miss it, your permanent resident status automatically terminates on the second anniversary of your admission and you become removable.13U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence A divorced spouse, a widowed spouse, or someone who suffered domestic abuse during the marriage can file the I-751 alone and at any time after receiving conditional status.
Reporting Every Address Change
Permanent residents who move must report the new address to USCIS within 10 days on Form AR-11, which can be filed online.14U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. AR-11, Alien’s Change of Address Card It is easy to forget, and the penalties are disproportionately harsh. Failing to report an address change is a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $200, up to 30 days in jail, or both, and USCIS can place a non-compliant resident into removal proceedings. An exception applies if the failure was reasonably excusable or not willful.15GovInfo. 8 USC 1306 – Penalties A stale address also means you may miss USCIS notices about pending applications, interview dates, or requests for evidence.
What Permanent Residence Does Not Include
A green card is broad but it is not citizenship. Federal law makes it a crime for any non-citizen to vote in an election for President, Vice President, or members of Congress, with a penalty of a fine, up to one year in prison, or both.16Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 611 – Voting by Aliens A few local jurisdictions allow non-citizens to vote in certain local elections, but any ballot with federal candidates on it is off-limits. Voting illegally can also result in deportation and a permanent bar to future citizenship. Permanent residents are also generally not eligible for federal jury service.
Most permanent residents can file for naturalization after five years of continuous residence, with at least half of that time physically inside the country and at least three months residing in the state where they file.17Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1427 – Requirements of Naturalization Someone married to a U.S. citizen may qualify after three years.18U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Policy Manual – Continuous Residence Naturalization is not automatic; it requires an application, English and civics tests, and a showing of good moral character across the qualifying period.