subject: Green Card Application: How To Reissue [print this page] Someone having a green card is legally given the authority to live and work in the USA. However, if you are thinking of a green card application for replacement due to expiry or any other reason, here's the procedure for the same.
A green card, also known as a permanent resident card, is valid for 10 years in usual cases. One needs to renew it by filing the Form I-90, Application for green card replacement, with the USCIS (U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services). If you are familiar with some of the proceedings, you would know that this is the same form that is used when you are changing any biographic information like your name after marriage, etc.
Another point that you need to know here is that there is a difference between a conditional permanent resident and a permanent resident. The former's green card application gets him citizenship in the USA for only 2 years. Further, a conditional permanent resident has to remove the conditions during a time period of 90 days before the expiry of the card. This card can't be renewed, and if the resident fails to remove the conditions, he will lose his permanent resident status. Removal of conditions requires the filing of Form I-751, following which the individual would be issued a green card for ten years.
According to the USCIS, if a green card has less than six months of validity, then it has to be renewed before application for naturalization.
Once the I-90 green card application form has been sent to the USCIS, the individual will get an Application Receipt Notice bearing a 13-character Application Receipt number within one month. This basically serves as a proof that the USCIS is processing an application. Another benefit to the applicant is that he/she can check the status of the application by giving reference of this number. The entire process of re-issuing of the green card takes around three months.
