Green card renewal: how to renew your card
You renew a 10-year green card by filing Form I-90 with USCIS, online or by mail, once the card has expired or will expire within six months. The receipt notice USCIS sends back, together with your expired card, proves your status for 36 months past the card’s expiration date while you wait.
Checked against USCIS guidance on September 21, 2026. The sources are listed at the end of this page.
Who needs to renew
USCIS says a permanent resident must replace their green card if it has expired or will expire within the next six months. The same Form I-90 is used when a card is lost, stolen or damaged, has wrong information, or needs a new name, and in a few other cases (see the table).
Your permanent resident status doesn’t end when the card expires. But the law requires residents 18 and over to carry a valid card (INA section 264), and employers, airlines and CBP will ask for one.
| Your situation | What to file |
|---|---|
| 10-year card expired or expiring within 6 months | Form I-90 |
| Card lost, stolen, mutilated or destroyed | Form I-90 (or Form I-131A if you are abroad) |
| Card has wrong information, or you changed your name | Form I-90 |
| You turned 14 (unless the card expires before 16) | Form I-90 |
| Your card was never delivered | Form I-90 |
| Old card version (AR-3, AR-103 or I-151) | Form I-90 |
| 2-year conditional card expiring | Not the I-90: Form I-751 (marriage) or I-829 (investor) |
When to file
- File when your card has expired or will expire within six months. The I-90 instructions warn that if you choose the expiring reason and your card will not expire within six months, the application may be denied.
- If you are abroad and your card will expire within six months, USCIS says to file as soon as you return, as long as you come back within a year of leaving and before the card expires.
- If you have already applied for citizenship, your N-400 receipt notice extends your green card for 2 years from its expiration date, so you may not need to renew. If you lose the card, you still file an I-90.
How to renew: the short version
- Create or sign in to a USCIS online account and file Form I-90 online, or mail the paper form. The online fee is $415, paper is $465. Details are in How much green card renewal costs.
- Upload or include a copy of your expiring or expired card. No photos are needed with the form; USCIS takes them at biometrics if it needs them.
- Keep the receipt notice (Form I-797C). With your expired card, it proves your status, and lets you work and travel, for 36 months past the card’s expiration.
- Go to biometrics if USCIS mails you an appointment notice.
- Track the case with your receipt number until the new card arrives.
The full walkthrough, including the sections of the form and the evidence for each reason, is in Form I-90, step by step.
What the receipt notice says
USCIS publishes the wording of the I-90 receipt notice for renewals. It says the notice, together with your green card, “provides evidence of your lawful permanent resident status for 36 months from the expiration date” on the card, and that “you remain authorized to work and travel.”
That is the single most useful thing to know about renewal: once you have filed, you are not stuck waiting for the card to get on with your life. Keep the notice with your expired card. More on travel and work with an expired card is in Expired green card.
While you wait
USCIS says you can check your case status online 72 hours after filing. The usual sequence is Case Was Received, fingerprints if required, a decision, then New Card Is Being Produced and Card Was Mailed To Me. How long each step takes, and what to do when it seems stuck, is in Green card renewal processing time.
Frequently asked questions
How do I renew my green card?
File Form I-90 with USCIS, online through a USCIS account or on paper by mail, once your card has expired or will expire within six months. Include a copy of the card, pay the fee ($415 online, $465 on paper), attend biometrics if asked, and keep the receipt notice.
How much does it cost to renew a green card?
USCIS’s fee schedule lists $415 to file Form I-90 online and $465 on paper. Some filers pay nothing, for example when USCIS made an error on the card, and a fee waiver (Form I-912) is available to some applicants.
When should I renew my green card?
When it has expired or will expire within the next six months. Filing earlier than that using the “expiring” reason can lead to a denial.
Can I renew my green card online?
Yes. USCIS accepts Form I-90 online through a USCIS online account, which lets you see when your application is received and get updates. The one exception: you can’t file online if you are asking for a fee waiver.
Is my status valid if my green card expired?
Yes. Your permanent resident status doesn’t expire with the card. But you are required to carry a valid card, so renew it. Once you file, the receipt notice with your expired card proves your status for 36 months past the expiration date.
Do I need to renew a 2-year green card with Form I-90?
No. A conditional resident whose 2-year card is expiring files Form I-751 (marriage-based) or Form I-829 (investor) to remove the conditions. Conditional residents use Form I-90 only for a lost, stolen, damaged or incorrect card, a name change, or a card that was never delivered.
Do I need to renew my green card if I applied for citizenship?
Often not. Since December 12, 2022, the Form N-400 receipt notice automatically extends your green card for 2 years from its expiration date. If the card is lost, though, you still need to file Form I-90.
Read more
Sources
General information from USCIS guidance, not legal advice. MyCheck is not affiliated with USCIS or any government agency, and doesn’t file forms for you. Fees and addresses change: check USCIS.gov before you file. If your status is at risk, talk to an immigration attorney.
