How to Renew a Green Card: Step-by-Step (Form I-90)

The Short Answer

A standard U.S. permanent resident card is valid for ten years. To renew it, you file Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card, with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The form is available online at uscis.gov, and most lawful permanent residents can file it online through a USCIS account. Once filed, you receive a receipt notice that serves as temporary evidence of permanent resident status while USCIS processes the renewal.

Crucially, your status as a lawful permanent resident does not expire — only the physical card does. Failing to renew the card does not strip you of permanent residence, but it does create practical problems with travel, employment verification, driver's license renewals, and proof of identity.

When to File

USCIS recommends filing Form I-90 up to six months before your current green card expires. Filing earlier is fine, and it gives you a head start against processing delays. Filing later is also allowed, but it can create a gap where your card is expired while the replacement is pending — that is the situation you want to avoid.

If your card has already expired, you should still file I-90. USCIS will still process the renewal. But you may face complications at work, while driving, or when re-entering the country after international travel.

Do Not Confuse Renewal with Removing Conditions

If your green card is a conditional two-year card (issued because your marriage was less than two years old when you adjusted status, or because you came in on an EB-5 investor visa), you do not renew it with Form I-90. Conditional cards are replaced using Form I-751 (marriage-based) or Form I-829 (EB-5), filed within the 90-day window before the conditional card expires. Getting this wrong can cause loss of permanent resident status.

Form I-90 is only for ten-year cards that are expiring, lost, stolen, damaged, or contain incorrect information.

Step-by-Step: Filing Form I-90

1. Create a USCIS online account at my.uscis.gov. Most I-90 applications can be filed online, which is usually faster than filing on paper.
2. Start Form I-90 inside your account. The form will walk you through sections for biographic information, current address, and the reason you are filing (expiring card, lost/stolen, damaged, name change, data error, etc.).
3. Upload supporting documents. USCIS requires a copy of your current green card (front and back). Depending on the reason for filing, you may also need to include a police report (for stolen cards), a marriage certificate (for name change), or evidence of the data error you are asking to correct.
4. Pay the filing fee using a credit card, debit card, or bank transfer. Fees are published at uscis.gov/fees and change periodically, so always check the current amount before filing.
5. Submit the application. You will receive an electronic receipt and a Form I-797C receipt notice.
6. Attend biometrics. USCIS may require you to attend a biometrics appointment at an Application Support Center to provide fingerprints, a photo, and signature. In some cases, biometrics are reused from a prior application.
7. Wait for approval and card production. Once approved, USCIS produces and mails the new card.

What It Costs

The filing fee for Form I-90 is set by USCIS and adjusted periodically. Always check the current fee schedule at uscis.gov/fees before filing. Some applicants may be eligible to request a fee waiver using Form I-912 if they can demonstrate financial hardship, but fee waivers are granted case-by-case.

How Long Does It Take?

I-90 processing times vary significantly by service center and USCIS workload. USCIS publishes current processing times at egov.uscis.gov/processing-times. The receipt notice you get after filing serves as temporary evidence of permanent resident status for a defined period (USCIS extends this period automatically in certain circumstances — check your receipt notice for the current extension language).

If you need to travel internationally while your I-90 is pending and your card has expired, you may be able to request an I-551 stamp in your passport at a USCIS field office. This requires an InfoPass-style appointment and is granted at USCIS discretion.

Using the Receipt Notice as Temporary Evidence

Your Form I-797C receipt notice is important. In combination with your expired green card, USCIS has in recent years extended its validity as proof of permanent resident status for travel and employment purposes. Employers can accept this combination for Form I-9 verification during the extension period. The exact extension period is printed on your receipt notice — always rely on what your notice says rather than what you think the rule is.

Common Mistakes

• Filing Form I-90 for a conditional two-year card. Conditional cards need Form I-751 or I-829, not I-90. Filing the wrong form does not extend status and can cause serious problems.
• Missing supporting documents. The most common Request for Evidence reason on I-90 is a missing copy of the current green card.
• Filing too late. Waiting until after the card has expired is legal but creates avoidable complications.
• Using the wrong address. USCIS mails the new card to the address on file. Update your address through Form AR-11 or your USCIS online account before filing.

If the Renewal Is Denied

Denials of Form I-90 are rare but not unheard of. Common reasons include concerns about the applicant's underlying eligibility for permanent resident status (for example, if USCIS discovers information suggesting the original green card should not have been granted). In those cases, USCIS may pursue separate rescission or removal proceedings.

For routine cases — an honest renewal of an unexpired or recently-expired ten-year card by a permanent resident in good standing — denial is uncommon, and most are resolved with an RFE rather than an outright rejection.

The Bottom Line

Renewing a U.S. green card is a straightforward Form I-90 process that most permanent residents can complete online through a USCIS account. File up to six months before your card expires, pay the current fee, attend biometrics if required, and wait for the new card. If your card is conditional (two years), use Form I-751 or I-829 instead. If your card is expired and you need to travel, contact a USCIS field office about an I-551 stamp. For your specific situation, consult a licensed U.S. immigration attorney.

When to Work with an Immigration Attorney

Not every immigration question needs a lawyer, but some do. The topics covered in this article include situations where a brief consultation with a licensed U.S. immigration attorney can save months of delay, prevent irreversible mistakes, and identify options you might not otherwise know about. Consider consulting an attorney if your case involves any of the following:

• Criminal history of any kind. Even dismissed charges, expunged records, or decades-old offenses can affect immigration outcomes. The immigration consequences of a criminal record are technical and fact-specific, and plea deals that seemed favorable in criminal court sometimes have devastating immigration consequences.
• Past immigration violations or denials. Prior visa denials, overstays, periods of unlawful presence, and prior removal proceedings all affect current options. An attorney can review your history and identify which paths remain open.
• Complicated family situations. Divorce, death of a petitioner, domestic abuse, and similar circumstances can trigger waiver eligibility or affect existing petitions in ways that require careful legal analysis.
• Business immigration matters. Employment-based cases, investor visas, and self-petitions are typically too complex for do-it-yourself filing. The evidentiary standards are demanding and the stakes are high.
• Cases that feel stuck. If your case has been sitting without action for a long time, or if you received an RFE or NOID you do not fully understand, an attorney can diagnose the problem and respond effectively.
• Anything you do not fully understand. Immigration forms are technical, and a small mistake can cascade into large consequences. When in doubt, ask someone qualified.

Finding Reliable Information

The single most reliable source of current U.S. immigration information is USCIS itself. USCIS publishes form instructions, fee schedules, processing times, policy manuals, and policy alerts at uscis.gov. When any article (including this one) references specific fees, processing times, or eligibility rules, the information can become outdated as USCIS updates its policies and fee schedules. Always verify any time-sensitive detail directly with USCIS before filing anything.

Other reliable primary sources include the U.S. Department of State (for visa bulletins and consular processing), the U.S. Department of Labor (for PERM and prevailing wage information), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (for admission and port of entry rules), and the Executive Office for Immigration Review (for immigration court procedures).

Secondary sources — including practitioner guides, law school immigration clinics, and reputable nonprofit legal aid organizations — can provide helpful explanations of how the rules apply in practice. Community forums and social media should be treated with caution: they can point you to useful resources, but they also contain a great deal of inaccurate or outdated information, and the rules change frequently enough that what was true a year ago may not be true now.

Keeping Records

One of the simplest ways to protect yourself through any immigration process is to keep careful records of everything. Copies of every filing you send to USCIS, every notice you receive, every check or money order you submit, and every piece of correspondence you send or receive become critical evidence if something goes wrong later. Keep these records organized, dated, and backed up in at least two separate places (for example, a physical folder and a digital scan).

Also keep records of everything that supports your underlying eligibility — tax returns, marriage certificate, birth certificates, medical records, employment records, property records, school transcripts, and anything else that demonstrates ties to the United States, family relationships, or program eligibility. Good records are the backbone of a strong immigration case.