A green card itself expires every 10 years (or 2 years for conditional residents) — but your underlying permanent resident status doesn’t. That distinction confuses a lot of people, and it’s the source of most of the anxiety around this process: you don’t lose your green card status when the plastic card expires, but you do need a valid, unexpired card to prove that status for travel, employment (Form I-9), and many everyday interactions with banks, DMVs, and employers. Form I-90 is how you get a new card — whether it’s expiring, already expired, lost, stolen, damaged, or contains an error.
When you need to file Form I-90
- Your green card has expired or expires within 6 months
- Your card was lost, stolen, or destroyed
- Your card is damaged or mutilated
- You never received the card USCIS mailed
- Your card has an error made by USCIS
- Your name or other biographic details have legally changed
- You’re a commuter or Returning Resident whose card needs updating
- Your 10-year card is nearing expiry, or your 2-year conditional card is approaching its expiry (though conditional residents generally file the different Form I-751 to remove conditions rather than I-90 — don’t confuse the two)
If your permanent resident status itself was abandoned, revoked, or is otherwise in question, I-90 isn’t the right form — that requires legal advice, not a routine renewal filing.
Filing fee (2026)
- Online filing: $415
- Paper filing: $465
- Both fees include biometrics — USCIS folded the separate biometrics fee into the base I-90 fee, so there’s no extra charge for the fingerprinting appointment most applicants still attend.
- Certain categories (e.g., some card-error corrections caused by USCIS, or specific humanitarian/refugee-based cases) may be fee-exempt — check the current I-90 fee instructions before paying if your situation isn’t a routine renewal or loss replacement.
Processing time
Current 2026 USCIS data puts I-90 processing at roughly 8 to 14 months, with USCIS reporting that about 80% of cases are completed in around 10.5 months. Times vary by service center and whether your case requires an in-person biometrics appointment versus reuse of prior biometrics. There’s no premium processing option for I-90.
How to file it
- File online through your USCIS online account where possible — it’s the cheaper option and lets you track status and upload evidence digitally. Paper filing by mail remains available for applicants who prefer it or whose situation requires it.
- Gather evidence. For a straightforward renewal you’ll typically need a copy of your expiring or expired card. For a lost/stolen card, you may need to explain the circumstances; for a damaged card, include the damaged card itself with a paper filing; for a legal name change, include the court order or marriage certificate.
- Pay the fee and submit.
- Attend biometrics if USCIS schedules an appointment — this confirms your identity and updates the photo/signature on your new card.
- Wait for the new card, tracking status through your online account or the receipt number.
What proves your status while you wait
This is the detail that saves people the most stress: the I-90 receipt notice (Form I-797C), presented together with your expired green card, automatically extends the card’s validity as evidence of status and work authorization for an additional 36 months from the original expiration date. Employers completing Form I-9 and CBP officers at ports of entry are required to accept this combination as valid proof — you don’t lose the ability to work or travel just because your renewal is pending. Keep both documents together (a photocopy of the combination is often useful too) any time you need to prove status during the wait.
Note that this extension applies to renewal filings (expiring/expired card). If your card was lost or stolen, you won’t have it to pair with the receipt — in that case, the receipt notice alone generally serves as temporary evidence, and applicants who need to travel internationally before the replacement arrives should look into Form I-131A (a boarding foil) or, in urgent cases, an Application for Travel Document / expedited processing request, rather than assuming the I-90 receipt alone guarantees re-entry without complication.
Common mistakes
- Waiting too long after the card expires to file — nothing bad happens automatically to your status, but you risk friction with employers, banks, or airlines that aren’t familiar with the receipt-extension rule.
- Filing I-90 instead of I-751 for conditional (2-year) green card renewal — conditional residents need to remove conditions via I-751 (or I-829 for investor-based cases), not renew via I-90.
- Not keeping the old expired card when filing a renewal — you generally need it as evidence and to pair with the receipt notice for the 36-month extension to apply.
- Assuming international travel is risk-free on a receipt alone if the physical card is lost — plan ahead with the correct travel document instead of arriving at the airport unprepared.
FAQ
Does my green card status expire when the card does? No — the card is evidence of status, not the status itself. Lawful permanent resident status continues until it’s formally lost (e.g., abandonment, removal, or a criminal ground of deportability), independent of the card’s printed expiry date.
Can I renew early? Yes — USCIS allows filing I-90 up to 6 months before the current card’s expiration date.
What if I’m about to apply for citizenship — do I still need to renew? Generally yes, unless your naturalization interview and oath ceremony are realistically expected before your card would expire; otherwise you risk a status-proof gap. See our US citizenship guide for the naturalization timeline to weigh against your card’s expiry.
This is a preparation guide, not legal advice — confirm current fees and processing times on the official USCIS Form I-90 page before filing, and consult an immigration attorney if your situation involves anything beyond a routine renewal or replacement. Join the VisaMet waitlist for help tracking documents and deadlines like this one.
Sources: Form I-90 filing fees and process (Lighthouse), Form I-90 Processing Time, August 2026 (ImmigrationDirect), Green Card Replacement: Processing Time, Cost, How to File 2026 (Ilabaca Law).