Do You Need to File Form I-90? Renewal and Replacement Eligibility

Quick answer: Do you need to file Form I-90?

File Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card, if you need a Green Card renewal for an expired 10-year card or one that expires within six months. You also use Form I-90 for a Green Card replacement when a card was lost, stolen, destroyed, or damaged; to correct or update card information; or, when USCIS instructs you to do so, to replace a card that was issued but never received.

Do not file Form I-90 merely because a two-year conditional Green Card is expiring. Marriage-based conditional residents generally file Form I-751, while investor conditional residents generally file Form I-829. Form I-90 may still apply to certain qualifying replacements of a conditional card.

Form I-90 eligibility at a glance

Use this table to identify the form or process that generally matches your situation. Confirm the filing reason, required evidence and current fee before submitting an application.

General guidance only. Confirm the current USCIS form instructions, evidence and fee before filing.

When should permanent residents file Form I-90?

Lawful permanent residents use Form I-90 to renew an expired or expiring 10-year Green Card or replace and update a card for specific USCIS filing reasons. Choose the reason that accurately matches your situation because the evidence and fee can differ.

Your 10-year Green Card is expired or expiring

File Form I-90 if your 10-year Green Card has expired or will expire within the next six months. If the card remains valid for more than six months, do not file solely for expiration-based renewal yet.

An expired Green Card does not, by itself, end lawful permanent resident status. Form I-90 renews the card used as evidence of that status. Follow the Green Card renewal guide for renewal timing, documents, fees and filing steps.

Your Green Card was lost, stolen, destroyed or damaged

File Form I-90 to replace a card that was:

• Lost or misplaced;
• Stolen;
• Destroyed; or
• Damaged or mutilated.

If the card is damaged or mutilated, retain it and submit it as directed by the current instructions. If the card was stolen, USCIS does not normally require a police report as initial evidence. Reporting the theft may still document the incident and help if someone misuses your information.

Losing the physical card does not, by itself, cancel permanent resident status. You may nevertheless need a replacement card or temporary Form I-551 evidence for travel, employment verification, or another official purpose. Follow the Green Card replacement guide for the applicable replacement process.

Your card contains incorrect information, or your information has changed

File Form I-90 if the card contains an incorrect name, date of birth or other biographic information, or if your legal name or other biographic information changed after USCIS issued the card. Select the filing reason based on the cause:

• DHS caused the error: Use the DHS-error reason. The standard fee does not apply, but USCIS may require the incorrect card and evidence showing the correct information.
• The error was not caused by DHS, or your information legally changed: Use the reason that matches your situation. Submit evidence of the correct information or legal change, such as a marriage certificate, divorce decree or court order. The standard fee may apply.

Check a newly issued card promptly. Compare the name, date of birth, A-Number, resident-since date, and other information with your records.

USCIS issued your Green Card, but you never received it

A card that USCIS issued but you never received is different from a card you received and later lost. First, check your USCIS online account or Case Status Online for the mailing date and USPS tracking information. If the card does not arrive, follow the USCIS secure-document non-delivery process.

If USCIS directs you to file Form I-90, select the reason stating that the previous card was issued but never received. Do not select the lost, stolen, or destroyed reason. A no-fee filing may be available only when the USCIS requirements for non-delivery are met, including the applicable delivery, return, and address conditions.

You turned 14 after receiving your Green Card

A permanent resident who received a Green Card before turning 14 generally must file Form I-90 within 30 days after the 14th birthday if the card will expire after the person’s 16th birthday. If the person is temporarily outside the United States on the 14th birthday, the registration requirement generally applies within 30 days after returning.

If the card will expire before the 16th birthday, follow the ordinary renewal timing in the current Form I-90 instructions instead of using the age-14 reason.

Other Form I-90 filing reasons

Form I-90 also applies when:

• You have an older alien registration card issued as Form AR-3, Form AR-103 or Form I-151;
• You are a permanent resident taking up commuter status or a commuter resident taking up actual residence in the United States; or
• Your immigration status was automatically converted to lawful permanent resident status and you need a Green Card showing that status.

These filing reasons are less common. Review the current Form I-90 instructions for the evidence and fee that apply to your category.

Can a conditional permanent resident file Form I-90?

Yes, but only for certain replacement reasons. A conditional permanent resident may generally file Form I-90 when the two-year card is not expiring within 90 days and the card:

• Was lost, stolen or destroyed;
• Was issued but never received;
• Is damaged or mutilated;
• Contains incorrect information because of a DHS error; or
• Must be updated because the resident’s legal name or other biographic information changed.

Select the filing reason that accurately describes the situation. A replacement card issued through Form I-90 retains the conditional status and applicable expiration date. It does not provide a new 10-year Green Card or remove the conditions on residence.

What if the two-year Green Card is expiring?

Do not file Form I-90 merely because a conditional Green Card is approaching its expiration date. Use the petition that corresponds to how conditional residence was obtained:

• Marriage-based conditional residence: File Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence.
• Investor-based conditional residence: File Form I-829, Petition by Investor to Remove Conditions on Permanent Resident Status.

A jointly filed Form I-751 and Form I-829 are generally submitted during the 90-day period immediately before conditional residence expires. Different timing can apply to individual Form I-751 filings and requests to waive the joint-filing requirement.

If the card is missing or damaged and will expire within 90 days, do not assume that Form I-90 is the correct next step. Review the applicable petition instructions and contact USCIS if you need temporary Form I-551 evidence.

When should you use a different form or USCIS process?

Form I-90 renews or replaces a Permanent Resident Card for specified filing reasons. It does not apply to naturalization, reporting an address change, providing documentation for an immediate return from abroad, or removing conditions from a two-year Green Card.

Applying for naturalization: Form N-400

Use Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, to apply for U.S. citizenship. Form I-90 does not begin the naturalization process.

A properly filed Form N-400 receipt notice generally extends the Green Card’s validity for 24 months from the printed expiration date when the notice is presented with the expired card. This can make a separate Form I-90 renewal unnecessary in some cases.

If the card is lost, stolen or destroyed, the N-400 receipt notice cannot be presented with it. Contact USCIS because you may need Form I-90 and temporary Form I-551 evidence. Review the citizenship application guide if you are considering naturalization.

Updating your address with USCIS

Do not file Form I-90 only because you moved. A Green Card does not display the holder’s residential address, and Form I-90 is not the USCIS address-change process.

Most noncitizens must report a change of address to USCIS within 10 days of moving. Use the USCIS change-of-address service. If an application is pending, include every applicable receipt number. Changing an address with USPS does not update it with USCIS.

Returning to the United States: Form I-131A

Form I-90 replaces the physical Green Card, but it does not provide the documentation an airline or other transportation carrier may require when a permanent resident’s card was lost, stolen or destroyed abroad.

Contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate before attempting to travel or paying a fee. If you meet the requirements, you may need Form I-131A, Application for Carrier Documentation. Carrier documentation can help an eligible permanent resident board transportation to the United States; it is not a replacement Green Card and does not guarantee admission. U.S. Customs and Border Protection makes the admission decision at the port of entry.

After returning, file Form I-90 when appropriate to replace the card. Different rules may apply if you have been outside the United States for one year or longer or there is a question about abandonment of permanent residence.

Removing conditions: Form I-751 or Form I-829

Use Form I-751 for marriage-based conditional residence or Form I-829 for investor-based conditional residence. These petitions request removal of the conditions on residence. Form I-90 only replaces a conditional card in qualifying circumstances.

Does Form I-90 renew permanent resident status?

No. Form I-90 renews or replaces the Green Card used as evidence of existing lawful permanent resident status. It does not extend, grant or restore the status itself. An expired, lost, or damaged card does not, by itself, end permanent resident status.

How does the 36-month Green Card extension work?

For a qualifying Green Card renewal, USCIS generally issues a Form I-797 receipt notice that extends the card’s validity for 36 months from the expiration date printed on the card.

To use this extension as evidence of status, present the receipt notice together with the expired Green Card. Keep both documents when you need to prove permanent resident status.

What if your Green Card is missing?

If your card was lost, stolen or never received, the Form I-90 receipt notice alone generally does not serve as temporary proof of permanent resident status because you cannot present it with the original card. The notice confirms that USCIS accepted the application, but it is not a replacement Green Card or travel document.

If you need evidence of status while waiting for a replacement, contact USCIS to request temporary Form I-551 documentation, commonly called an ADIT stamp. USCIS will determine how to provide the temporary evidence based on your circumstances.

What should you do after confirming that Form I-90 applies?

Once you confirm that Form I-90 is the correct application, prepare and submit it using these steps:

1. Gather the required documents. The supporting evidence depends on why you are filing. Use the Form I-90 document checklist to identify the evidence for your filing reason.
2. Confirm the filing fee. Online and paper fees can differ. Some filing reasons do not require the standard fee, and qualifying applicants may request a fee waiver. Check the current Form I-90 fees before paying.
3. Complete the current version of Form I-90. Select the correct filing reason and answer every applicable question. Follow the Form I-90 instructions for line-by-line help.
4. Choose online or paper filing. USCIS allows many applicants to file through a USCIS online account or submit a paper application by mail. A fee-waiver request must be mailed. Review the Form I-90 online filing guide and verify current filing options and mailing addresses on the USCIS Form I-90 page.
5. Save your records and track the case. Keep copies of the form, evidence, payment confirmation and delivery records. Use the receipt number on Form I-797 to monitor the case. Processing estimates change, so check the current Form I-90 processing time rather than relying on a fixed timeframe.

FAQs About Form I-90 Eligibility

Choose your next step

Select the route that matches your card type and reason for filing.

Renew an expired or expiring 10-year Green Card

If your 10-year Green Card has expired or will expire within six months, use Form I-90 to renew the card. Start Your Green Card Renewal Application

Replace a Green Card

Use Form I-90 if your card was lost, stolen, destroyed or damaged; contains incorrect information; or was issued but never received. Start Your Green Card Replacement Application

ImmigrationDirect provides a guided Form I-90 preparation service. Its service fee is separate from any USCIS filing fee that applies. ImmigrationDirect is not a law firm or government agency and does not decide your application.

Use a different form or USCIS process

• Expiring marriage-based conditional Green Card: Use Form I-751.
• Expiring investor conditional Green Card: Use Form I-829.
• Applying for U.S. citizenship: Use Form N-400.
• Green Card missing outside the United States: Check whether you need Form I-131A before returning.
• Changing your address: Use the USCIS change-of-address process.