A permanent resident card, or green card, allows residents of other countries to live, work and travel throughout the United States. However, these cards eventually expire. When your green card expires, or in the event you lose it, you will need to take steps to obtain a new one. 

At Garvish Immigration Law Group, LLC., we can guide you in completing and filing a Form I-90, Application To Replace Permanent Resident Card. Our Georgia immigration attorneys explain the process. 

Call Now to schedule your consultation with one of our trusted immigration attorneys.

Green cards, or permanent resident cards, are issued to qualifying foreign nationals through United States Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS).  Most – but not all – permanent resident cards expire ten years after it was issued. At this time, or if you lose your green card before this period or it gets damaged or stolen, you will need to file  Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card.

USCIS is experiencing a severe backlog in processing immigration requests, and wait times have not returned to pre-pandemic standards. Our Atlanta green card lawyers advise taking immediate action if your green card is due to expire within the next six months or if anything happens to it. 

It is best not to wait to file Form I-90. There are situations where other forms are needed: 

• If you have a conditional permanent resident card, which expires two years after being issued, you must file Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence. 
• If you obtained a permanent residence by investing in a U.S. business, you need to file Form I-829, Petition by Entrepreneur to Remove Conditions on Permanent Resident Status. 

How you file Form I-90 will depend on why you need to replace your green card. These are two options: 

• File online:
  You may file online if your green card expired, is about to expire in six months, was lost, stolen or damaged, or if your personal information changed. You may also file online if you use your green card to commute regularly to the United States from Canada or Mexico.
• File via U.S. mail:
  You will need to file Form I-90 by mail if your card contains errors, was never issued, if you received it as a minor and it is set to expire before you reach the age of 16 or you are requesting a waiver of replacement green card filing fees.

There are no fees to replace your permanent resident card if you never received it, if it contains wrong information due to a USCIS error or if you need to replace your green card due to turning 16. Otherwise, in cases where it is expired, lost, stolen, or damaged, you must pay a $455 form fee, along with an $85 payment for biometric services, for a total of $540. 

In addition to the required fees, the documentation you will need to submit along with  Form I-90 includes: 

• Your old, outdated green card;
• A government-issued ID with your name, birthdate, photo, and signature if your green card was lost or stolen;
• A government-issued ID along with Form I-797, Notice of Action, or your passport page with an I-551 stamp if you never received your green card from USCIS;
• Your current green card and documents such as a marriage license if requesting changes to your personal information;
• Your current green card and proof of employment if you are a commuter to the United States from Mexico or Canada. 

Once you file Form I-90, USCIS will send updates via U.S. mail and online if you created an account. These updates include: 

• Confirmation that your application was accepted;
• Notification of a biometrics appointment, where fingerprints and photos are taken for a background check;
• A Request for Evidence (RFE) letter if USCIS needs additional information o to replace your green card;
• A decision letter disclosing whether your request to replace your permanent resident card was approved or denied.

“Your Trusted Guide to the American Dream”