A permanent resident card, commonly known as a Green Card, is proof that its holder is a lawful permanent resident who has been granted permission to live and work in the United States. You can click to learn more about the Green Card. It is an essential part of identification. If your card expires, you are not giving up your permanent residence. You are still a permanent resident. Traveling abroad, getting a job, and renewing your driver’s license is useless without a valid permanent resident card. Therefore, every permanent resident needs to know how to reactivate a green card.
Download Form I-90 and Read the Instruction
You can apply to renew your green card about six months before it expires (but USCIS also warns that it will deny your application if it is submitted more than six weeks before the expiration date. You can download the 13-page I-90 form and instructions from the USCIS website. Read the instructions carefully to make sure you prepare the I-90 correctly. Sometimes these mistakes can lead to long-term immigration problems. The vast majority of people do not need a lawyer to renew a green card. But you should talk to an immigration attorney before applying if you have been detained, spent significant time out of the country (more than 180 days in a row), or have other immigration offenses.
Gather the Necessary Documents
For many applicants, very little supporting documentation is required when filing Form I-90. The vast majority of people only need to submit the USCIS filing fee (now $540) along with a photocopy of their permanent residence card. However, some applicants must submit additional documentation. They are not required to submit passport photos. USCIS eliminated this requirement a few years ago. However, you can wait in line at the USCIS regional office to submit your program. The regional office will forward the program to a central processing center.
Save Your Records
Inside on Save this important document. This is a receipt letter along with proof that you have submitted your green card renewal program. The correspondence is not an acknowledgment of receipt, and it is simply proof that you have started the process. The receipt letter will also have a receipt number that you can use to track your situation’s progress. Check the USCIS website under the Check Your Case Status tab to track the progress of your case.
Attend Your Biometric Appointment and Receive Your New Card
Approximately 3-5 Biometric appointment includes fingerprinting and photo for the green card. Biometric data is also used to obtain an FBI criminal background check. Read the letter carefully, which explains everything you need to bring to the appointment. This appointment can be rescheduled, but it will delay the renewal process. Unless you have mistakes or other problems renewing your green card, most men and women receive their new card after about five to six weeks. Your green card may look slightly different and will have some new security features.