Replace Your Green Card

The following sections will help you learn more about replacing your Green Card.

When to Replace Your Green Card

Lawful Permanent Residents

If you are a lawful permanent resident, you must replace your Green Card if:

Your Green Card is either expired or will expire within the next six months;
Your previous card was lost, stolen, mutilated, or destroyed;
You received your card before you were 14 and you have reached your 14th birthday (unless your card expires before your 16th birthday);
You have been a commuter and are now taking up actual residence in the United States;
You have been a permanent resident residing in the United States and are now taking up commuter status;
Your status has been automatically converted to permanent resident status (this includes special agricultural worker applicants who are converting to permanent resident status);
You have a previous version of the alien registration card (for example, USCIS Form AR-3, Form AR-103 or Form I-151, which are no longer valid to prove your immigration status) and must replace it with a current Green Card;
Your card contains incorrect information;
You have legally changed your name or other biographic information on the card since you last received your card; or
You never received the previous card we issued to you.

Conditional Permanent Residents

If you are a conditional permanent resident, you must replace your Green Card if:

Your previous card was lost, stolen, mutilated, or destroyed;
Your card contains incorrect information;
You have legally changed your name or other biographic information on the card since you last received your card; or
You never received the previous card we issued to you.

How to Replace Your Green Card

If you are a lawful permanent resident or conditional permanent resident and need to replace your Green Card based on the reasons in the When to Replace Your Green Card section, you may begin the application process for a replacement Green Card by filing Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card, online or by mail. When you file online, you can:

Apply using a computer, phone, or tablet;
See when we receive your application;
Receive online updates on your case; and
Communicate with us directly.

If we approve your application, we will mail you a new Green Card.

If you are outside the U.S. when your card expires and you did not apply for a replacement Green Card before departing, or if you have lost your Green Card, contact the nearest U.S. Consulate, USCIS office, or port of entry before filing Form I-90.

If you are outside the United States and your Green Card will expire within six months (but you will return within one year of your departure from the United States and before the card expires), you should file Form I-90 as soon as you return to the United States.

If you are a conditional permanent resident and your Green Card is expiring, you must submit Form I-751, Petition to Remove the Conditions on Residence, to apply to remove the conditions on your permanent resident status. For more information, see our Conditional Permanent Residence webpage.

How to Check the Status of Your Application

You may check your case status online. Please wait 72 hours after you filed your Form I-90 to check your case status. If you have immigration-related questions, you may call the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283. (For people who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability: TTY 800-767-1833.) You should be prepared to provide the USCIS representative with specific information about your application, such as your name, date of birth, receipt number, and Alien Registration Number (A-Number).

How to Appeal If We Deny Your Application

If we deny your application, we will send you a letter explaining why. You cannot appeal a denial. However, you may submit a motion to reopen or a motion to reconsider to the same office that made the unfavorable decision. Doing this allows you to ask the office to reexamine or reconsider its decision.

A motion to reopen must:

State the new facts you would provide if we reopen your case; and
Include appropriate evidence.

A motion to reconsider must show:

We incorrectly applied immigration law or policy when denying your application; and
Our decision was incorrect based on the evidence in your file.

For more information, see our Appeals and Motions webpage.

Getting Help

If you need advice, see our Finding Legal Services webpage. You may also visit the DOJ Recognition and Accreditation page for a list of organizations that may be able to help you prepare your application.

Versions of Green Cards That Are No Longer Valid

If you have a previous version of the alien registration card (for example, USCIS Form AR-3, Form AR-103 or Form I-151), you must replace it with a current Green Card.

What the Law Says

Section 264 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) states, “Every alien in the United States . . . shall be issued a certificate of alien registration or an alien registration receipt card in such form and manner and at such time as shall be prescribed under regulations . . .”

It also says, “Every alien, eighteen years of age and over, shall at all times carry with him and have in his personal possession any certificate of alien registration or alien registration receipt card issued to him . . .. Any alien who fails to comply with [these provisions] shall be guilty of a misdemeanor...”

The specific requirements and procedures for applying to replace a Green Card are contained in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 8 CFR section 264.5.