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By Vipul Jain | 23 Jan, 2025
Getting a U.S. green card is a significant milestone, as it is not easily provided to anyone. Officially popular as a Permanent Resident Card, it serves as physical proof of your ability to work and live in the United States. Additionally, it is a vital document for obtaining a home loan, securing a job, and renewing your driver's license in the US. However, maintaining its validity through timely green card renewal is also essential.
Seeking guidance for it? Well, then you are on the right page. Here is what you need to know about how to replace or renew a green card in the US to preserve your status as a legal permanent resident. So, let's begin reading by knowing the steps of the green card renewal process.
To replace or renew a green card, you must file Form I-90 with USCIS either online or by mail.
If the expiry date of your green card is near, you need to start your USCIS green card renewal process within six months of expiration. To renew your card, you need to fill out the same application form you would use in the event of a lost or stolen green card, i.e., file Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card. For this, you need to follow the steps:
After the application is accepted by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), you will receive a receipt notice. However, if your green card expires before you receive a new one, the USCIS receipt notice, along with your expired card, will be used as proof of your lawful permanent resident (LPR) status. In addition, it will signify the following things:
Generally, when renewing a green card, you need to be physically present in the US. However, if you are outside the country, you can use your expired green card to board a transportation carrier to return to the United States. But this also applies only if your departure date is less than one year away.
The key documents for green card renewal include Form I-90, a valid ID, proof of identity, and a valid passport.
To renew your green card in the US, you need to provide the following documents to USCIS:
These are the documents that a green card holder needs to submit during the renewal process. In case you are starting a new job, you need to file Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification) for your employer. Here, in this situation, your expired green card and receipt notice are acceptable proof of your employment and identity authorization.
Now that we are familiar with the documents, let's discuss what to expect after submitting the renewal application.
After submitting Form I-90, USCIS will send a receipt and may schedule a biometric appointment.
Here is what happens:
Within 2-4 weeks, USCIS will confirm acceptance of your application. You will get a 13-digit alphanumeric receipt number to track your green card renewal status online. From September 10, 2024, USCIS extends the validity for 36 months from the expiry date.
Within 1-2 weeks, you will receive a notice for your biometric appointment. It includes photo, signature, and fingerprint collection. USCIS may also request additional documents.
The green card renewal cost includes filing and biometric fees.
With the beginning of January 2025, the renewal fee in the US is as follows:
Both fees are non-refundable. Applicants may check their eligibility for a fee waiver by completing Form I-912.
You can make the payment with a money order, credit card, cashier's check, or personal check. Also, both fees are non-refundable. In addition, some applicants may be eligible for a fee waiver. For eligibility instructions, refer to Form I-912. However, applying for a fee waiver may impact your current immigration status in the US. Make sure you fall under the appropriate green card eligibility categories before proceeding.
It is the amount you need to pay to renew your green card in the U.S. Moving forward, let's check your green card processing time by checking the application status.
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You can check your green card renewal processing time and application updates online through USCIS.
Generally, the process takes 1.5 to 12 months. To track it:
You may also call USCIS at 1-800-375-5283 or file Form G-1145 for email/text notifications.
This is how you can track down your application and know the time taken for your renewal online. Moving further, let us know what you can do to extend your expired green card in the US.
If your green card expires while waiting for renewal, you can use a USCIS receipt notice as temporary proof.
Steps include:
Your expired card + NOA serves as temporary proof of status.
Also, Want to Know About the Indian Attestation of Will in the USA? Check Now!If USCIS denies your green card renewal, you will receive a letter explaining the reason.
Common reasons include unpaid taxes, incorrect forms, crimes, or misrepresentation. If denied, you may:
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To prove you do not have PERM to USCIS, you can generally provide a statement stating that you never filled out the PERM application, along with the required documents. For example, a printout of the website of the Department of Labor showing no current PERM cases on your name and if applicable a letter from your previous or current employers confirming they did not do a PERM process on your behalf.
From January 2025, the average processing time for green card renewal in the US is 9 months. However, depending on many factors like the number of applications, staffing levels, workload allocations, biometric appointment, case-specific issues, and completeness of application the processing time varies.
Yes, you can work with an expired green card in the U.S. but for this, you need to have proof of your lawful permanent resident status in the country. For this, you can use an Alien Documentation Identification and Telecommunications (ADIT) or an I-90 receipt notice stamp to prove your legal status in the US.
To renew your 2-year green card i.e. conditional permanent resident status in the US you need to fill out Form I-751, “Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence.” Along with the application form you need to submit other documents like your current green card, lease agreements, passport, and others. In addition, you may also need to attend the interview.
Yes, after 10 years many green cards expire. However, if these cards are issued before 1989 they do not expire and do not need any renewal.
Yes, a green card renewal application can be denied by USCIS. It can be because of an incomplete application, criminal convictions, incorrect form or information, failure to pay taxes, or excessive time spent outside the US.
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