What To Do If Your Green Card Expires

Law Blog

A green card is given to immigrants to the United States who have lawful permanent resident status. With a green card, you're legally able to work in the country without needing employer sponsorship to remain a resident. In most cases, a green card is valid for 10 years. It's recommended that you renew your green card before it expires. However, if the expiration date passed before you noticed, there are certain steps that an immigration lawyer can guide you through to renew it.

Renewing Your Green Card

You can begin the renewal process as soon as six months before your green card is set to expire. If the date has already passed, you'll want to get a lawyer's help to renew it as soon as possible. This will allow you to remain a lawful permanent resident in the United States for another 10 years.

Here are the steps to initiate a renewal:

1. Decide whether to file online or by mail.
2. Collect documentation for your renewal, which will include a copy of your expired card and other requested documents to prove your identity. If you lost your green card, you'll need to request a replacement.
3. Sign Form I-90 or complete the online application to get a new card.
4. Pay any required fees. Your immigration lawyer may help you assess whether you're eligible for a fee waiver. Your lawyer can also help ensure that you complete all paperwork correctly the first time because USCIS won't refund any fees if they have to reject your application on a technicality.
5. Respond to any requests from USCIS about further documentation.

How Long Do You Have to Wait?

USCIS will have to review all your documentation and mail you a new card. This process could take up to a year, but 10 to 12 months is the most common waiting time. The government agency allows you to check processing times on its website if you want to track progress.

Becoming a Citizen

If you have had a green card for at least five years, you may be eligible to apply for citizenship instead of renewing your green card. Your immigration lawyer can help you with this process as well by organizing all your documentation, ensuring the application is completed correctly, and seeing whether you're eligible for any reduced fees. You don't want your application to get rejected because of missing documentation or an outdated form, so it's highly recommended to contact an immigration attorney for help with this process.

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4 June 2021