To renew a Green Card, file Form I-90 with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services within the six months before your card’s expiration date. You can file online or by mail, and once USCIS receives your application, your status is automatically extended for 36 months while the new card is produced. If you hold a two-year conditional card issued through marriage, the process is different: you file Form I-751 during the 90 days before that card expires, not Form I-90.
Check Which Card You Have First
The renewal process depends on the type of card in your wallet. A standard permanent resident card is valid for ten years and is renewed with Form I-90. A conditional permanent resident card, issued to people whose marriage was less than two years old when they became residents, is valid for only two years and cannot be renewed with I-90 at all.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Conditional Permanent Residence
Conditional residents must instead file Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence, to convert the two-year card into a ten-year card.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence Missing that step means losing permanent resident status and becoming removable. The rest of this article addresses the standard ten-year renewal, with a dedicated section on I-751 further down.
When to File Form I-90
You can file Form I-90 as early as six months before your card’s expiration date. The instructions specifically state the card must either have already expired or be expiring within six months; filing earlier can lead to denial.3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card
There is no deadline after expiration, and USCIS imposes no late penalty. That said, living with an expired card creates real problems with work, travel, and licensing, so filing within the six-month window before expiration is the sensible move.
Form I-90 also covers cards that are lost, stolen, damaged, or need updating after a legal name change. For those reasons, you don’t have to wait until the card is near expiration.
Filing Online vs. By Mail
Online
Filing online is faster and cheaper. Create a USCIS online account, complete the form through the filing system, upload your supporting documents, and pay the fee electronically through Pay.gov.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card (Green Card) The account lets you track case status, get notifications, view estimated completion dates, and respond to requests for evidence. One limitation: you can’t file online if you’re requesting a fee waiver.
By Mail
Paper filers send the completed form and supporting documents to the USCIS lockbox in Arizona; the current addresses for USPS and for FedEx/UPS/DHL are on the Form I-90 page at uscis.gov.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card (Green Card)
What the Form Asks For
You’ll need your full legal name, date of birth, country of birth, and Alien Registration Number (the A-Number on your current card), along with your current mailing address and previous addresses. You select the reason for filing. Supporting documents include a copy of your current Green Card if you still have it and a government-issued photo ID such as a passport or driver’s license. Passport-style photos may be required depending on the reason for filing.
Fees and How to Pay
Under the fee schedule that took effect April 1, 2024, Form I-90 costs $415 filed online and $465 filed by mail. Biometrics services are included in both figures.5Federal Register. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Fee Schedule and Changes to Certain Other Immigration Benefit Request Requirements
Payment rules have changed and catch people off guard. For paper filings, USCIS no longer accepts personal checks, money orders, or cashier’s checks except in narrow situations.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Pay With a Credit Card by Mail You pay by credit, debit, or prepaid card using Form G-1450, or directly from a U.S. bank account using Form G-1650.7U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-1450 Authorization for Credit Card Transactions Online filers pay through Pay.gov during submission.
If the fee is a hardship, Form I-90 is eligible for a waiver through Form I-912. USCIS considers receipt of means-tested public benefits, household income at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, and documented financial hardship.8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Request for Fee Waiver (Form I-912) Fee waiver applicants must file by mail because the online system doesn’t support the request.
After You File: Automatic 36-Month Extension
This is the most important thing to know. Filing Form I-90 automatically extends your Green Card’s validity for 36 months past the expiration date printed on the card. The extension took effect September 10, 2024, replacing an earlier 24-month version.9U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Extends Green Card Validity Extension to 36 Months for Green Card Renewals
USCIS sends a receipt notice, Form I-797C, once your application is received. The extension language appears on that notice. During the 36-month period, your expired card together with the receipt notice serves as proof of lawful permanent residence, and employers completing Form I-9 should accept the combination as a List A document.10U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Extends Validity of Expired Permanent Resident Cards from 24 Months to 36 Months for Renewals The extension exists because processing can stretch well over a year.
Biometrics Appointment
After the receipt notice, expect a biometrics appointment notice directing you to an Application Support Center for fingerprinting, a photograph, and a digital signature. USCIS uses these both for background checks and to produce your new card.11U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Preparing for Your Biometric Services Appointment Bring the appointment notice and a valid photo ID such as your current Green Card, passport, or driver’s license. If you received more than one biometrics notice, bring all of them.
If You Need Proof of Status While Waiting
Sometimes the receipt notice and expired card aren’t enough, or the 36-month extension itself runs out while your case is still pending. In that case you can request a temporary I-551 stamp, also called an ADIT stamp, which USCIS places on your passport or on a Form I-94 as temporary evidence of permanent resident status.12U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Temporary Status Documentation for Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR)
To request one, call the USCIS Contact Center. An officer will verify your identity and mailing address, then either schedule an in-person field office appointment or arrange for the temporary evidence to be mailed.13U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Announces Additional Mail Delivery Process for Receiving ADIT Stamp Urgent cases, unverifiable addresses, or missing photos in the USCIS system usually require an in-person visit.
What Happens if the Card Expires Before You File
Your permanent resident status doesn’t disappear when the card expires. The card is proof of status, not the status itself. But letting it lapse creates a chain of practical consequences.
Federal law requires every permanent resident 18 or older to carry valid proof of registration at all times, and failing to do so is technically a misdemeanor with a fine up to $100, jail up to 30 days, or both.14Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1304 – Forms for Registration and Fingerprinting It’s rarely charged on its own, but the exposure exists.
The bigger issues are economic. An expired card cannot be used as a List A document for Form I-9, which can prevent you from starting a new job. Many states require a valid Green Card to issue or renew professional licenses in fields such as healthcare, real estate, and insurance. Lenders typically require an unexpired card to verify immigration status for mortgage applications.
Travel With an Expired Card
International travel with an expired card is risky. Many airlines will not board passengers holding an expired card, even on flights back to the United States.15U.S. Customs and Border Protection. LPR – Lost, Stolen or Expired Green Cards or Has No Expiration Date If you’ve filed Form I-90, carrying the original I-797C receipt notice with the expired card can help, but airline policies vary. Destination rules may also require an unexpired passport.
If your card is lost or stolen while abroad, file a police report and contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate to request a boarding foil for your return flight.15U.S. Customs and Border Protection. LPR – Lost, Stolen or Expired Green Cards or Has No Expiration Date
If You Have a Two-Year Conditional Card
Conditional residents file Form I-751 during the 90-day period immediately before the two-year card expires.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence Filing before that window opens can lead to outright rejection. USCIS publishes a filing calculator to pinpoint the earliest acceptable date. The I-751 fee is also eligible for a waiver through Form I-912.8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Request for Fee Waiver (Form I-912)
The standard approach is a joint filing signed by both you and your U.S. citizen or permanent resident spouse. You submit evidence that the marriage is genuine: joint bank statements, a shared lease or mortgage, joint tax returns, shared insurance, utility bills in both names, and declarations from people who know the couple.16U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-751 Instructions
Filing Without Your Spouse
USCIS allows a waiver of the joint filing requirement in three situations:
- The marriage ended by divorce or annulment, but you entered it in good faith.
- You or your child was subjected to battery or extreme cruelty by your spouse or stepparent during the marriage.
- Your removal from the United States would cause extreme hardship.
A waiver request can be filed at any time before, during, or after the 90-day window; you don’t have to wait for the window to open.17U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual – Waiver of Joint Filing Requirement Except in extreme hardship cases, you still have to show the marriage was entered in good faith.
Consider Naturalization Instead
If your ten-year card is expiring and you’ve been a permanent resident for at least five years (three if married to a U.S. citizen), you may qualify to apply for naturalization rather than renew. Citizenship ends the renewal cycle for good. USCIS allows you to file Form N-400 up to 90 days before meeting the residency requirement, and the timing often overlaps with an approaching card expiration. If you’re eligible, filing N-400 instead of I-90 can save you the renewal fee and spare you from repeating this process another decade from now.