Permanent Residence Cards (Green Cards)

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What are green cards?

Green cards, formally known as permanent residence cards

(Form I-551), are photo-identification documents given to lawful

permanent residents as proof of legal status in the United States.

Most green cards are valid for ten (10) years. Not all green cards

have an expiration date. This can vary depending on when and at

what age someone received a green card.

after trips of less than one (1) year.

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When traveling internationally, lawful permanent residents will

need a valid passport to enter the country they are visiting. If an

individual obtained their permanent resident status as a refugee

or asylee, he or she can apply for and travel on a refugee travel

document instead of a passport from his or her home country.

uscis.gov/i-131.

Do green cards have to be renewed?

Yes. Green cards with an expiration date must be renewed. The law

requires noncitizens to have valid documentation with them at all times.

The green card renewal application may be filed six (6) months

prior to the card’s expiration date. The expiration date will appear on

the card.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, visit uscis.gov/i-90.

What if a green card does not have an

expiration date?

Green cards issued between January 1977 and August 1989 do

not have expiration dates. Currently, there is no law requiring a green

card to be renewed if it does not have an expiration date.

However, holders of these cards may want to consider renewing to

marriage that has lasted less than two (2) years receive a green

card with two-year validity. During this time, they are conditional

permanent residents. In order to become lawful permanent residents

and receive a 10-year green card, they must file Form I-751 within 90

days before the end of those two (2) years. If they do not file this form

in a timely manner, they can be placed in removal proceedings.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, visit uscis.gov/i-751.

Can someone who has been convicted of a crime

or has pending criminal proceedings still renew

FOR MORE INFORMATION, visit justice.gov/eoir/recognition-and-

accreditation-program.

When a lawful permanent resident files an application to renew

his or her green card, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

(USCIS) will check the individual’s criminal history and learn about

any crimes he or she has committed. Depending on the crime, the

person may be referred to deportation proceedings and risk losing his

or her lawful permanent residence status. For that reason, people in

It is important for applicants to read the instructions to Form

I-90 before filing the application and to make sure that they are

mailing it with the correct fee and to the correct address.

If the incorrect information on the card was due to USCIS error,

applicants may not have to pay a fee to correct the mistake. However,

it is up to the applicant to demonstrate that the error was made by

USCIS.

What happens to a green card when a lawful

permanent resident becomes a U.S. citizen?

Lawful permanent residents turn in their green cards to USCIS

at their naturalization oath ceremony, where they will receive a

Certificate of Naturalization. They can use that certificate to apply

restrictions. As citizens, they do not need to renew their green cards

attorney or accredited representative to see if they are eligible to

naturalize.

Be careful!

Lawful permanent residents cannot allow others to use their

green cards or any other identification documents or numbers issued

to them. It is against the law.

Asylum & Immigration Law Clinic at DePaul University College of Law

in partnership with