Green Card Renewal in Florida (Form I-90)

Does my immigration status expire when my green card expires?

No. Lawful permanent resident status does not expire when the card does. The card is the government-issued evidence of your status, not the status itself, so an expired card does not make you undocumented and does not by itself put you in removal proceedings. What an expired card does is block the things that require proof: re-entering the United States after travel abroad, completing Form I-9 reverification with an employer, renewing a Florida driver license, and applying for certain benefits. That is why renewal matters even though your status continues.

How do I renew my green card?

You renew a 10-year permanent resident card by filing Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card, with USCIS. You may file up to six months before the card expires, either online through a USCIS account or on paper. After filing you receive a Form I-797 receipt notice, then USCIS schedules biometrics if it needs new fingerprints or a photograph. Keep the receipt notice with your expired card: it states in writing how long your card remains valid while the application is pending.

I have a 2-year green card. Do I still file Form I-90?

No, and this is the most expensive mistake in green card renewal. A 2-year card means you are a conditional permanent resident, usually through a marriage that was less than two years old when the residence was approved. Conditional residents file Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence, during the 90 days before the card expires, and investor-based conditional residents file Form I-829 instead. Form I-90 does not remove conditions. Filing it in place of I-751 costs you the fee, wastes the 90-day window, and can put your residence at risk when the conditional period ends.

How much does green card renewal cost?

The government filing fee for Form I-90 is paid to USCIS and is separate from any attorney fee. Under the fee schedule in effect since 2024, filing Form I-90 online costs $415 and filing the same form on paper costs $465, with biometrics included rather than billed separately. Form I-751 for conditional residents carries a different and higher fee. USCIS changes its fees, so confirm the current amount on uscis.gov before you send payment. A fee waiver using Form I-912 is available to applicants who meet the financial hardship criteria.

How long does green card renewal take?

Form I-90 processing has run close to a year in recent periods, and it varies by which USCIS office handles your file. Do not plan international travel or a job start around any published estimate, including this one. Check your own case against the current figure at egov.uscis.gov/processing-times, and rely on the extension printed on your Form I-797 receipt notice rather than on an expected approval date.

Can I travel outside the United States while my I-90 is pending?

Usually yes, if you carry the right documents. Airlines and Customs and Border Protection need proof of your status to let you board and re-enter, which means your expired card together with the Form I-797 receipt notice showing the extension. Confirm the extension period printed on your own notice before you book, and speak with an attorney first if you have any criminal history or a prior removal order, because re-entry is where those issues surface.

What if my green card was lost or stolen instead of expired?

Form I-90 covers that too. The same form is used to replace a card that was lost, stolen, destroyed, or damaged, to correct a USCIS data error, and to update a legal name change. The form asks you to select the reason, and the reason you choose affects which supporting documents you must send. If the card was stolen, file a police report and keep a copy, since it helps establish what happened.

Should I renew my green card or apply for citizenship instead?

They are separate filings and one does not substitute for the other. A pending Form N-400 naturalization application does not renew your card, and USCIS can require valid evidence of status while the N-400 is pending. If your card expires soon and you are already eligible to naturalize, it is worth reviewing both options with an attorney before you choose, because the right answer depends on your continuous residence, your travel history, and anything in your record that naturalization would put under review.

Do I have to carry my green card with me?

Yes. Federal law requires permanent residents aged 18 and over to carry their registration card at all times, and failing to do so is a misdemeanor. While a renewal is pending, carry the expired card together with your Form I-797 receipt notice so you can show both your status and the extension.