subject: How do I apply for a green card renewal? [print this page] How do I apply for a green card renewal? How do I apply for a green card renewal?
A Green card or United States Permanent Resident Card ,is an authentic card to live,work and study in the U.S. One should have a valid green card to enjoy the above mentioned rights. Holding a green card that is expired , an individual is considered "out of status" and will not be able to enter the U.S. until a new card is obtained.Therefore it is very important that his/her green card is valid and is current.This is possible by following the green card renewal process.
Green card renewal can be filed by an individual if one or more of the following applies to him/her.
If your green card is issued for over a period of 10 years and is expired
If your Green Card is going to expire within 6 months .
If you hold an older version of the green card having official names with different versions over the years like Form I 151 and Form I 551
If your green card does not have an expiry date, it is recommended that an individual has to go for a green card renewal.
Apart from the above, the renewal or replacement of the green card also applies to people who have lost /stolen greencard or the green card is mutilated, or any changes in the biographic information or Green Card contains incorrect or outdated information.
The renewal of green card application can be filed by filing Form I 90, within the six months of the expiry of your green card. There is no need to apply in advance. Once you apply for the green card renewal and after the USCIS receives your application, they will send you an Application Receipt Notice. This normally takes 3-4 weeks to receive. In case of travel during the green card replacement process either for employment or personal reasons, it is recommended to get their passport stamped with I-551 at the local INS office to prove that the applicant has filed for a new card. You will have to make an appointment with your local USCIS office, take the Application Receipt Notice and your passport with you to the local INS office as proof of having filed the I-90. Thereby you obtain the employment and travel benefits. If you fail to apply for green card renewal, you will be restrained from travel,employment and re-entry into the U.S.
In cases where the green card has already expired, there is no question of USCIS penalizing. Instead you can apply for the renewal at the earliest. Also if you re-enter U.S. with an expired green card after traveling abroad, you might be delayed at the port of entry during the inspection process.To overcome these obstacles, it is necessary to renew the green card .The whole process of green card renewal takes about five to six months approximately.
Having a valid green card and maintaining the permanent resident status will also help to apply for the citizenship as well. Hence its always advisable to keep your green card authoritative and sound to relish the work, life and other benefits in the U.S.
