Green Card Renewal: The Complete Guide

Green cards are only valid for 10 years. This means at some stage (if you want to stay in the U.S.) you’ll have to undergo green card renewal. Many people dread this process as it is often quite easily assumed it will be difficult. Contrary to popular belief, however, green card renewal is actually a very simple process. You’ll just have to watch your timelines so you apply in the right time frame.

Below we take a look at everything green card renewal to help you through the process of getting your green card renewed in a timely manner.

When to Renew Your Green Card

You can start your green card renewal application if your green card will expire in 6 months or less.

Your green card has to be renewed within 6 months of the expiration date or if any of the situations listed below are applicable to you.

As we will explain, it is important that you renew your green card within the required timeframe to avoid any uncomfortable situations popping up.

You’ll have to renew your green card in the following situations:

• Your green card has already expired
• You only have a Permanent Resident Card and it doesn’t have an expiration date on it
• You lost your card or it got stolen or damages
• You got your green card before turning 14 but it won’t expire until you turn 16
• Any of your information on your green card changed such as your name or biographic information
• There are any mistakes on your green card which is due to an error made by the USCIS

If your green card will expire in six months and you are outside of the U.S. but you will return before the expiration date, you only have to renew it upon your return to the U.S. If you will, however, not be returning before the expiration date you’ll have to contact a U.S. Consulate office, the USCIS or a U.S. port of entry.

You won’t be able to enter the U.S. on an expired green card unless you have proof that you applied for renewal of your green card.

If you have Conditional Permanent Residence (CPR), you don’t have to worry about the situations mentioned above as they don’t apply to you. CPR is only valid for 2 years. 90 days before your CPR expires, you have to apply for a green card. Take note, you can’t miss these timelines as you won’t be able to apply for a green card if your CPR has already expired or it will expire in 90 days or less.

What Happens if a Green Card is Not Renewed

Fortunately, the USCIS won’t charge you any penalties so you won’t have to pay any additional fees if you only renew after the six month grace period expires.

You will, however, not be allowed to do the following things if you have an expired green card:

• Change jobs or get a new job
• Keep your professional license (as a doctor or lawyer for example)
• Have your driver’s license renewed
• Buy a house on certain conditions
• Travel outside of the U.S. and re-enter.

How to Renew a Green Card in 3 Steps

You can apply to renew your green card in the three simple steps below.

1. Fill out Form I-90

The Form I-90 is the green card renewal form.

You will find the instructions on how to complete your green card renewal form on the Form I-90 itself. It is important that you follow the instructions meticulously as any mistakes could lead to your application being denied.

You also need to make sure you choose the right reason for renewal from the 17 listed reasons. The reason you choose will determine the documents you need to submit and the basis on which your application will be considered.

2. Submit Required Documentation

The Form I-90 will list the documents you need to submit after you have chosen a reason for renewal.

If you are merely renewing the card due to the expiration date approaching, you only need to provide a copy of the card with your Form I-90. If you need to replace your card, you will need to submit a copy of the lost or damaged card and a copy of a valid government issued ID. This will include a drivers license or a passport.

If you are submitting a Form I-90 because the USCIS made a mistake on your card, you’ll need to submit your original green card and a copy of your birth or marriage certificate which contains your correct information.

If the reason you are applying for renewal related to any of your information changing (like your name), you will need to submit a court order of the decision and a copy of your new birth or marriage certificate.

3. Sign and Submit Your Application

If you have completed the application, checked it (a few times) and made sure you attach the right supporting documents, the only thing left to do is to sign it. Don’t forget this last step as the USCIS will return any unsigned applications.

The Form I-90 will indicate where your application can be submitted, depending on where you live.

There are two ways you can submit your USCIS green card renewal application. You can either file it electronically online, or you can mail it. If you apply by mail, the USCIS will still create an online account for you.

So irrespective of how you apply, you will receive all important notices via email. You will also have the information posted on your online account.

Green Card Renewal Fee

It’s important to know how much the green card renewal fee is, as you have to pay the green card renewal fee before you can submit your Form I-90. The Form I-90 fee is $455 and you also have to pay a biometrics service fee of $85 (only if applicable). You can, therefore, expect a total cost of around $540 and factor this into your budget leading up to the renewal timeframe.

You can pay your green card renewal fee online by using a valid MasterCard, Discover card or American Express. You can also pay through money order to check. Unfortunately, the USCIS does not accept cash. Once the USCIS received the funds, they will issue a receipt as proof of payment.

Next Steps?

After you have submitted your application, the USCIS will issue a receipt as proof to you. This notification will be mailed to you and posted on your online account.

About one or two weeks after the USCIS received your application, they will send you a notification for when you should attend your biometrics appointment. At the biometrics appointment, they will take your fingerprints, photograph, and signature.

If the USCIS needs additional evidence for your application, they will send you a Request for Evidence. If you receive this notification, you have to submit the required documents by the deadline they gave you. If not, your application might be denied.

You can continually check the status of your application on your online account.

Once the USCIS has properly processed your application, you will receive a decision. Like all other notices, the decision will be posted to you, as well as posted on your online account.

Green Card Renewal Processing Time

Renewing your green card can take several months. The USCIS has tons of applications they have to process so, unfortunately, it is not a speedy process.

This is important to keep in mind if your green card is close to expiring or has already expired. This is also why you have to apply a few months in advance of your card expiring. Otherwise, you run the risk of being in the U.S. on an expired green card.

What to Do if Your Renewal Application is Denied

There is always a possibility that the USCIS will not renew your green card. The USCIS might deny renewal in these circumstances:

• You committed a crime that results in deportation
• You lied on your application
• You were ordered by the government to leave the U.S. before your card expired
• You did not file the correct forms or you did not give the right supporting documents

Unfortunately, if your application for renewal is denied you don’t have the option to appeal the decision. You can, however, file a motion to reopen or reconsider your application.

You will need to provide the USCIS with new facts or information to consider afresh before they will reopen your case. If you want them to reconsider, you’ll have to prove their decision was based on a mistake in their application of immigration laws or policies.

Conclusion

USCIS green card renewal is inevitable, but it doesn’t need to give you a headache. As long as you stick to the right time frames and make sure you don’t make any mistakes on your green card renewal form your green renewal application can go smoothly. The steps are simple and easy so don’t delay applying for your USCIS green card renewal.

Frank Gogol

I’m a firm believer that information is the key to financial freedom. On the Stilt Blog, I write about the complex topics — like finance, immigration, and technology — to help immigrants make the most of their lives in the U.S. Our content and brand have been featured in Forbes, TechCrunch, VentureBeat, and more.

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