Green card renewal requisites

The Green Card is a critical document which ensures international travel and enhances employment eligibility in the U.S. Green card is valid for 10 years and the expiration date of the green card is significant. Without a valid Green Card occupation and travel will become difficult.

Ideally Green Card Renewal Form [I-90] should be filed within 6 months of the expiration date to avert any delay in receiving renewed Green Card. If Green Card expires while you are outside of the United States and you did not file a renewal prior to your departure from US, it is recommended that you contact the nearest US consulate, USCIS office, or US port of entry before filing your Green Card Renewal Application Form I-90. The USCIS processing time for Green Card renewal or replacement is approximately three to four months

When to file Form I-90

• Green card is expired / expiring within 6 months
• Green card is lost / stolen
• Green card is destroyed / damaged
• Green card was issued but you haven’t received
• Incorrect information on green card
• You have legally changed your name or any other personal / biographic information
• You have been converted to a permanent resident status
• You are a commuter wishing to take up residence in the US
• You are a minor – that is you are less than 14 years of age and your green card is about to expire before or after your 16th Birthday
• You have been automatically converted to lawful permanent resident status
• You have an older edition of the card and must replace it with the current type

When Form I-90 cannot be filed online?

• Please note that a conditional green card cannot be renewed. A conditional permanent resident has to file a petition to remove the condition during the 90 days before the card expires else the individual might lose the permanent resident status. Form I-90 cannot be used for this purpose.
• Form I-751 [Petition to remove the Conditions of residence] is to be filed to remove the conditions on a green card based on marriage
• Form I-829 [Petition by Entrepreneur to Remove Conditions] is to be filed to remove conditions on a green card for entrepreneurs
• Applicants cannot file I-90 while requesting for a fee waiver
• Applicants who have received their Green cards with errors by the USCIS administrators, Form I-90 cannot be filed; instead a paper version of I-90 should be filed.

Required Documents

In general Form I-90 has no major documents to be submitted except for the correctly filled application:

• Accurately filled application form
• Fee payments as applicable

Purpose specific requirements

Expired / Expiring

If the card is expired or is about to expire in 6 months, submit a copy of the card along with the application

Lost / stolen / Destroyed / Damaged

In the above case submit a copy of the card. If you are over 18 years old and do not have a copy of the card, submit a copy of your identity document (Driver’s License, Passport, State ID) that contains details such as name, DOB, photo and signature.

Automatically converted to permanent resident status

Submit a copy of your temporary status document along with the application.

USCIS administrative error in your card

Submit original card, a document that endorses the requested correction and the application.

Correction or change in biographic data

• Name change: Original court order or certified copy of marriage certificate which has the new name
• Other changes: Copies of documentation to prove your data

Card issued but not received

If you have not received the green card mailed by the USCIS for over 30 days, the card will be returned to the USCIS by the post office stating “undeliverable”. In such case along with Form I-90, the applicant has to submit a supporting document that he has not moved or relocated from the address provided in the application.

Older edition of the card

Applicant need not submit the older edition while filing I-90; in fact he need not surrender the old edition of the card even after he received the new edition of the green card.

Happy Filing!

For any support required, contact us at www.immigas.com