Green Card Renewal
Can a Green Card expire ?
Your Green Card is valid for up to 10 years. If your Green Card is expired or about to
expire within the next 6 months, it is time to renew it.
If your Green Card is expired you are still a lawful permanent resident and you can keep
that
status for life.
Nevertheless you must have a valid Green Card with you at all times as it identifies you
as a lawful
permanent resident. Otherwise you would risk to be fined up to $100 and put in jail for
up to 30 days.
You must renew your Green Card if:
Eligibility for a Green Card renewal
You are eligible for the renewal of your Green Card if:
Steps to renew a Green Card
If your Green Card has expired / is about to expire, you can file the Form I-90 online to replace your Permanent Resident Card. Besides filing the From I-90 you must also provide the following documents:
Apply for citizenship
Holders of the Green Card can qualify for U.S. citizenship after living in the US for
five years.
If you are married to a U.S. citizen, you can apply for citizenship after three years.
To become a U.S. citizen, you must :
- Be at least 18 years old when you apply.
- Be able to read, write and speak basic English.
- Renew your Green Card if it will expire within six months or if it has
already expired.
- Have spent a minimum of 30 months in the US within the last five years (18
months within the last three years if married to a U.S. citizen)
- Be of good moral character
- Respect the United States Constitution (violations of the law)
- Have sufficient knowledge of American history and government
If your are eligible to become a U.S. citizen you must complete and sign Form N-400 and submit documents to
demonstrate your eligibility for naturalization.
You can get an overview of all the necessary documents here:
www.uscis.gov