What Is a Resident Alien Card? Rules, Renewal, and Citizenship

A resident alien card is the official identification document, formally known as Form I-551 and commonly called a Green Card, that proves a person holds lawful permanent resident status in the United States. It is issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and authorizes the holder to live and work anywhere in the country without a time limit. It also functions as the primary travel document for re-entering the United States and as everyday proof of immigration status to employers and government agencies.¹

The Immigration and Nationality Act creates lawful permanent residence as a status separate from the temporary visas given to tourists, students, and short-term workers. Once you receive that status, the physical card links you to your federal immigration file and confirms your right to remain in the country indefinitely. It also satisfies the federal requirement that every foreign national in the United States be registered with the government.

What the Card Lets You Do

A permanent resident can live anywhere in the country, work for any employer without a separate work permit, and receive protection under all federal, state, and local laws. You are also eligible for an unrestricted Social Security card, the same type issued to U.S. citizens, with no notation limiting work authorization.²

The card is not a substitute for citizenship. Certain federal jobs, particularly in national security, are reserved for U.S. citizens.¹ And you cannot vote in any federal, state, or local election. Voting as a noncitizen in a federal election is a criminal offense punishable by a fine, up to one year in prison, or both.³

What You Owe in Return

Permanent residents are required to obey all U.S. laws and to file federal and state income tax returns each year. Male residents between 18 and 25 must register with the Selective Service.¹

Federal law also requires every permanent resident 18 or older to carry the card at all times. Failing to do so is a misdemeanor and can result in a fine of up to $100, up to 30 days in jail, or both.⁴ Enforcement varies in practice, but keeping the card accessible is the safest approach.

You must also report every change of address to USCIS within 10 days of moving, either through your USCIS online account or on paper Form AR-11.⁵ Failing to report a move is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $200, up to 30 days in jail, or both, and can lead to removal proceedings unless the failure was reasonably excusable or not willful.⁶ If you have previously filed an affidavit of support for someone else, you must also file Form I-865 within 30 days of moving.

What Appears on the Card

The front of the card shows the holder’s full legal name, date of birth, country of birth, and photograph. It also displays a unique Alien Registration Number, or A-Number, which is a seven-, eight-, or nine-digit number that links the individual to their federal immigration file.⁷ When the A-Number has fewer than nine digits, a leading zero is added to create a standardized nine-digit format.⁸

Every card also carries a category code that identifies the immigration pathway used. IR1 indicates the spouse of a U.S. citizen who arrived from abroad. F21 indicates the spouse of a permanent resident under a family preference category. E21 indicates a professional with an advanced degree admitted through employment-based immigration.⁹ Modern cards include holographic images, laser-engraved signatures, and an expiration date.

Standard Cards and Conditional Cards

Not every Green Card lasts the same length of time.

Most permanent residents get a standard card valid for 10 years from the date of issuance. The status behind the card does not expire; only the card itself does. You file Form I-90 to renew it.¹⁰
If you obtained permanent residence through a marriage that was less than two years old when your status was granted, you receive a conditional card valid for only two years. Investor-based applicants may also receive conditional status.¹¹

Conditional residents must file a petition to remove the conditions before their card expires, or they can lose status and face removal. Marriage-based conditional residents filing jointly with a spouse file Form I-751 during the 90-day window immediately before the card’s expiration date. Investor-based conditional residents file Form I-829 in the same 90-day window. If the marriage ended in divorce, or the conditional resident experienced domestic abuse, the petition can be filed individually with a waiver request, at any time before the card expires, though divorce proceedings must be finalized first.¹²

Renewing or Replacing the Card

Because the standard card expires after 10 years, you file Form I-90 to renew it. USCIS advises filing when the card has expired or will expire within the next six months.¹³ The same form is used if the card was lost, stolen, or damaged, or if your biographical information changed.

Letting a standard card expire does not, by itself, end permanent resident status. The status has no expiration date. But an expired card creates real problems: you need a valid, unexpired card to re-enter the country after international travel and to prove employment eligibility to a new employer.¹⁴

Losing the Status Behind the Card

Permanent resident status can be lost in two main ways: through a removal order issued by an immigration judge, or by abandoning the status. Abandonment can occur if you move to another country intending to live there permanently, declare yourself a nonimmigrant on your U.S. tax returns, or stay outside the United States for an extended period without evidence that the absence was temporary.¹⁵

When you return from a trip abroad, a Customs and Border Protection officer reviews your card and other documents to determine whether you still intend to live in the United States. The officer considers the reason for your trip, how long you planned to be away, and any circumstances that extended your absence. If you expect to be outside the country for a year or longer, you can apply for a re-entry permit on Form I-131 before you leave; you must be physically present in the United States when you file. A valid re-entry permit means USCIS will not treat your status as abandoned based solely on the length of the absence.¹⁶

From the Card to Citizenship

For most people, a Green Card is the last step before applying for U.S. citizenship through naturalization. The standard requirement is five years of continuous residence as a permanent resident, with physical presence in the United States for at least half of that period.¹⁷

Spouses of U.S. citizens may qualify sooner. If you have been a permanent resident for at least three years and have lived in marital union with your citizen spouse during that entire time, you can apply after three years instead of five.¹⁸

Long trips abroad can disrupt this timeline. An absence of more than six months but less than one year may break the continuous residence requirement unless you can show you did not abandon your U.S. home. An absence of one year or more automatically breaks the continuity, so the clock restarts unless you obtained an approved Application to Preserve Residence for Naturalization Purposes (Form N-470) before leaving.¹⁷

1
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Rights and Responsibilities of a Green Card Holder (Permanent Resident)
2
Social Security Administration. Types of Social Security Cards
3
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 611 – Voting by Aliens
4
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1304 – Forms for Registration and Fingerprinting
5
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. How to Change Your Address
6
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1306 – Penalties
7
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. A-Number / Alien Registration Number / Alien Number
8
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Immigrant Fee Payment – Tips on Finding Your A-Number and DOS Case ID
9
OHSS. Immigrant Classes of Admission Profiles
10
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. 7.1 Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR)
11
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Removing Conditions on Permanent Residence Based on Marriage
12
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. When to File Your Petition to Remove Conditions
13
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Replace Your Green Card
14
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. International Travel as a Permanent Resident
15
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Maintaining Permanent Residence
16
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Form I-131 – Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records
17
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1427 – Requirements of Naturalization
18
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1430 – Married Persons and Employees of Certain Nonprofit Organizations