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The green card is the document that certifies lawful permanent residence in the United States, and if the card is expired, is about to expire, was lost, was stolen, or was damaged, the resident can apply for a new one with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
The United States government considers different reasons to renew or replace the Green Card. The usual process for lawful permanent residents is Form I-90, although the procedure may vary depending on the person’s immigration situation.
In addition to completing the form, the applicant must submit the documentation corresponding to their case and pay the applicable fee, unless they fall under one of the exceptions provided by USCIS.
When does the green card have to be replaced?
USAGov indicates that the most common situations for requesting a new card range from an expired or soon-to-expire green card to a lost, damaged, or stolen one. In addition to a name change or a correction of information that appears on the document.
For a lawful permanent resident whose card was lost, stolen, destroyed, damaged, and has already expired or will expire within the next six months, USCIS considers Form I-90 as the way to request a replacement.
How to replace the green card?
The process can be carried out online or by mail and is done using Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card, filed with USCIS.
After completing the form, the applicant must select the reason explaining why they need a new card. That is, the form covers specific cases in which the card has already expired or will expire within six months, as well as situations of loss, theft, or destruction.
The agency states that the application must be completely presented in English and certified by the translator. They also recommend sending legible copies and keeping the original documents, unless USCIS specifically requests an original.
How much does it cost to replace the green card?
The price depends on how Form I-90 is filed and on the reason for the process since, according to the USCIS fee table to date, the general price is $415 for online filings and $465 for paper filings.
However, there are situations in which the fee is $0, including certain cases in which USCIS issued the card with incorrect information due to an error by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), or when the agency issued the card but it was never received and was returned to USCIS because it could not be delivered.
However, before filing the I-90, it is advisable to verify the fee that applies to the applicant’s specific case in USCIS’s official fee tool.
What happens while the new Green Card arrives?
Filing the I-90 does not mean the person is left without a way to prove permanent residence while waiting for the new card. USCIS indicates that, for certain I-90 renewal processes, the application receipt notice, accompanied by the expired Green Card, serves as evidence of lawful permanent resident status during the extension period indicated by the agency.
Currently, USCIS extends the validity of the expired Green Card by 36 months for those who file a new I-90 that remains pending. It should be noted that the receipt notice is a document that should be kept after filing the application, and that processing wait times may vary, but as a reference, the historical USCIS data show a national median of 7-9 months for I-90s during fiscal year 2026 (data corresponds to the period between October 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026).