Can I Apply for Citizenship With an Expired Green Card?

Yes, you can apply for citizenship with an expired green card. Your permanent resident status does not end when the plastic card expires, and USCIS will not reject Form N-400 because the card is out of date. Since December 2022, filing the naturalization application itself automatically extends your green card’s validity for up to 24 months, so most people in this situation do not need to renew the card separately.

Your Status Does Not Expire With the Card

The green card is a document that proves your status. It is not the status itself. Permanent residence, once granted, continues indefinitely unless you abandon it or an immigration judge revokes it through removal proceedings. An expiration date on the card means the document needs replacing, not that you have lost the right to live and work in the United States.

The requirements for naturalization sit in federal law: at least five years of continuous residence as a permanent resident, physical presence for at least half that time, and good moral character throughout.¹ None of those requirements reference the expiration date on the card. When you file Form N-400, you submit a photocopy of both sides of the card you have, expired or not. If the card is lost, you submit a copy of your Form I-90 renewal receipt in its place.²

Filing N-400 Automatically Extends Your Card

Before December 2022, if your card was set to expire within six months of filing N-400, USCIS expected you to file Form I-90 separately and pay a second fee. That rule is gone.

Now, when USCIS accepts your Form N-400, your green card’s validity is automatically extended for up to 24 months. Your N-400 receipt notice, Form I-797, serves as proof of the extension. You can present that receipt alongside your expired green card as evidence of your status, work authorization, and identity.³

For most applicants with an expired but physically intact card, this means Form I-90 is unnecessary. Filing N-400 alone covers both the naturalization request and the documentation problem.

When You Should Still File Form I-90

There are situations where a separate green card renewal still makes sense:

Your card is lost or stolen. The N-400 receipt on its own does not replace a missing card. Filing I-90 gets a replacement in the pipeline and produces a receipt that works as temporary proof of status.
You expect your naturalization case to take longer than 24 months. If processing drags past that window, the automatic extension runs out.
You need to travel internationally. The N-400 automatic extension is not always accepted at the border.

Form I-90 costs $465 by paper or $415 online, with no separate biometrics fee.⁴ Once USCIS accepts the I-90, your card’s validity is extended for 36 months from the expiration date printed on the card. The receipt notice states this extension, and the expired card plus the receipt work as proof of status during that window.⁵ Fee waivers through Form I-912 may be available for applicants receiving certain means-tested government benefits.

International Travel Is the Real Risk

Travel is where an expired card creates immediate practical problems. Customs and Border Protection specifically warns against traveling abroad with an expired green card and recommends getting a temporary I-551 stamp from USCIS before you leave.⁶ Without one, re-entry can involve serious delays.

The temporary I-551 stamp, also called an ADIT stamp, goes in your passport and serves as official proof of your permanent resident status. To request one, call the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283. An officer will verify your identity and mailing address, then either mail you a Form I-94 with the stamp or schedule an in-person appointment at a local field office if mail is not workable.⁷ If you have travel planned while your N-400 is pending, arranging the stamp before departure should be a priority.

Work Authorization With an Expired Card

Employers verify work authorization through Form I-9, and an expired green card by itself does not satisfy that requirement. Once you have filed either N-400 or I-90, the receipt notice changes what the employer can accept.

For I-90 filers, the expired card combined with the Form I-797 receipt notice counts as a valid List A document on Form I-9 for 36 months from the card’s expiration date. Employers must accept the combination and cannot demand additional documents.⁵ For N-400 filers, the same principle applies for up to 24 months.³

If you are starting a new job with only an expired card and have not filed either form yet, you will need alternative documents to complete Form I-9. Filing N-400 or I-90 promptly produces the receipt notice that solves the problem.

What to Bring to the Interview

At the naturalization interview, officers verify the information in your application. An expired card with a receipt notice is routine at this point, and officers see the combination constantly. Bring what you have:

Your expired green card, if you still have it
Your N-400 receipt notice, Form I-797, documenting the automatic extension
Your I-90 receipt notice, if you filed one
A valid passport or state-issued photo ID
Tax returns for the past five years
Evidence of physical presence such as employment records, leases, or utility bills
Court records for any arrests or citations, even where charges were dropped

Officers evaluate the same things regardless of the card’s expiration: continuous residence, English and civics test performance, and good moral character. Answer questions honestly, bring your documentation, and the expiration date on the card should not affect the outcome.

1
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1427 – Requirements of Naturalization
2
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. M-477 Document Checklist
3
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Updates Policy to Automatically Extend Green Cards for Naturalization Applicants
4
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-1055 Fee Schedule
5
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Extends Validity of Expired Permanent Resident Cards from 24 Months to 36 Months for Renewals
6
U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) Frequently Asked Questions
7
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Temporary Status Documentation for Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR)