How to apply for a green card renewal online?

Normally, a permanent resident card (green card) is valid for ten years. On its expiration, you need to renew it by filing Form I-90, Application for green card replacement with the USCIS. If your green card has already expired, make sure you renew it at the earliest. Though you will not lose your permanent resident status if you do not renew it, per immigration laws, you need to carry evidence of your status (a valid, unexpired green card or temporary passport stamp). If you do not renew your expired / expiring card, you may experience difficulties in obtaining employment, benefits and on re-entry into the US from abroad. Always, apply for your new card before you travel and bring with you on any trip the temporary documentation you received. If, after traveling abroad, you try to re-enter the US with an expired card, you may experience a delay during the inspections process at the port of entry.

Process for online green card renewal:

Before efiling your form, check for eligibility information to see if e-Filing is the right filing option for you. Also check your system requirements. Also ensure you have all required information at hand before beginning the efiling process. Have your credit card, debit card, or bank account and number readily available to pay the filing fee if necessary.

While e-filing the application, you need not submit paper photographs and you don’t need to self-schedule an appointment at an Application Support Center for biometrics. USCIS will send a notice in the mail that will provide you with your USCIS-scheduled appointment for biometrics and taking photographs at an Application Support Center.

You should bring the biometrics appointment notice and photo identification to your biometrics appointment. Kinds of photo identification accepted are passport or national photo identification issued by your country or your driver’s license, or military photo identification, or a State-issued photo identification card. You should also bring all required initial evidence, including your prior green card OR other evidence of permanent residence or commuter status. Other documentation such as court ordered name change, marriage certificate, birth certificate, or a police report for a stolen or lost green card.

While efiling your application, ensure that your application has been successfully submitted to USCIS. If you receive a receipt number on the web confirmation page and your application no longer appears in the list of saved application in the “My Forms” screen, it means your application has been filed successfully. And also if you receive Form I-797, Notice of Action, through the mail within 10 days of e-Filing your application, it means your application was filed successfully. Your confirmation receipt number will be in the Form I-797.

If the “My forms” screen shows ‘pending’ or ‘action needed’, it means your application was not efiled successfully or there might a problem with your transaction. Also make note of the receipt number given on the confirmation page before clicking the ‘finish’ button so that you can have a PDF copy of your submitted application. Also remember to save your application and the confirmation receipt number. If you did not make note or print your receipt number, wait for approximately 10 days to receive your Form I-797, Notice of Action. The confirmation receipt number will be printed on your I-797.

About Green card Renewal Form

Being a Green card holder (permanent resident card) is a proof of being officially granted immigration benefits to live and work in the United States legally. You can work and live in the US permanently.

Form I-90 for green card renewal :

Normally, a permanent resident card (green card) is valid for ten years. You need to go through the green card renewal process by filing Form I-90, Application for green card replacement with the USCIS. If your green card has already expired, make sure you renew your card at the earliest. Those renewing expired green cards will not be penalized. The same form is used when you want to change any biographic information on your card i.e if your name has changed because of marriage and also when you lose your card and need a green card replacement. Also, you will not lose your permanent resident status if you do not renew your green card. Permanent resident status does not expire.

However, per immigration laws, you need to carry evidence of your status (a valid, unexpired green card or temporary passport stamp). If you do not renew your expired / expiring card, you may experience difficulties in obtaining employment, benefits and re-entry into the US from abroad. Always, apply for your new green card before you travel and bring with you on any trip the temporary documentation you received. If, after traveling abroad, you try to re-enter the US with an expired green card, you may experience a delay during the inspections process at the port of entry,

Also, your employers will not accept an expired green card to verify employment authorization for new hires. You can use alternate documents that you will find on the Form I-9 (Employment eligibility verification form) such as social security card and driver’s license or have temporary evidence of status, such as an I-551 stamp or even the receipt notice for your Form I-90, Application to replace permanent resident card.

A conditional permanent resident is different from a permanent resident. A conditional resident will get a card that is valid only for two years. One has to remove the conditions during the 90 day period before the card expires and this card cannot be renewed. The conditions must be removed else you will lose your status. One has to file Form I-751 to remove the conditions on residence. Once conditions are removed, you will get a permanent resident card that will be valid for the next ten years.

Once you send completed I-90 application to the USCIS, you will to receive an Application Receipt Notice with a 13-character Application Receipt number within 30 days. This proves that USCIS has received your application and that it is being processed. You can check the status of your application with this receipt number. You also will be informed about the dates for fingerprinting and subsequently, your interview date with instructions related to the supporting documents you need to bring. The entire green card renewal process approximately takes three months.

Online Green card Renewal

Online Green Card renewal is one of the ways in which you can get your green card renewed. A green card signifies your lawful permanent status in the US. Though your status is permanent your card is valid only for 10 years and has to be renewed regularly. This is USCIS’s way of keeping information about lawful permanent residents updated.

Considering that the green card is the proof of your status in the US, it is mandatory that you carry it with you at all times. However, it has to be mentioned here that, most people prefer leaving it in a safe place to prevent theft and loss of the card. Keeping that in mind, it would be your best option to carry a photo copy of your green card with you at all times.

Not only do you need to have the green card with you at all times, you need to have a valid one. Which means that you should not be carrying an expired green card. The green cards come with an expiration date. Green card renewal has to become a part of your life in that you should remember to get the card renewed every time that there are only 6 more months left for the card to expire.

Application to renew green card

You will have to file the I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident card for a green card renewal. You should file this form when there are 6 months or less remaining for your card to expire. Even if your card has already expired you will have to file the I-90 to get it renewed. This is the same form that is used for green card replacement. The I-90 has to be completed and submitted to the USCIS along with some supporting documents. The I-90 can be mailed to the USCIS or filed online.

The I-90 can be accessed online. You will have to create an account on the USCIS website. You can then login and complete your application and submit it. You will then have to mail your supporting documents to the USCIS. After you have electronically filed your application for green card renewal, the USCIS will mail you a biometrics appointment notice. It may take several weeks before you can receive this notice. This notice will carry all the information regarding the time, date and location for the biometrics.

After you receive the notice, you will have to appear for the biometrics appointment at the specified Application Service Center with the notice and photo identification of yourself. The photo identification may be your passport, driver’s license, military or state-issued photo identification. You will be photographed and fingerprinted. An interview will be conducted if necessary. If all goes well your green card will be mailed to you. The whole green card renewal process could take up to 180 days on average.

Please note that not everyone is eligible to file online for green card renewal. A permanent resident can file this form online to replace a lost, stolen or destroyed card, to update biographic information on the card, to replace a mutilated card, to renew an expiring card, when changing status from resident commuter and taking up permanent residence in the US, when the status is automatically converted to that of permanent resident, and to replace an older edition of the card with the latest type.

A conditional resident cannot file for online green card renewal but can file online for the replacement of lost, stolen or destroyed green card, to replace a mutilated card, and to update changes in biographic information.