Green card renewal starts with one check: does your card last 10 years or 2 years? For a 10-year card, file Form I-90 when it expires within six months or has already expired. For a marriage-based 2-year conditional card, use the I-751 removal-of-conditions process instead. The free I-90 eligibility check can help identify the right route. (USCIS card guidance)
Your card can expire without your permanent resident status expiring. But you still need usable evidence of that status. For qualifying renewal filings, USCIS provides a receipt notice that extends the card’s validity for 36 months from the date printed on the card, when presented with that expired card. Keep both documents. (USCIS extension notice)
Contents
- Check your card type and filing reason.
- Work out your filing date and gather documents.
- Choose a filing route and compare costs.
- Use your receipt while waiting for the card.
- Handle travel, delays, and common questions.
Who should use green card renewal
This guide is for a lawful permanent resident whose 10-year Permanent Resident Card, Form I-551, is expired or will expire within six months. The application is called “Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card,” even when you are renewing a card you still have. Renewal is one of the filing reasons on Form I-90. (USCIS Form I-90)
The name can be confusing. You are asking USCIS for a new card that documents your existing status. You are not applying for permanent residence again. Card expiration alone does not end that status, although separate issues such as abandonment or a final removal order can affect it. (USCIS Policy Manual)
Check a conditional card before paying
An expiring 2-year conditional card needs removal of conditions. Marriage-based conditional residents generally use Form I-751. Investor conditional residents use Form I-829. Filing I-90 does not remove those conditions or replace the required petition. Use the I-751 eligibility check if your conditional residence came through marriage. (USCIS card guidance)
Conditional residents whose cards have not expired and do not expire within 90 days can use I-90 for certain replacement reasons, such as a lost or damaged card. For those reasons, do not file I-90 if the conditional card has expired or expires within 90 days. Follow the removal-of-conditions process instead. (USCIS Policy Manual)
Keep other replacement reasons separate
If your card is lost, stolen, damaged, never delivered, or needs a legal name correction, you may still need I-90, but the reason and supporting evidence differ. Do not select “expired or expiring” simply because you recognize the form. Review the reason-specific evidence in the USCIS I-90 instructions.
An old card with no expiration date also needs a separate check. Do not invent an expiration date. Use the official instructions for your card version and circumstances. The same applies to commuter status and registration after a child turns 14. (USCIS Form I-90)
When to file and what to gather
For an expiration-based renewal, the filing window opens six months before the card expires. You can also file after expiration. Do not file early just to reserve a place in the queue. USCIS may deny an expiration-based application submitted more than six months before that date. (USCIS Policy Manual)
For example, if your card expires on December 20, your six-month window opens on June 20. Count calendar months. Filing at the start of the window does not mean USCIS will produce a new card by December. If you are comparing other immigration deadlines, the I-751 guide explains a different window for conditional residents.
Already expired: act on the evidence gap
You do not lose permanent resident status solely because the card expired. Still, do not leave the renewal unresolved. USCIS guidance requires permanent residents to maintain valid evidence, and federal law generally requires registered noncitizens age 18 or older to carry their registration evidence. (USCIS Policy Manual; 8 U.S.C. 1304(e))
Look at the expiration date before relying on the receipt extension. A card that expired several years ago may already be outside the extension period, even if you file today. In that situation, ask USCIS about temporary evidence. Filing by itself does not create three new years of validity. (USCIS extension notice)
Make a renewal folder
For an expiration-based filing, start with these items. Check the official instructions for any additional evidence your answers require. (USCIS I-90 instructions)
- A clear copy of both sides of your current card. Make the card number, dates, photograph, and other details legible.
- Your identifying information. Match your name, birth date, and Alien Registration Number to your records.
- Your current mailing address. Use an address where you can receive USCIS notices and the card.
- Any extra evidence your circumstances require. A legal name change, for example, can require a supporting civil document.
- A copy of the finished application and submission record. Keep these with your receipt notice when it arrives.
For a standard expiration-based renewal, submit the required copy, not your original card. Some other replacement reasons have different rules about surrendering the original. Keep the instructions for your selected reason separate from advice intended for a lost card or DHS printing error. (USCIS I-90 instructions)
Before filing, compare the application against your evidence. Where they differ, the instructions may require an explanation or a document. A clear scan and consistent details make the packet easier to review.
How to submit your renewal application
USCIS currently lists online and paper filing for I-90. Check the form page again before submitting because filing channels can change. Preparing a form online is different from submitting it online. Choose the route you intend to use before paying a preparation service or government fee. (USCIS Form I-90)
Option 1: file through your USCIS account
Use the filing link on the official I-90 page. The account provides the online application, evidence upload, payment, and access to notices. Keep a copy of what you submitted and check the account for follow-up instructions. (USCIS Form I-90)
The practical sequence is:
- Confirm your reason. Choose renewal of an expired or expiring card if that describes your filing.
- Enter your details. Check names, dates, addresses, and registration numbers against your documents.
- Upload the requested evidence. Use readable copies and follow the upload instructions shown by USCIS.
- Review, sign, and pay. Read the finished application before submitting it.
- Save the confirmation. Keep the application, receipt number, and notices together.
Use the Alien Registration Number guide if you are unsure which number the application requests. Do not substitute a receipt number, Social Security number, or online account number for the A-Number.
Option 2: use the USCIS PDF-upload route
USCIS added a PDF-upload filing option for I-90 on October 7, 2026. It lets an eligible filer submit the completed form through the supported online upload process. Follow that option’s instructions for the PDF, signatures, evidence, and payment. Not every scanned packet qualifies. (USCIS PDF-upload guidance)
PDF upload does not mean a preparation service files the application for you. Before you pay for help, check what you will receive and who is responsible for filing it.
Option 3: prepare a paper packet
Download the accepted edition from the official I-90 page, complete it, sign it, and include the required evidence and payment authorization. USCIS currently lists the 01/20/25 edition. Check again when you file and use matching edition pages throughout the packet. (USCIS Form I-90)
Use the current filing address linked from USCIS. Check whether the address differs for postal mail and a courier. An address copied from an old blog post can send an otherwise complete application to the wrong place. (USCIS Form I-90)
If you want guided preparation, Immiva’s I-90 preparation uses your answers to prepare the form, identify the filing reason, and provide a document list, fee guidance, and mailing instructions. You review the packet, then print, sign, and mail it yourself.
Check the final packet before sending it
Read the application as a whole, including sections you completed earlier. Make sure the signature is present, the mailing address is current, and the filing reason matches your evidence. Review the USCIS rejection guide for common fee, signature, and edition problems. (USCIS Form I-90 filing tips)
For mailed filings, keep your own copy and a delivery record. Delivery tracking shows where the package went; the USCIS receipt notice is the document that identifies the accepted case. Do not treat a courier delivery confirmation as the card-validity extension.
What renewal costs in 2026
For the standard expired-or-expiring-card reason, the USCIS fee is $415 online or $465 on paper. There is no separate biometrics fee for this filing. Online filing therefore costs $50 less in government fees. The fee schedule edition dated October 16, 2026 still lists those I-90 amounts. Recheck it before submitting payment. (USCIS I-90 fee schedule)
| Filing route | USCIS fee | Preparation cost |
|---|---|---|
| File online yourself | $415 | No fee for the USCIS form |
| Mail a packet you prepare yourself | $465 | No fee for the USCIS form |
| Mail an Immiva-prepared packet | $465 | $99 paid separately to Immiva |
The government amounts come from the USCIS fee schedule. The preparation price and paper-packet format come from Immiva’s I-90 preparation. Immiva is software, not a law firm, and does not provide legal advice or representation.
If you cannot afford the filing fee
I-90 is eligible for a fee-waiver request when you meet USCIS requirements. A waiver request is no longer limited to paper filing: USCIS lists Form I-912 with I-90 in its eligible PDF-upload options. You can also submit the waiver with an eligible mailed application. Follow the current instructions for financial evidence and submission. Do not pay first and assume a later waiver request will refund it. (USCIS Form I-912; USCIS online filing options)
For most mailed fee payments, USCIS now requires Form G-1450 for card payment or Form G-1650 for an ACH bank payment. Qualifying paper-payment exemptions use Form G-1651. Ordinary checks and money orders stopped being accepted after October 28, 2025, subject to the exemption rules. (USCIS electronic-payment announcement; current fee schedule) The USCIS fee payment guide gives context, but the official form page and payment rules control the packet you send. (USCIS Form I-90)
What happens after filing and before delivery
After USCIS accepts the application, save the receipt notice and receipt number. Read every notice for a deadline or appointment. For the expiration-based renewal category, USCIS issues a receipt extending card validity 36 months beyond the card’s printed expiration date, when used with the expired card. (USCIS Form I-90; USCIS extension notice)
Calculate the extension from the card
Suppose your card expires on December 20, 2026. A qualifying 36-month extension carries that card’s validity through December 20, 2029. It does not run from the application date, biometrics appointment, or the day the receipt reaches your mailbox. Read the actual notice before relying on it. (USCIS extension notice)
Keep the card and the extension notice together. A photo on your phone or a shipping receipt is not the same evidence as the documents USCIS describes. If you cannot produce the expired card, ask USCIS whether you need temporary evidence of permanent residence. (USCIS temporary-evidence guidance)
Attend biometrics if USCIS schedules it
USCIS may require fingerprints, a photograph, and a signature, or tell you that it can reuse biometrics already on file. Follow your own notice; another applicant’s experience does not decide whether you need to attend. (USCIS Policy Manual)
The biometrics appointment guide explains what to expect. If you cannot attend, request rescheduling through the method USCIS allows and give good cause. The Policy Manual’s 90-day completion provision does not excuse a missed appointment. Missing it without the required request can lead to denial for abandonment. (USCIS Policy Manual) See the biometrics rescheduling guide. (USCIS biometrics guidance)
Work while the application is pending
The expired card together with the qualifying I-90 extension notice can serve as evidence of continued permanent resident status and employment authorization. For a new Form I-9, follow the employer guidance for that document combination. (USCIS extension notice)
An existing employee’s expiring 10-year card does not, by itself, require the employer to reverify employment authorization. Do not confuse card renewal with renewing a temporary employment authorization document. Employers must follow the separate I-9 rules. (USCIS reverification guidance)
Check the wait without treating it as a deadline
Use the USCIS processing-times tool and select I-90 and the 10-year renewal category. Do not use the figure for initial issuance or other replacements. The estimate describes cases USCIS has already completed, so it cannot tell you when your card will arrive. Check the tool’s instructions for when a case inquiry is allowed.
Check the estimate again when you need it. Processing figures change, and an older estimate may no longer describe the renewal queue. Use your receipt date and the live inquiry guidance before requesting an outside-normal-processing-time review. (USCIS processing-times tool)
Watch for requests for evidence and keep USCIS informed if you move. A postal forwarding request alone does not update your USCIS address. Use the official address-change process and include the pending case where required. (USCIS address changes)
When the new card arrives
Follow your case updates for card production and mailing. If delivery fails or the card contains an error, keep the notices and investigate that specific problem before filing another application. The correct next step may differ from renewing an expired card. USCIS does not mail the new card to a foreign address. (USCIS Form I-90; USCIS I-90 instructions)
Travel, missing evidence, and other decisions
Check travel documents before leaving
USCIS says the qualifying expired-card-and-extension-notice combination can demonstrate authorization to return after temporary foreign travel. Carry both documents and check the notice’s validity for your return date. On its own, a pending I-90 receipt without the card may not be enough to board. (USCIS Policy Manual)
Renewing a card also does not erase concerns about a long absence or abandonment of residence. A reentry permit is a separate travel document, with separate requirements. If a long trip is planned, review reentry-permit preparation and official travel guidance before departing. (USCIS international travel guidance)
If your card expires while you are abroad
USCIS mails replacement cards to U.S. addresses, so filing I-90 from abroad will not get a new card sent to you overseas. Ask about the appropriate return documentation before booking travel; the answer depends on your documents and circumstances. A lost card abroad may involve Form I-131A carrier documentation rather than renewal alone. (USCIS I-90 instructions; USCIS Form I-131A)
For an expired 10-year card after an absence of less than one year, USCIS says carrier documentation may not be necessary. Check with the airline first about its boarding requirements. Do not assume every expired card requires a boarding foil, or that every airline will resolve the document question at check-in. (USCIS Form I-131A)
A lengthy absence can raise a separate residence question. Do not treat “my card is expired” and “I have been outside the country for a long time” as the same problem. Seek individualized advice where abandonment or admissibility is in question. (USCIS international travel guidance)
For an absence exceeding one year or a reentry permit’s validity, a returning resident visa is a possible route with its own requirements. Card renewal alone does not resolve the return. Discuss the documents and circumstances with the U.S. consulate and a qualified immigration attorney. (State Department returning-resident guidance)
If the extension runs out
Contact USCIS about temporary evidence, often called an ADIT or I-551 stamp, if you still need proof and your card extension is no longer usable. USCIS may assess whether it can mail temporary evidence or whether you need an appointment. Follow its instructions for identity documents and urgency. (USCIS temporary-evidence guidance)
If you are considering citizenship
Citizenship uses Form N-400, with its own eligibility requirements. Certain N-400 receipt notices extend card validity for 24 months, a different period from the I-90 renewal extension. Compare the citizenship requirements and N-400 guidance for an expired card before deciding whether a separate I-90 is needed. (USCIS naturalization extension notice)
If USCIS denies the application
Read the reason and response instructions in the decision. I-90 denials generally do not have an administrative appeal, although a motion to reopen or reconsider may be available. A motion generally has a 30-day deadline from the decision date, or 33 days when USCIS mails the decision. Read your notice promptly and get advice about the response and deadline that apply to you. Filing the same application again does not necessarily fix the underlying issue. (USCIS Policy Manual; 8 CFR 264.5)
A 2026 policy update to check
USCIS published an August 28, 2026 notice about the Red Eagle court order affecting certain application-hold policies. The notice describes relief for the covered class. It does not mean every affected case will be approved or move on the same schedule. If your case involves a country-based hold, read the notice and your own case communications; ordinary processing estimates may not apply. (USCIS court-order notice)
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. USCIS permits an I-90 filing for an expired 10-year card. Expiration alone does not terminate permanent residence. Check the receipt extension’s end date if the card expired long ago. The free I-90 eligibility check can help identify the filing route. (USCIS Form I-90)
Not to remove conditions. Marriage-based conditional residents generally need I-751; investor conditional residents use I-829. Read the I-751 guide for the marriage-based process. (USCIS card guidance)
No separate biometrics fee applies to a standard expiration-based I-90 filing. The government fee is $415 online or $465 on paper. The USCIS fee payment guide explains payment preparation. (USCIS fee schedule)
No specific approval date is guaranteed. Online filing gets you the lower government fee and the account features; it does not buy priority adjudication. Use the current renewal category in the official tool. (USCIS Form I-90; USCIS processing times)
Permanent resident work authorization does not end merely because a 10-year card expires. For a new I-9, the expired card and qualifying extension notice can document continued authorization. Existing employees generally do not need reverification just because that card expires. (USCIS extension notice; USCIS reverification guidance)
For expiration-based renewal, submit the required card copy and keep the original. Other replacement reasons can require different evidence, including the original for some corrections. Follow the reason-specific instructions. (USCIS I-90 instructions)
Update your address with USCIS using its current procedure and include the pending application where required. Updating USPS alone is insufficient. Keep the confirmation with your renewal records. (USCIS address changes)
Check your eligibility first. N-400 has requirements beyond holding a green card, and its receipt extension differs from I-90. The citizenship requirements guide can help you prepare that comparison. (USCIS naturalization extension notice)
Your next step
Read the card’s expiration date and confirm it is a 10-year card. Then gather both-side copies, pick a filing route, and check the current USCIS fee. After filing, keep the expired card with the extension notice. For guided paper preparation, review the packet process at how Immiva works. (USCIS Form I-90)