How green card renewal (Form I-90) works

What the I-90 is

The I-90 is used to renew a 10-year green card that is expiring or has expired, and to replace a card that was lost, stolen, damaged, or contains incorrect information. It updates the card. It does not change your underlying status, and it is not the form used to remove conditions on a 2-year card (that is the I-751, covered in a separate guide).

Who files an I-90

In general, I-90 filers are permanent residents whose 10-year card is within a renewal window of its expiration date, or whose card needs to be replaced. A common point of confusion: holders of a 2-year conditional green card do not renew with the I-90. They file the I-751 to remove conditions instead. If you are not sure which card you hold, the validity period printed on the card is the tell.

The steps, in order

1. Confirm which situation applies. Renewal of an expiring 10-year card, or replacement of a lost, damaged, or incorrect card. The reason you select on the form drives what evidence you include.
2. File the I-90. Submitted to USCIS online or by mail with the filing fee. Use the current edition of the form.
3. Biometrics. Many filers are scheduled for a biometrics appointment for fingerprints and a photo.
4. Receipt and extension. USCIS issues a receipt notice. In many cases this notice, presented together with the expired card, serves as evidence of continued lawful permanent resident status — including for work and travel — while the new card is produced. The extension is currently 36 monthsfrom the card's expiration date (USCIS raised it from 24 months in September 2024). The stated length can change, so go by what your own receipt notice says.
5. Card production. Once approved, USCIS produces and mails the new card.

How long it takes

Processing times vary by workload and service center and move over time. Check the official USCIS processing-time tool for the current estimate. In the meantime, the receipt notice (with the expired card) keeps your status documented while you wait.

What it costs

The cost is the USCIS filing fee, currently $415 when filed online or $465 by mail, with the biometric services cost folded into that single fee under the 2024 fee rule rather than charged separately. Because amounts change, confirm the current figure with the USCIS Fee Calculator. Preparation costs, if you use a service, are separate from the government fee.

When you may want an attorney

The I-90 is one of the more straightforward USCIS filings, but legal questions can still arise, for example if there are questions about whether you have abandoned your permanent residence after a long absence, or if your status itself is in question. Those are situations to raise with a licensed immigration attorney. ImFiled is a document preparation service, not a law firm.