Green Card Renewal & Replacement

Immigration is federal law. This is general information, not legal advice — if you’re unsure which form applies to your situation, check the official USCIS pages or talk to a qualified immigration attorney.

A green card (Permanent Resident Card) is the physical document that proves you are a lawful permanent resident (LPR). When it’s expiring — or if it’s lost, stolen, or damaged — most LPRs renew or replace it with Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card, filed with USCIS.

Your status doesn’t expire — the card does

This trips a lot of people up: lawful permanent resident status does not expire. It continues until you naturalize, abandon it, or otherwise lose it. What expires is the card — the document you carry. So renewing the card with Form I-90 is about keeping valid proof of a status you already have, not “renewing” the status itself.

10-year vs. 2-year cards

• Standard green cards are issued with a 10-year expiration date. When the card nears expiration, you renew it with Form I-90.
• Conditional permanent residents receive a 2-year card. These cards generally cannot be renewed with Form I-90.

Conditional residents use Form I-751

If you have a 2-year conditional green card (for example, through a recent marriage or certain investor categories), you typically file Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence, instead of Form I-90. Failing to remove the conditions on time can cause loss of status, so the deadline matters. If you’re not sure which form your card calls for, connect with a lawyer.