Quick Answer: How Long Does Form I-90 Take?
If your Green Card is expiring, lost, stolen, damaged, or contains incorrect information, you may need to file Form I-90 to renew or replace it.
Form I-90 processing time depends on why you are filing. USCIS reports separate processing times for 10-year Green Card renewals and for initial issuance or replacement cases.
As of the latest data used in this guide, USCIS reports that 80% of cases are completed within 10.5 months for 10-year renewals and 6 months for initial issuance or replacement cases. Individual cases may take more or less time.
USCIS processing times show how long it took the agency to complete 80% of adjudicated cases during the previous six months.
Current Form I-90 Processing Times by Filing Category
Last checked: September 03, 2026, using the USCIS Processing Times tool.
| Filing reason | USCIS processing category | 80% of cases completed within |
|---|---|---|
| Renew an expiring or expired 10-year Green Card | 10-year renewal | 10.5 months |
| Initial issuance or replace a Green Card | Initial issuance or replacement | 6 months |
How to read these numbers: USCIS processing times are based on completed cases from the previous six months. They are not a guaranteed completion date for your individual case.
How Long Does It Take to Renew a Green Card?
USCIS reports the Green Card renewal processing time for a 10-year renewal separately from replacement cases. Based on the current USCIS estimate used in this guide, 80% of 10-year renewal cases are completed within 10.5 months. Your individual case may take more or less time depending on USCIS workload, requests for evidence, background checks, or other case-specific factors.
How Long Does It Take to Replace a Green Card?
For Green Card replacement processing time, USCIS groups many Form I-90 replacement cases under the initial issuance or replacement category. Based on the current USCIS estimate used in this guide, 80% of these cases are completed within 6 months. Actual processing time can vary depending on the reason for replacement and whether USCIS needs additional information or review.
Haven’t filed Form I-90 yet? ImmigrationDirect provides guided online Form I-90 preparation.
If you need to renew an expired or expiring 10-year Green Card, start preparing your Green Card renewal.
If you need to replace a lost, stolen, damaged, or incorrect Green Card, start preparing your Green Card replacement.
Form I-90 Timeline: What Happens After Filing?
After USCIS accepts Form I-90, your case may move through several stages before a decision is made. These can include a receipt notice, biometrics if required, case review, requests for additional evidence, and a final decision. If USCIS approves your application, it will produce and mail your new Green Card.
Step 1: Receipt Notice (Form I-797C)
After you file Form I-90, USCIS will send a receipt notice confirming that your application has been received and is being processed.
What to expect:
- Your receipt notice includes your USCIS receipt number, which you can use to track your case.
- If you filed by mail, USCIS says you should receive the receipt notice within 30 days after filing.
- If you have a USCIS online account, you can also use it to view case information and notices.
For a qualifying 10-year Green Card renewal, the Form I-90 receipt notice may extend the expired card’s validity for 36 months from the expiration date printed on the card when the notice and card are presented together. See how the Form I-90 receipt notice and 36-month extension work.
Step 2: Biometrics Appointment (If Required)
USCIS may require you to attend a biometrics appointment to provide fingerprints, a photograph, and/or a signature. If biometrics are required, USCIS will send an appointment notice with the date, time, and Application Support Center location.
Follow the notice instructions and attend as scheduled, or request rescheduling when permitted. See our Form I-90 biometrics appointment checklist and instructions for preparation details.
How Long After Biometrics Will I Receive My Green Card?
There is no fixed USCIS timeframe between a Form I-90 biometrics appointment and Green Card approval or delivery. After biometrics, USCIS may still need to review your application, complete identity or background checks, or request additional information.
Use your case status and the current Form I-90 processing time rather than estimating a decision date from your biometrics appointment.
Step 3: Case Review
During case review, USCIS examines your application, supporting documents, and immigration records and determines whether additional information, evidence, biometrics, or other review is required before making a decision.
Step 4: Request for Additional Evidence (If Needed)
If USCIS needs clarification or additional documentation, it may issue a Request for Evidence (RFE). An RFE can extend the overall Form I-90 processing timeline because USCIS must receive and review your response before completing the case. Respond completely and by the deadline stated in the notice.
Step 5: Approval Decision
Once USCIS completes its review, it will make a decision on your Form I-90. If USCIS approves the application, the case moves to Green Card production. If USCIS denies the application, it will send you a notice explaining the decision.
Step 6: Green Card Production and Delivery
If USCIS approves your Form I-90, it will produce your new Green Card and mail it to your address on file. Card production and mail delivery occur after approval and are separate from the Form I-90 adjudication period.
Why Are Form I-90 Processing Times Increasing?
USCIS historical data shows that the national median processing time for Form I-90 has increased in recent fiscal years. The median was 1.1 months in FY2024, increased to 4.1 months in FY2025, and was 8.5 months in FY2026 through May 31, 2026. The median represents how long it took USCIS to complete 50% of Form I-90 cases during the reported period.
| Fiscal year | National median Form I-90 processing time |
|---|---|
| FY2024 | 1.1 months |
| FY2025 | 4.1 months |
| FY2026 through May 31, 2026 | 8.5 months |
Note: These historical median processing times are different from the current USCIS processing-time estimates shown earlier in this guide. Historical median data represents the time required to complete 50% of cases, while the current processing-time tool uses a different methodology. USCIS cautions that historical and current processing-time figures may not be directly comparable.
USCIS explains that processing times can change for several reasons, including:
- the number of applications, petitions, or requests USCIS receives;
- workload and staffing allocations;
- the time applicants take to respond to requests for additional information;
- policy changes; and
- operational changes.
Case-specific factors can also make an individual application take longer than the published processing time.
Processing times can therefore change even when there is no issue with an individual Form I-90 application. Check the current USCIS processing time and your case status for the most relevant information about your pending case.
Factors That Affect Form I-90 Processing Times
The USCIS processing time shown for Form I-90 is not a guaranteed completion date for an individual application. Your case may take longer depending on your filing reason, whether USCIS needs additional information or biometrics, and whether your application requires additional review.
Reason for Filing Form I-90
USCIS reports different processing times based on the Form I-90 filing category. For example, a 10-year Green Card renewal may have a different processing time from an initial issuance or replacement case.
Use the processing-time category that matches your reason for filing when estimating how long your case may take.
Requests for Evidence (RFEs)
If USCIS needs additional information or supporting documents, it may issue a Request for Evidence (RFE). An RFE can add time to your case because USCIS must wait for your response and review the additional evidence before completing adjudication. Respond completely and by the deadline stated in the notice.
Biometrics, Identity and Background Checks
USCIS may require biometrics, such as fingerprints, a photograph, or a signature, to verify your identity and conduct background and security checks. If additional verification or review is necessary, your individual Form I-90 case may take longer.
Incomplete Application or Missing Evidence
An incomplete Form I-90, missing required evidence, or other filing problems can affect how your case is handled. USCIS may reject an improperly filed application or request additional information before making a decision.
Submitting a complete application with the required supporting documents can help avoid preventable filing issues.
Case-Specific Review
Some Form I-90 applications require more adjudicative review than others. USCIS states that case-specific circumstances can make an individual application more complex and require additional processing time.
This means your case can take longer than the published estimate even when there is no general change in Form I-90 processing times.
How to Avoid Preventable Form I-90 Delays
You cannot control USCIS processing times, but you can reduce the risk of preventable filing problems that may slow your Form I-90 case.
- Complete Form I-90 accurately: Review your answers and make sure all required fields are completed before submitting. If you need help understanding each part of the application, see our Form I-90 instructions for step-by-step guidance.
- Include the required supporting documents: Submit the evidence that applies to your reason for renewing or replacing your Green Card.
- Pay the correct filing fee: If a filing fee applies, use the current USCIS fee and an accepted payment method.
- Respond to USCIS notices by the deadline: If USCIS sends an RFE or another request, provide the requested information completely and on time.
- Attend biometrics when required: Follow the instructions in your appointment notice or request rescheduling when permitted.
- Keep your address updated: Report an address change to USCIS so you do not miss notices or your new Green Card.
These steps cannot guarantee faster USCIS processing, but they can help prevent avoidable filing issues, missed notices, and additional requests that may extend your case.
How to Check Your Form I-90 Case Status
You can track a pending Form I-90 using your USCIS receipt number, a USCIS online account, and the USCIS processing-time and case inquiry tools.
Check Your Case Status Online
Use the receipt number on your Form I-797C receipt notice to check your case in the USCIS Case Status Online tool. The receipt number is a 13-character identifier that USCIS uses to track your application. Enter it without dashes to view the latest status update.
Use Your USCIS Online Account
If you filed Form I-90 online, you can use your USCIS online account to view case information and notices. Some eligible paper-filed cases can also be linked to an online account using an Online Access Code provided by USCIS.
Compare Your Case With the Current Form I-90 Processing Time
Check the USCIS processing-time tool using Form I-90 and the filing category that matches your case. USCIS updates processing-time data regularly, so the estimate may change while your application is pending. Published processing times are a reference point and do not guarantee when an individual case will be decided.
Check When You Can Submit a Form I-90 Case Inquiry
USCIS uses a Case Inquiry Date to determine when you can ask about a case that may be taking longer than expected. Enter the receipt date from your Form I-797C notice into the USCIS processing-time tool.
USCIS will show either an estimated date when you can submit an inquiry or a link to request an update if your case is already eligible. The Case Inquiry Date is different from the published Form I-90 processing time.
USCIS calculates case inquiry eligibility using the time required to complete 93% of adjudicated cases, while the published processing time reflects 80% of completed cases. Reaching the published processing-time estimate therefore does not automatically mean you can submit a service request.
If your case involves a missing notice, biometrics issue, unchanged case status or card-delivery problem, see Form I-90 Problems After Filing: What to Do Next.
Looking for another USCIS form? See our USCIS Processing Times guide for processing information across major immigration applications.
FAQs About I-90 Processing Time
Can I expedite Form I-90?
USCIS may consider an expedite request in limited circumstances, such as severe financial loss, emergencies or urgent humanitarian situations. Approval is discretionary, and requesting expedited processing does not guarantee that USCIS will approve the request or decide the Form I-90 within a specific timeframe.
What happens if my Green Card expires while Form I-90 is pending?
Your permanent resident status does not automatically end because the physical card expires while a qualifying Form I-90 renewal is pending. The receipt notice may extend the expired card for 36 months when presented with the card. Read our Form I-90 receipt notice guide for how the extension works.
Do I need an interview for Form I-90?
Can I work while my I-90 is pending?
A pending Form I-90 does not by itself end your lawful permanent resident status. However, you may need acceptable evidence of that status for employment verification. Renewal applicants may be able to use an expired Green Card together with the Form I-90 receipt notice showing the applicable validity extension.
Is Green Card Renewal Faster Online Than by Mail?
Filing Form I-90 online can eliminate mail delivery time and provides immediate electronic confirmation after submission, but USCIS does not guarantee faster adjudication simply because you file online. The overall processing time still depends on your filing category, case requirements and USCIS processing conditions.
Choose the Form I-90 Process That Matches Your Situation
ImmigrationDirect provides guided online Form I-90 preparation for both Green Card renewal and replacement. Choose the option that matches your situation.
Renewing an expired or expiring 10-year Green Card? Prepare Form I-90 to request a renewed Green Card.
Start Preparing Your Green Card Renewal
Replacing a lost, stolen, damaged, or incorrect Green Card? Prepare Form I-90 to request a replacement Green Card based on your filing reason.
Start Preparing Your Green Card Replacement
Need more information before filing? Review our Green Card Renewal Guide for renewal cases or learn how to replace a lost Green Card for replacement situations.
