A Green Card, or form I-551 should be renewed within 6 months of its expiration date. However, a person’s Permanent Residency status continues, even after the Green Card expires. All lost, stolen, mutilated Green Cards, as well as all Green Cards without an expiration, should be replaced at the earliest date, and before travel outside of the United States. A Green card may be renewed, or replaced by filing a form I-90. Our law office has extensive experience e-filing I-90 forms for expired, expiring, lost, stolen or mutilated Green Cards. Upon filing the I-90, the applicant will receive a fingerprint appointment notice to appear at an application support center. Thereafter, the new Green Card will be issued within 2-3 months.

A Green Card is required to be replaced if:

• Your card was lost, stolen or damaged.
• Your card was issued before your 14th birthday, unless it expires on your 16th birthday.
• Your card was issued as a commuter (allowing you to reside in Canada or Mexico, and travel to work in the United States), and you now want to take up permanent residence in the United States.
• Your card was issued to take up permanent residence, and now you would like to become a commuter.
• Your conditional permanent residency status has been converted to a permanent status.
• You were issued a previous version of the Green Card such as form I-151, AR-3, and AR-103, or were otherwise issued a Green Card without an expiration date.
• Your card contains incorrect information.
• Your name or other biographic information has changed since the issuance of the previous card.
• You never received the Green Card that was issued to you.

According to § 264 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), "Every alien in the United States . . . shall be issued a certificate of alien registration or an alien registration receipt card in such form and manner and at such time as shall be prescribed under regulations . . ." This section also states, "Every alien, eighteen years of age and over, shall at all times carry with him and have in his personal possession any certificate of alien registration or alien registration receipt card issued to him . . . Any alien who fails to comply with [these provisions] shall be guilty of a misdemeanor . . . "