Replacing a lost green card costs $465 if you file Form I-90 on paper or $415 if you file it online. That single fee covers biometrics too, so there is no separate fingerprinting charge added on top.1USCIS. G-1055 Fee Schedule Some filers pay nothing at all, and low-income applicants can request a waiver. A few situations also carry extra costs the sticker price doesn’t show, and one common mistake can cost you the whole fee for nothing.
When the Fee Drops to Zero
USCIS charges $0 for a Form I-90 replacement in three specific situations:
- Your card was issued with incorrect information because of a Department of Homeland Security error.
- USCIS mailed your card but it came back to them as undeliverable and you never received it.
- You turned 14 and your current card will not expire until after your 16th birthday.
You still submit Form I-90 in these cases. You just don’t owe anything with it.1USCIS. G-1055 Fee Schedule
Fee Waiver if You Can’t Afford It
Form I-90 is eligible for a fee waiver. You request one by filing Form I-912 with your application.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-912, Request for Fee Waiver
You qualify under any one of three grounds:
- You, your spouse, your child, or your parent (if you’re under 21 or disabled) currently receive a means-tested benefit such as Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, TANF, or Section 8 housing assistance.
- Your household income is at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty guidelines when you file.
- You are facing extreme financial hardship such as unexpected medical bills, job loss, eviction, or homelessness.
One caveat catches people off guard: USCIS does not treat unemployment benefits, Social Security, SSDI, or student financial aid as means-tested benefits for fee waiver purposes. If those are your only income sources, you’ll need to qualify under the income threshold or the hardship ground instead.3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Additional Information on Filing a Fee Waiver
How You Actually Pay
USCIS modernized its payment system in late 2025, and personal checks, money orders, and cashier’s checks are no longer accepted for paper-filed forms unless you qualify for a specific exemption.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Filing Fees
Paper filers now pay one of two ways. You can complete and sign Form G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions, and place it on top of your application package. Or you can use Form G-1650, Authorization for ACH Transactions, which pulls the payment directly from a U.S. bank account. Online filers pay electronically through their USCIS account when they submit.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS to Modernize Fee Payments with Electronic Funds
Don’t Waste the Fee: Conditional Residents File a Different Form
This is the mistake that costs people the most. If you hold a two-year conditional green card based on marriage, Form I-90 is the wrong form. You need Form I-751, Petition to Remove the Conditions of Residence, filed within the 90-day window before the card expires. Conditional residents who got their status through investment file Form I-829 instead. Filing I-90 when you should be filing I-751 or I-829 does not remove your conditions, and you lose the fee you paid.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Conditional Permanent Residence
Form I-90 is only for replacing or renewing a permanent resident card. If your conditional card was lost or stolen and has not yet expired, I-90 is correct for the replacement. If it’s expiring, you need the removal-of-conditions petition, not a replacement.7USCIS. Form I-90, Instructions for Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card
If You Lost It Abroad, Expect an Extra Fee
Losing your green card outside the United States adds a separate cost. Before you can fly home, you’ll need Form I-131A, Application for Carrier Documentation, which produces a boarding foil that lets the airline transport you back without penalty.8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. International Travel as a Permanent Resident
You pay the I-131A filing fee online through the USCIS website before your in-person appointment at a U.S. embassy or consulate, and you bring proof of payment with you. Once you’re back in the country, you still need to file Form I-90 and pay its fee for the actual replacement card.9U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Application for Carrier Documentation (Form I-131A) So a green card lost overseas means two separate fees, not one.
Online Filing Saves $50
The $50 gap between online and paper filing is real, and online filing also gives you case tracking, real-time status updates, the ability to respond to evidence requests through your account, and address updates.10U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card (Green Card) If you file on paper, USCIS still scans your documents and creates an online account for you afterward, so you end up with the account either way. The cheaper path is to start there.
Why You Shouldn’t Delay
Federal law requires every permanent resident age 18 or older to carry their green card at all times. Failing to do so is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $100, up to 30 days in jail, or both.11Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1304 – Forms for Registration and Fingerprinting Prosecutions for simply not having the card on you are rare in practice, but the rule is on the books, and it’s one more reason to file the replacement promptly rather than living on temporary proof.
While you wait for the new card, USCIS can issue an ADIT stamp (also called an I-551 stamp) as temporary proof of your permanent resident status, which counts as an acceptable receipt document for Form I-9 employment verification.12U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-9 Acceptable Documents You request it by calling the USCIS Contact Center. There’s no fee for the stamp itself, so the $415 or $465 for Form I-90 remains the core out-of-pocket cost for most people replacing a lost card.