Green Card Renewal in 2026: Form I-90, Documents, Fees and Timing

Written by the Ellis Porter content team. This article has not been reviewed by an attorney. It is general information, not legal advice.

Your card is expiring. Your status is not.

Maybe you just noticed the date on your green card. Maybe the card went missing in a move, or the airline clerk squinted at a crack across the photo. Either way, here is the reassuring part first: a green card is proof of your status, not the status itself. When the card expires, you are still a permanent resident.

That said, you do need a valid card. The law behind it, section 264 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, requires every permanent resident 18 and older to carry their registration card at all times, and USCIS’s Form I-90 page is blunt: "you must have a valid, unexpired Green Card or equivalent documentation with you at all times." An expired card can also slow you down at a new job or at the airport.

The fix is one form, Form I-90. Before you file it, though, take two minutes to confirm it is the right form for you. If your card lasts only 2 years, you probably need Form I-751 to remove conditions instead. And if you are close to citizenship, you may not need to renew at all.

Which form do I file?

Start here. Find your card and your situation, and the table tells you which form fits. Most mistakes in green card renewal happen at this step.

The rules behind this table come from 8 CFR 264.5, the regulation on replacement cards. It says a permanent resident must apply for a new card when the existing one "will be expiring within six months," and lists the other required reasons: lost, stolen or destroyed, mutilated, a legal name change, an error, and a few rarer cases.

Who should not file Form I-90?

If you have a 2-year conditional green card, do not use Form I-90 to renew it. The Form I-90 page says: "DO NOT submit this form if you are a conditional resident seeking to remove conditions on your Green Card." Marriage-based conditional residents file Form I-751. Investor-based conditional residents file Form I-829.

Conditional residents are not shut out of Form I-90 entirely. The Form I-90 instructions say a conditional resident may use it to replace a card that was lost, stolen, destroyed, mutilated, never received, or issued with wrong information. The one limit: you cannot use it if your card "is expired or will expire within 90 days." At that point, removing the conditions is your only path.

Why it matters: filing Form I-90 when you needed Form I-751 does nothing to protect your status. The conditions on your residence still have to be removed on time. If you are unsure which card you hold, look at the dates. A card valid for 2 years from issue is conditional. A card valid for 10 years is not.

One more situation where you skip Form I-90: your card is lost overseas. Form I-90 is filed from inside the United States. If you are returning from a trip of less than 1 year and your card was lost, stolen or destroyed abroad, Form I-131A is the application for a travel document that lets you board a flight home. The fee schedule lists it at $575, paid online.

When should I renew my green card?

You can file Form I-90 once your 10-year card is within six months of expiring, or any time after it has expired. Filing too early is a real problem. The Form I-90 instructions warn that if you choose the expiration reason "and your existing card will not expire within six months, your application may be denied."

There is no deadline that ends your status if you file late. Your status continues. But living with an expired card and no receipt notice makes everyday life harder, from job paperwork to reentry at the border. A good rule of thumb is to file soon after the six-month window opens.

If you are traveling when the window opens, USCIS has guidance on its replace your green card page: if your card will expire within six months while you are abroad, but you will return within one year of leaving and before the card expires, "you should file Form I-90 as soon as you return to the United States."

A note for families with teenagers

Children who got their green card before age 14 have their own filing rule. Under the Form I-90 instructions, registration and fingerprinting are required within 30 days after a child turns 14. If the card will expire after the child’s 16th birthday, this filing is free. If it will expire before the 16th birthday, the regular fee applies.

What documents do I need to renew my green card?

For a routine renewal, the only required supporting document is a copy of your expired or expiring green card. Every other reason for filing has its own short list. The Form I-90 instructions group evidence by the reason box you check, so pick your reason first, then gather what it asks for.

A few practical tips:

• Send clear photocopies, not originals, unless the instructions ask for an original. USCIS may destroy originals it did not request.
• Any document in another language needs a full English translation with a signed translator’s certification.
• Name change documents must be registered with the proper civil authority.
• The "never received" reason only applies if USCIS shows the card was returned as undeliverable. If it was mailed and simply did not arrive, you file under the lost card reason instead.

How much does green card renewal cost in 2026?

As of the USCIS fee schedule (Form G-1055, edition 10/26/26), Form I-90 costs $415 if you file online and $465 if you file on paper. Some situations cost nothing.

The fee schedule does not list a separate biometrics charge for Form I-90. Fees change, so confirm the amount on the current G-1055 the day you file.

Should I file online or on paper?

You have two options, and USCIS accepts both. The Form I-90 page lists online filing through a USCIS online account, or mailing a paper form to the USCIS lockbox in Phoenix. Online filing is $50 cheaper and lets you pay online, check your case status, respond to requests for evidence, and see a personalized estimate of when your case will be done.

If you file on paper, use the current edition of the form. The Form I-90 page lists the edition as 01/20/25 and warns that USCIS may reject a package if pages come from different editions. Sign it, too. USCIS will reject an unsigned form. Even paper filers get an online account created for them when USCIS receives the application.

What happens after I file?

Your case moves through three steps: a receipt notice, a possible biometrics appointment, and then your new card in the mail.

1. Receipt notice. USCIS sends a Form I-797 receipt notice. For renewals, this is your temporary proof of status (more below).
2. Biometrics. The Form I-90 instructions say USCIS may require you to provide fingerprints, a photo and a signature. If so, you get a separate appointment notice. Missing the appointment can lead to a denial.
3. Decision. If approved, USCIS mails your new card. If denied, there is no appeal, but the replace your green card page explains you can file a motion to reopen or reconsider.

For how long it takes, check your personalized estimate in your USCIS online account. Times shift with USCIS workload.

How does the receipt notice extend my green card?

For a renewal, your receipt notice plus your expired card proves your status for 36 months past the expiration date printed on the card. USCIS’s replace your green card page quotes the language the notice carries:

"This notice, together with your Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card (also known as the Green Card), provides evidence of your lawful permanent resident status for 36 months from the expiration date on your Permanent Resident Card. You remain authorized to work and travel."

Keep the original notice with your old card, and carry both. The notice says the pair is evidence of your status and work authorization. If an employer has questions about using it for Form I-9, USCIS lists an I-9 help line on the same page (888-897-7781).

If your card is lost, there is no card to pair with the notice. In that case, USCIS says it may issue an ADIT stamp, a temporary proof of status placed in your passport, after you file. For help getting one, contact the USCIS Contact Center.

Should I apply for citizenship instead of renewing?

If you already qualify for citizenship, filing Form N-400 can take the place of a renewal in many cases. The Form I-90 page even suggests checking your naturalization eligibility before you file. Most people qualify after 5 years as a permanent resident, or 3 years if married to a US citizen, per the Form N-400 page, though other US citizenship requirements apply too.

Here is how the two paths interact, in USCIS’s own words on the N-400 page. Since December 12, 2022, after you properly file Form N-400, "you will receive a Form N-400 receipt notice that automatically extends your Green Card for 2 years from the ‘Card Expires’ date." Two exceptions:

• If you lose your green card, "you generally must still file Form I-90 even if you have applied for naturalization."
• If your N-400 receipt notice is lost or destroyed, you generally must file Form I-90 to renew an expiring card.

Citizenship is a bigger step than a card renewal, with its own fee, interview and tests. Long trips abroad can affect your eligibility, so read up on continuous residence and physical presence before you choose this route. Our naturalization practice page covers the full process.

There is a family bonus too. Under INA 320, a child under 18 who lives in the US in the legal and physical custody of a citizen parent, as a green card holder, automatically becomes a citizen. A child who is already a citizen has no green card to renew. They can prove citizenship with a Certificate of Citizenship on Form N-600 or a US passport.

Get your situation checked before you file

For most people, green card renewal is simple: one form, one copy of your card, one fee. It gets less simple when the card is a 2-year card, when it was lost abroad, when your name or records do not match, or when you have a criminal history, a long absence, or a past immigration problem that a new background check could surface.

If any of that sounds like you, an Ellis Porter attorney can review your situation and tell you which form to file, what to include, and if citizenship makes more sense now.

This article is general information, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Fees, forms and USCIS policies change. Confirm current details on uscis.gov and consult a licensed immigration attorney about your specific case.

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