Green Card Renewal Documents: Your Complete I-90 Checklist
Renewing a green card is one of the more straightforward immigration filings — but only if you assemble the right documents the first time. A 10-year permanent resident card is renewed using Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card, which you can file online or by mail. Here is exactly what you need, in checklist form, plus the fees and timing realities for 2026.
1. A copy of your current (or expired) green card
The single most important document is a clear copy of both sides of your existing permanent resident card — even if it has already expired. If your card was lost or stolen, you will instead provide a copy of a government-issued photo ID and, if available, any record of your A-number. The A-number (alien registration number) ties your application to your immigration file.
2. Proof of identity with a photograph
Include a copy of a government-issued photo identification: a driver's license, passport, or state ID. This is essential if your green card is lost, but it is good practice in every filing because it confirms the identity on the application matches the person USCIS has on record.
3. Your filing fee (or a fee waiver request)
Form I-90 carries a USCIS filing fee that includes the biometrics component. Fees change, so confirm the current amount on the official USCIS fee schedule before you file. If you cannot afford the fee, you may submit Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver, with documentation of income, a means-tested benefit, or financial hardship.
4. Evidence supporting the reason for replacement
I-90 asks why you are replacing the card, and the supporting evidence depends on your answer. Common reasons and their documents: card expiring or expired (no extra evidence beyond the card copy); legal name change (marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order); USCIS error on the card (the incorrect card itself); data change such as a new date of birth (supporting civil documents).
5. Court or marriage documents if your name changed
If your name is different from the name on your current card, you must prove the change with a marriage certificate, divorce decree restoring a prior name, or a court-ordered name change. Without this, USCIS will issue the new card in the old name or send a Request for Evidence that delays everything.
6. Biometrics — what to expect
After filing, most applicants receive a biometrics appointment notice for a USCIS Application Support Center, where fingerprints and a photo are taken for the new card and background checks. In some cases USCIS reuses existing biometrics and waives the appointment. You do not submit fingerprints with the application — they are collected at the appointment.
7. Proof you still qualify as a permanent resident
Renewing the card does not by itself prove you have maintained residency, but you should be prepared to show you have not abandoned your status — for example, that you have not lived outside the U.S. for extended, uninterrupted periods. Long absences can raise abandonment questions even at the renewal stage, so keep travel records handy.
8. Conditional residents: file I-751 instead, not I-90
This trips up many applicants. If you have a 2-year conditional green card (most often through marriage or investment), you do not use Form I-90. You must file Form I-751 (marriage) or Form I-829 (investor) to remove conditions, with evidence of the underlying relationship or investment. Filing the wrong form wastes the fee and your time.
The Bottom Line
To renew a 10-year green card, you primarily need a copy of your current card, a photo ID, the correct filing fee (or a fee-waiver request), and any documents supporting the reason for replacement — especially a name-change record if applicable. File Form I-90 online for the fastest processing, keep copies of everything, and confirm current fees on USCIS.gov. Conditional residents must file I-751 or I-829 instead. When in doubt about your category, consult a licensed immigration attorney.