Do You Need to File Form I-90? Renewal and Replacement Eligibility

Quick answer: Do you need to file Form I-90?

File Form I-90 if you need a Green Card renewal for an expired 10-year card or one that expires within six months, or a Green Card replacement because the card was lost, stolen, destroyed, damaged, issued but never received, or contains information that must be corrected or updated.

Do not file Form I-90 merely because a two-year conditional Green Card is expiring; marriage-based conditional residents generally file Form I-751, while investor conditional residents generally file Form I-829. Form I-90 may still apply to certain qualifying replacements of a conditional card.

Form I-90 eligibility at a glance

Use the table below to determine whether Form I-90 is generally the correct form for your situation. Your filing reason affects the required evidence, USCIS fee and next steps.

This table provides general form-selection guidance. Confirm the filing reason, evidence and current fee using the USCIS Form I-90 instructions before submitting an application.

When should permanent residents file Form I-90?

Lawful permanent residents use Form I-90 to renew an expired or expiring 10-year Green Card and to replace or update a card for specific USCIS filing reasons. Select the reason that accurately matches your situation because the required evidence and fee can differ.

Your 10-year Green Card is expired or expiring

File Form I-90 if your 10-year Green Card has expired or will expire within the next six months. If the card remains valid for more than six months, do not file solely for expiration-based renewal yet.

An expired Green Card does not, by itself, end lawful permanent resident status. Form I-90 renews the physical evidence of that status. Follow the Green Card renewal guide for renewal timing, documents, fees and filing steps.

Your Green Card was lost, stolen, destroyed or damaged

File Form I-90 to replace a card that was:

• Lost or misplaced;
• Stolen;
• Destroyed; or
• Damaged or mutilated.

Losing the physical card does not, by itself, cancel permanent resident status. However, you may need the replacement card or temporary Form I-551 evidence to prove your status for travel, employment verification or another official purpose.

If the card is damaged or mutilated, retain it and submit it as directed by the current Form I-90 instructions. If the card was stolen, USCIS does not normally require a police report as initial evidence, although reporting the theft may document the incident and help if someone misuses your information.

Follow the Green Card replacement guide for the replacement process inside or outside the United States.

Your Green Card contains incorrect information

File Form I-90 if the card contains an incorrect name, date of birth or other biographic information. The filing reason depends on who caused the error.

• DHS caused the error: Select the filing reason for incorrect information caused by the Department of Homeland Security. A fee exemption may apply. USCIS may require the incorrect card and evidence showing the correct information.
• The error was not caused by DHS: Select the filing reason that matches your circumstances and submit evidence supporting the correct information. The regular filing fee may apply.

Check the card as soon as it arrives and compare the name, date of birth, A-Number, resident-since date and other information with your records.

Your name or biographic information legally changed

File Form I-90 if your legal name or other biographic information changed after USCIS issued the card. Supporting evidence may include a marriage certificate, divorce decree, court order or another document establishing the legal change.

A legal change is different from an error made by DHS. Select the correct filing reason because the required evidence and fee treatment differ.

USCIS issued your Green Card, but you never received it

A card that USCIS issued but you never received is not the same as a card you received and later lost or misplaced.

First, check your USCIS online account or Case Status Online for the mailing date and USPS tracking information. If the card does not arrive, follow the USCIS secure-document non-delivery process.

If USCIS instructs you to file Form I-90, select the reason stating that the previous card was issued but never received. Do not select “lost, stolen or destroyed.” A fee exemption may apply only when the applicable USCIS requirements are met.

You turned 14 after receiving your Green Card

A permanent resident who received a Green Card before turning 14 generally must file Form I-90 within 30 days after the 14th birthday if the current card will expire after the person’s 16th birthday.

If the permanent resident is temporarily outside the United States on the 14th birthday, the registration requirement generally applies within 30 days after returning. If the card will expire before the 16th birthday, review the current Form I-90 instructions to determine the correct filing reason and timing.

You have an older version of an alien registration card

File Form I-90 if you have an older alien registration card issued as Form AR-3, Form AR-103 or Form I-151. These prior editions should be replaced with a current Permanent Resident Card.

Check the current Form I-90 instructions for the evidence and fee that apply to the older card.

Your commuter status or residence changed

File Form I-90 if you are:

• A permanent resident taking up commuter status; or
• A commuter resident taking up actual residence in the United States.

Select the filing reason that matches the change and provide the evidence requested in the current instructions.

Your status was automatically converted to permanent residence

Some people are automatically converted to lawful permanent resident status under specific immigration provisions. If this applies to you, file Form I-90 to request a Green Card showing that status.

Because this is an uncommon filing reason, review the current Form I-90 instructions before filing and submit the evidence USCIS requests for the applicable category.

Can a conditional permanent resident file Form I-90?

Yes, but only for certain replacement reasons. A conditional permanent resident may use Form I-90 to replace a two-year Green Card; Form I-90 does not remove or extend the conditions on permanent residence.

When can a conditional resident use Form I-90?

A conditional resident may generally file Form I-90 when the two-year card is not expiring within 90 days and the card:

• Was lost, stolen or destroyed;
• Was issued but never received;
• Is damaged or mutilated;
• Contains incorrect information because of a DHS error; or
• Must be updated because the resident’s legal name or other biographic information changed.

Select the filing reason that accurately describes the situation. The evidence and USCIS fee can differ depending on whether the card was lost, never received, damaged, incorrect because of a DHS error or needs updating after a legal change.

A replacement card issued through Form I-90 generally keeps the conditional status and applicable expiration date. It does not convert the resident to unconditional permanent residence or provide a new 10-year Green Card.

What if the two-year Green Card is expiring?

Do not file Form I-90 merely because a conditional Green Card is approaching its expiration date. The resident must petition to remove the conditions using the form that corresponds to how conditional residence was obtained.

Filing the correct petition on time is what requests removal of the conditions. Replacing the card through Form I-90 does not satisfy that requirement.

Should you file Form I-751 or Form I-829?

Use the following form:

• Marriage-based conditional residence: File Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence. A joint petition is generally filed during the 90-day period immediately before the conditional residence expires. Different timing can apply to individual filings and requests to waive the joint-filing requirement.
• Investor-based conditional residence: File Form I-829, Petition by Investor to Remove Conditions on Permanent Resident Status, generally during the 90-day period immediately before the second anniversary of obtaining conditional permanent residence.

Review the conditional Green Card guide for the removal-of-conditions process.

What is the timing rule for replacing a conditional Green Card?

The current regulation describes Form I-90 replacement eligibility for a conditional resident whose card is not expiring within 90 days. If the card is lost, stolen, damaged or otherwise needs replacement but will expire within that 90-day period, do not assume that filing Form I-90 is the correct next step.

Review the current Form I-751 or Form I-829 instructions and the Form I-90 requirements. If the card is missing and temporary evidence of status is needed, contact USCIS to ask about temporary Form I-551 documentation.

When should you use a different form or process?

Form I-90 renews or replaces a Permanent Resident Card for specified filing reasons. It does not apply for U.S. citizenship, report an address change, provide carrier documentation for returning from abroad or remove conditions from a two-year Green Card.

Applying for naturalization: Form N-400

Use Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, to apply for U.S. citizenship. Form I-90 does not begin the naturalization process.

A lawful permanent resident who properly files Form N-400 may receive a receipt notice extending the validity of an expired or expiring Green Card for 24 months. When presented with the expired card, the notice may provide evidence of continued permanent resident status during the extension period. This can make a separate Form I-90 renewal unnecessary in some cases.

However, filing Form N-400 does not always eliminate the need for Form I-90. If the Green Card was lost, stolen or destroyed, the resident generally must still replace it because the N-400 extension notice is intended to be presented with the card.

Review the citizenship application guide if you are deciding whether to apply for naturalization.

Updating your address with USCIS

Do not file Form I-90 only because you moved. A Green Card does not display the holder’s residential address, and Form I-90 is not the USCIS address-change process.

Most noncitizens must report a change of address to USCIS within 10 days of moving. Use the USCIS change-of-address service or follow the Form AR-11 instructions.

If Form I-90 or another application is pending, include each applicable receipt number when updating the address. Changing an address with USPS does not update it with USCIS.

Returning to the United States: Form I-131A

Form I-90 replaces the physical Green Card, but it does not provide the documentation an airline or other transportation carrier may require to board a permanent resident whose card was lost, stolen or destroyed abroad.

If you are outside the United States without the card:

1. Contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate before attempting to travel or paying a fee.
2. Check whether you qualify to file Form I-131A, Application for Carrier Documentation.
3. Follow the appointment and evidence instructions provided by the embassy or consulate.
4. File Form I-90 when appropriate to replace the card after returning to the United States.

Carrier documentation helps an eligible permanent resident board transportation to the United States. It is not a replacement Green Card and does not guarantee admission. U.S. Customs and Border Protection makes the admission decision at the port of entry.

Different rules may apply if you have been outside the United States for one year or longer or there is a question about abandonment of permanent residence.

Removing conditions: Form I-751 or Form I-829

Do not use Form I-90 merely because a two-year conditional Green Card is expiring. Use the petition that corresponds to the basis of conditional residence:

• Marriage-based conditional residence: File Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence.
• Investor-based conditional residence: File Form I-829, Petition by Investor to Remove Conditions on Permanent Resident Status.

These petitions request removal of the conditions on permanent residence. Form I-90 only replaces the physical card in qualifying circumstances and does not extend or remove the conditions.

Joint Form I-751 petitions and Form I-829 petitions are generally filed during the 90-day period immediately before conditional residence expires. Different timing can apply to certain individual Form I-751 filings or waiver requests.

Does Form I-90 renew permanent resident status?

No. Form I-90 renews or replaces the Green Card used as evidence of your existing lawful permanent resident status. It does not extend, grant or restore the status itself. An expired, lost or damaged card does not, by itself, end your permanent resident status.

How does the 36-month Green Card extension work?

For a qualifying Green Card renewal, USCIS generally issues a Form I-797 receipt notice that extends the card’s validity for 36 months from the expiration date printed on the card.

To use this extension as evidence of status, you must present the receipt notice together with the expired Green Card. Keep both documents with you when you need to prove your permanent resident status.

What if your Green Card is missing?

If your card was lost, stolen or never received, the Form I-90 receipt notice alone generally does not serve as temporary proof of permanent resident status because you cannot present it with the original card. The receipt notice confirms that USCIS accepted your application, but it is not a replacement Green Card or a travel document.

If you need evidence of status while waiting for the replacement, contact USCIS to request temporary Form I-551 documentation, commonly called an ADIT stamp. USCIS will determine how to provide the temporary evidence based on your circumstances.

What should you do after confirming that Form I-90 applies?

Once you confirm that Form I-90 is the correct application, prepare and submit it using the following steps:

1. Gather the required documents. Your supporting evidence depends on why you are filing, such as renewing an expiring card, replacing a lost card or correcting incorrect information. Review the Form I-90 document checklist to identify the evidence required for your filing reason.
2. Confirm the filing fee. The fee may depend on whether you file online or by mail. Some filing reasons may not require a fee, and qualifying applicants may request a fee waiver. Check the current Form I-90 fees before submitting payment.
3. Complete the current version of Form I-90. Select the filing reason that accurately describes your situation and answer every applicable question. Incomplete information, an incorrect filing reason or missing evidence can delay the case or result in rejection. Follow the Form I-90 instructions for help completing each part of the application.
4. Choose online or paper filing. USCIS allows many Form I-90 applicants to file through a USCIS online account or submit a paper application by mail. A fee-waiver request must be filed by mail. Review the Form I-90 online filing guide and verify the filing options and mailing addresses on the USCIS Form I-90 page before submitting your application.
5. Save your filing records and track the case. Keep a copy of the completed form, supporting documents, payment confirmation and delivery records. After USCIS accepts the application, use the receipt number on Form I-797 to check the case status. Processing estimates change, so review the current Form I-90 processing time instead of relying on a fixed timeframe.

FAQs About Form I-90 Eligibility

Choose your next step

Select the route that matches your card type and reason for filing.

Renew an expired or expiring 10-year Green Card

If your 10-year Green Card has expired or will expire within six months, use Form I-90 to renew the card. Start Your Green Card Renewal Application

Replace a Green Card

Use Form I-90 if your card was lost, stolen, destroyed or damaged; contains incorrect information; or was issued but never received. Start Your Green Card Replacement Application

ImmigrationDirect provides a guided Form I-90 preparation service. Its service fee is separate from any USCIS filing fee that applies. ImmigrationDirect is not a law firm or government agency and does not decide your application.

Use a different form or USCIS process

Do not file Form I-90 if one of these routes applies:

• Expiring marriage-based conditional Green Card: File Form I-751 to request removal of the conditions on residence.
• Expiring investor conditional Green Card: File Form I-829 to request removal of investor-related conditions.
• Applying for U.S. citizenship: File Form N-400. Filing for naturalization does not replace a lost, stolen or damaged Green Card.
• Green Card lost or stolen outside the United States: You may need Form I-131A carrier documentation before returning, followed by Form I-90 after you return.
• Changing your address with USCIS: Use the USCIS change-of-address process. An address update alone does not require Form I-90.