This article is primarily intended for holders of 10-year Green Cards who need to renew their cards; it does not apply to those converting a 2-year Green Card to a 10-year one or those currently waiting for a Green Card. If time permits, other situations will be briefly discussed at the end.
1. When should you start preparing?
It is recommended to start preparing for renewal 6 months before your Green Card expires. It is difficult to predict how long the renewal process will take. Sometimes, the renewal process may stall, consuming several months. It is best to be prepared just in case.
You also need to renew your card if it is lost, damaged, if your personal information has changed, if you have turned 14 years old, if you have become a commuter, or if the card has been stolen (if it has been stolen, please contact emergency services).
2. Filling out Form I-90
The form can be downloaded from the official USCIS website. Alternatively, you may fill out a paper form. The USCIS form must be completed in full, otherwise the renewal process cannot begin. It must be filled out on a computer or using a black ink pen. If there is not enough space, fill in the information in Part 8, or attach a separate sheet of paper, including your name and Alien Registration Number (if applicable) in the header, and include the Page Number, Part Number, and Item Number for each item being explained. Each page of the explanation must be signed and dated.
Form I-90 can be filled out and submitted online (with payment made simultaneously), or it can be filled out by hand and submitted via mail.
Not everyone can submit the electronic form online. Current information indicates that applications for fee waivers cannot be submitted online. It is recommended to check the official website for the latest information before filling out the form.
After completing the form, the USCIS website reminds everyone to double-check four areas where errors must be avoided: Family Name, Address, Date of Birth, and Signature.
3. Payment
The current renewal fee is $365.00. You may also need to pay an $85.00 biometrics fee (for fingerprinting, photography, and electronic archiving of your signature).
In some cases, you may not need to pay, such as if you never received your Green Card and it has been 30 days since the card was mailed; specific regulations are available on the USCIS website. However, in these cases, you will need to provide additional supporting documentation to USCIS.
The USCIS website provides a fee schedule for various situations:
4. Filing Address
1) Online submission:
https://www.uscis.gov/file-online/file-form-i-90-online
Go to the website above and submit according to the instructions.
2) Paper submission
The regular mail address is as follows:
USCIS
P.O. Box 21262
Phoenix, AZ 85036
The express delivery/courier address is as follows:
USCIS
Attention: I-90
1820 E. Skyharbor, Circle S, Floor 1
Suite 100
Phoenix, AZ 85034
If you are applying via paper documents, do not forget to sign in Part 5, Item Number 6.a., Applicant’s Signature.
5. Supporting documents or copies to be submitted together:
1) Form I-90
2) Green Card renewal fee
3) ID photos (two photos within two inches, taken within thirty days prior to submission. Write your Alien Registration Number on the back of the photos with a pencil.)
4) The Green Card that is about to expire
Unless requested by USCIS, generally only copies of supporting documents need to be mailed.
Other Green Card renewal situations
1. If a permanent resident who has received a Green Card turns 14 years old, and the Green Card expires or the content needs to be updated, USCIS will notify you to provide fingerprints, and the location for fingerprinting will also be notified to you by letter. If you do not provide fingerprints in a timely manner, the application will be denied. If the foreign national is outside the United States on their 14th birthday, they should generally submit the application within 30 days after returning to the U.S.
2. If you need to renew your Green Card due to a name change, you must attach a court order or marriage certificate showing the new name.
3. If your Permanent Resident Card is a 2-year card, meaning you are a conditional resident, you need to fill out a Green Card renewal application 90 days before the card expires.
4. If a permanent resident's Green Card is lost, stolen, completely destroyed, or partially damaged, the Green Card must be renewed. If the applicant's Green Card is lost overseas, the applicant must personally go to an overseas USCIS office or consulate to report the loss and apply for a boarding foil. If the Green Card is damaged due to a quality issue with the card itself, the application fee may be waived.
5. If the new Green Card is not received within 6 months after application, an application for a replacement Green Card is required.
6. If the applicant's address is different from the address provided to USCIS during the previous Green Card application, or if an incorrect address was provided at that time, the applicant must follow the normal procedures to submit the application and pay the fee.
Forms required for Green Card renewal/replacement
1. For marriage-based Green Card renewal, you need to fill out Form I-751 (Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence)
2. If your status is an investor or entrepreneur, you need to fill out Form I-829 (Petition by Investor to Remove Conditions on Permanent Resident Status)
3. If your Permanent Resident Card is valid for 10 years, you need to fill out Form I-90.