To renew your Green Card after 10 years, file Form I-90 with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services within the six months before your card’s expiration date. Your permanent resident status itself doesn’t expire when the card does, but federal law requires everyone 18 and older to carry a valid Green Card at all times, and an expired card creates friction with employers, airlines, and border officers.1U.S. Government Publishing Office. 8 USC 1304 – Forms for Registration and Fingerprinting The process is straightforward. A few details trip people up: how you pay, how you prove status during the months-long wait, and whether renewing is even the right move.
First, Ask Whether You Should Naturalize Instead
If you’ve held your Green Card for 10 years, you almost certainly qualify to apply for U.S. citizenship. Naturalization requires at least five years as a lawful permanent resident, or three years if you’re married to a U.S. citizen, along with meeting residency, physical presence, and good moral character requirements.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I am a Lawful Permanent Resident of 5 Years The filing fee for Form N-400 is $760 by paper or $710 online.3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. N-400, Application for Naturalization
Citizens never renew Green Cards, can vote, travel without residency concerns, and can’t be deported. If you’re on the fence, check the naturalization eligibility worksheet before you spend time and money on a renewal you may not need.
When to File Form I-90
USCIS says to file when your Green Card has expired or will expire within the next six months.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Replace Your Green Card Filing early in that window gives you the best cushion against processing delays. You can still file after expiration, but you’ll have more friction with employers and at borders in the meantime.
One boundary worth knowing: this only applies to the standard 10-year Green Card. If you have a two-year conditional card issued through marriage, you do not use Form I-90. You file Form I-751 to remove the conditions during the 90-day window before your conditional status expires, and missing that filing means you lose your permanent resident status automatically.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence
How to Complete and Submit Form I-90
Form I-90 lives on the USCIS website and can be filed online or on paper.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card (Green Card) You’ll need your Alien Registration Number (A-Number), the expiration date on your current card, biographical details, and your address history.7U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card
Filing online is faster. You create a USCIS account, complete the digital form, upload documents, pay electronically, and track your case from the same account. If you file on paper, USCIS scans your documents into their electronic system and sets up an online account for you.
One limitation to flag: you cannot file online if you’re requesting a fee waiver.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card (Green Card)
Documents to Include
Along with the form, include a copy of the front and back of your current Green Card. If the card was lost, stolen, or never received, submit another government-issued ID such as a passport or driver’s license. If your name or biographical information has changed since your last card, include the legal documents showing the change, such as a marriage certificate or court order.
Paying the Filing Fee
USCIS adjusts its fees from time to time, so check the current amount on the USCIS Fee Schedule (Form G-1055) before filing.7U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card
A change that catches many applicants off guard: USCIS no longer accepts personal checks, business checks, money orders, or cashier’s checks for paper-filed forms unless you qualify for a specific exemption. When filing by mail, you pay by credit, debit, or prepaid card using Form G-1450, or by direct bank transfer using Form G-1650.8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Pay With a Credit Card by Mail Online filers pay through Pay.gov during submission.
Fee Waivers
If you can’t afford the fee, you may qualify for a waiver by filing Form I-912 with your application. You’re eligible if your household income is at or below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines, or if you receive a qualifying means-tested benefit such as Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, or SSI.9U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for I-912, Request for Fee Waiver Current thresholds are on the USCIS Poverty Guidelines page.10U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Poverty Guidelines Fee waiver requests require paper filing.
Proving Your Status While You Wait
Processing can stretch well past six months, so your card may expire while USCIS is still working. A September 2024 policy change helps here: USCIS automatically extends your Green Card’s validity for 36 months from its printed expiration date when you file Form I-90.11U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Extends Green Card Validity Extension to 36 Months for Green Card Renewals
To use the extension, carry your expired Green Card together with the Form I-797 receipt notice USCIS sends after accepting your application. The two documents together prove your continued lawful permanent resident status and work authorization, and employers can accept the combination for Form I-9 verification.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Replace Your Green Card
If the 36-month extension runs out before your renewal is approved, or if you need physical proof of status in your passport, you can request an ADIT stamp (also called an I-551 stamp). Call the USCIS Contact Center to start the process. An officer will verify your identity and either schedule an in-person appointment at a local field office or arrange to mail you a stamped Form I-94.12U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Announces Additional Mail Delivery Process for Receiving ADIT Stamp
The Biometrics Appointment
USCIS requires new biometrics for every Form I-90 application, with no exceptions for recently captured photos or fingerprints.13U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual Volume 1, Part C, Chapter 2 After your application is accepted, you’ll receive an appointment notice with the date, time, and location at a local Application Support Center. Bring valid photo ID and the appointment notice. USCIS collects your fingerprints, photograph, and signature. The visit is usually quick.
Missing the appointment without rescheduling can delay your case or lead to denial. If you have a conflict, contact USCIS to reschedule before the date passes.
Traveling While Your Renewal Is Pending
You can travel internationally with a pending I-90. Bring both your expired Green Card and your I-797 receipt notice; together they prove your status for re-entry.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Replace Your Green Card You’ll also need a valid passport from your country of citizenship.
Some airline agents aren’t familiar with extension notices and may question your documents at check-in. Customs and Border Protection officers may send you to secondary inspection on return to verify your status. Neither should prevent you from traveling, but both can add time. If your extension notice doesn’t clearly cover your return date, or you’d rather avoid the risk of a delay, request an ADIT stamp in your passport before you leave. Keep trips short so nothing suggests you’ve abandoned your U.S. residence.
Keeping Your Address Current
Federal law requires noncitizens to report an address change to USCIS within 10 days of moving.14U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. How to Change Your Address This matters especially during a pending renewal because your new card gets mailed to whatever address USCIS has on file.
A common mistake: filing a change of address with the U.S. Postal Service does nothing for USCIS, and USPS will not forward USCIS mail.14U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. How to Change Your Address Update your address directly with USCIS using the online Change of Address tool in your USCIS account, and enter the receipt number for your pending I-90 so the change applies to the case. Paper Form AR-11 is an option, but USCIS notes it doesn’t automatically update your case, so the online method is preferred.
Receiving and Checking Your New Card
Once USCIS approves the renewal, they mail your new Green Card to your address on file. Check every detail as soon as it arrives: your name, date of birth, A-Number, and the new expiration date. Sign the card in the designated area. If anything is wrong, contact USCIS right away to request a correction.
If the card doesn’t arrive within a reasonable time after approval, check your case status online. Delivery problems almost always trace back to an outdated address in USCIS records. Your new card will be valid for another 10 years, at which point you’ll go through this again, unless you’ve become a U.S. citizen by then.