How to Renew a Green Card (Form I-90)
Green cards expire every 10 years. Renew with Form I-90Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card — The form used to renew or replace a green card.Click for official info ↗ up to 6 months before your card expires. File online and go to your biometrics appointment. Use the I-797 receipt as proof of your status while you wait. The same form replaces a lost, stolen, or damaged card, corrects a USCISUS Citizenship and Immigration Services — The federal agency that processes green cards, work permits, naturalization, and most immigration benefits. Part of the Department of Homeland Security.Click for official info ↗ error, or updates your name.
At a glance
- Cost:
- $415 online / $465 paper (biometrics included)
- Total time:
- 6–12 months
- Steps:
- 6 steps
- Where to apply:
- uscis.gov
Last reviewed November 2026 against official sources. Re-checked every 6 months · next review due May 2027.
The Steps
Follow these in order
Each card shows the phase, expected time, and any cost. Data checked against official US sources(November 2026).
0 of 6 steps
- Before You Go 10 min
Check your expiration date
File within 6 months before your card expires. You can file earlier, but the time on your new card starts when it is approved. If your card has already expired, your permanent residentCanadian permanent resident — Someone granted the right to live and work anywhere in Canada permanently, without being a citizen.Click for official info ↗ status has NOT expired. Only the card expired. File I-90 to replace a lost, stolen, or damaged card, to correct a USCIS error, or to update your name, for example after marriage.
Click to mark as done
- Fill / Prepare 30 min
File Form I-90 online
Create an account at my.uscis.gov. Fill out the I-90 form. It takes about 30 minutes. Filing online gives you updates on your case. It is also faster than filing by paper.
Click to mark as done
- Submit & Pay 10 min
Pay the fees
Pay $415 if you file online or $465 if you file by paper. The biometrics fee is included. If you want a fee waiver, you must file by paper. You cannot file online if you ask for a waiver. A fee waiver is available if you qualify. Use Form I-912 for it, but waiver requests must be filed on paper. If USCIS made the error on your card, you file without the fee. Attach the incorrect card. Keep your receipt notice (I-797). It extends your card for 24 months. It works as proof of your status for that time.
Click to mark as done
- Go 30 min
Attend the biometrics appointment
You will get a notice with the date, time, and place. The place is an Application Support Center. Bring the notice and a photo ID. Staff will take your fingerprints and photo for the new card. The notice usually comes 4–8 weeks after filing. Some renewals skip biometrics. The notice tells you. If you miss the appointment and do not reschedule, your case may be delayed or denied.
Click to mark as done
- Wait 6–12 months
Track your case
It takes 6–12 months to process your case. The time depends on your field office. Check your status online with your receipt number. Do not travel outside the US with an expired card. Get an I-551 stamp first. Carry the receipt WITH your green card. Use both as proof for work and travel.
Click to mark as done
- Receive —
Receive your new green card
Your new card will come by mail. It has 10-year validity. Check all the details right away. If there is an error, you must file again. You may get a fee waiver if USCIS made the mistake. Update your employer. This includes I-9 reverification if your old card was used for work authorization. Update your SSASocial Security Administration — The agency that issues Social Security numbers/cards and pays retirement, disability (SSDI), and SSI benefits.Click for official info ↗ record if your name changed. Update your driver's licence if the card was your REAL IDREAL ID-compliant license — A state driver's license or ID that meets federal security standards — required for domestic flights and federal buildings.Click for official info ↗ document. If you move during processing, file a change of address within 10 days (AR-11).
Click to mark as done
Be Careful
Don't make these mistakes
Filing the wrong form for a conditional card. If you have a 2-year conditional green cardPermanent Resident Card — The ID card proving lawful permanent resident status — live and work in the US permanently.Click for official info ↗, do not file I-90. File Form I-751 if your card is based on marriage, or Form I-829 if it is based on investment, within the 90 days before your card expires. If you file the wrong form, you lose time and money.
Filing too early. File within 6 months before your card expires. If you file earlier, the time on your new card starts when it is approved.
Missing the biometrics appointment. The notice usually comes 4 to 8 weeks after filing. Bring the notice and a photo ID. If you miss the appointment and do not reschedule, your case may be delayed or denied.
Travelling abroad on an expired card. Do not travel outside the US with an expired card. Get an I-551 stamp first. Carry the receipt with your green card and use both as proof for work and travel.
Asking for a fee waiver online. If you want a fee waiver, you must file by paper. You cannot file online if you ask for a waiver. Use Form I-912. If USCIS made the error on your card, you file without the fee. Attach the incorrect card.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
My card expired — am I still a permanent resident?
Yes. When your card expires, your status does not expire. But you must renew your card to prove your status for work, travel, and benefits. An expired card can also cause problems when you try to re-enter the US.
I have a 2-year conditional green card. Do I file I-90?
No. If you have a conditional card, you must file a different form. File Form I-751 if your card is based on marriage. File Form I-829 if your card is based on investment. File within the 90 days before your card expires. Do NOT file the I-90. If you file the wrong form, you lose time and money.
Can I travel while my renewal is pending?
You can travel inside the US with your expired card plus your I-797 receipt. For travel outside the US, go to a USCIS field office. Ask for an I-551 stamp in your passport. It works as proof for a short time. If your card was lost or stolen, travel is risky. You need an I-551 stamp in your passport to re-enter. Get it at a field office. Do not leave the US without proof of permanent residence.
My green card was stolen. Do I need a police report?
It is not strictly required for I-90, but file one anyway. It protects you if the card is misused for employment fraud. Some consulates also ask for it when they issue visas. Report to local police. Keep the report number. Then file I-90 with "lost/stolen" as the reason.
I turned 14 and my card does not expire for years. Do I have to file?
Yes. Green card holders who turn 14 must file I-90 to update the photo. This does not apply if the card expires before your 16th birthday. There is no filing fee in this case. That is when you file because you turned 14 and your card does not expire before your 16th birthday. This is per the USCIS fee schedule (Form G-1055).
How do I renew my green card?
First, check your expiration date: file within 6 months before your card expires, noting that if you file earlier, the time on your new card starts when it is approved, and if your card has already expired, your permanent resident status has not expired, only the card has. Then file Form I-90 online by creating an account at my.uscis.gov, which takes about 30 minutes, gives you updates on your case, and is faster than filing by paper. Then pay the fees: $415 if you file online or $465 if you file by paper, with the biometrics fee included, and if you want a fee waiver, you must file by paper and cannot file online, so keep your receipt notice (I-797). Then attend the biometrics appointment at the date, time, and place on your notice, which is an Application Support Center, bringing the notice and a photo ID, where staff take your fingerprints and photo for the new card. Then track your case online with your receipt number: it takes 6 to 12 months depending on your field office, and you should not travel outside the US with an expired card, so get an I-551 stamp first. Your new card comes by mail, so check all the details right away, and if there is an error, you must file again, though you may get a fee waiver if USCIS made the mistake. In short, green card renewal means filing Form I-90 up to 6 months before your card expires and using the I-797 receipt as proof of your status while you wait.
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