Learn About Citizenship When Your Green Card Expires

Understanding Your Green Card Expiration and What It Means

A green card, officially called a Permanent Resident Card, is a document that shows you have legal status to live and work in the United States. Like a driver's license or passport, a green card has an expiration date printed on the front. The card itself typically expires every 10 years for most permanent residents, though cards for conditional residents expire after 2 years.

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When your green card expires, the card document becomes invalid, but your status as a permanent resident does not automatically end. This is an important distinction. Your legal right to remain in the U.S. as a permanent resident continues unless you take specific actions to abandon it or the government removes your status through a legal process. However, an expired green card creates practical problems because employers, banks, and other organizations require a valid card to verify your status.

According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) data, millions of green card holders navigate expiration and renewal each year. The expiration date appears on the front of your card in the bottom right corner. You can check your card right now to see when yours expires. Many people don't realize they need to take action until they encounter a problem at work or when trying to travel.

Understanding the difference between card expiration and status expiration matters for your citizenship planning. If you have been a permanent resident for a certain period—typically five years for most people, or three years if you are married to a U.S. citizen—you may be able to explore options related to citizenship. This is where your green card expiration becomes connected to larger decisions about your future in the United States.

Practical Takeaway: Check your green card now. Look at the expiration date in the bottom right corner. Write down when it expires. If it expires within the next six months, you should begin learning about the renewal process, even though you have not yet reached the deadline. Knowing your timeline helps you plan ahead.

How Green Card Expiration Relates to Citizenship Options

Your green card expiration date does not automatically trigger citizenship. However, the timeline of your permanent residency—measured from when you first received your green card—directly affects when you may explore citizenship options. This connection is crucial to understand as you think about your long-term future.

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For most people, you must have held a green card for at least five years before you can explore naturalization, which is the process of becoming a U.S. citizen. The five-year period is measured from the date you were granted permanent resident status, not from when your current card was issued. If you received your original green card on March 15, 2019, your five-year period would end on March 15, 2024, regardless of when your physical card expires.

If you are married to a U.S. citizen, the timeline is shorter. You may be able to explore citizenship options after three years as a permanent resident. Some people in special categories—such as those who are refugees or asylees—may have different timelines. Members of the U.S. military have separate pathways as well.

Understanding these timelines helps you plan. If your green card expires in 2025 and you have been a permanent resident since 2020, you have already passed the five-year mark. This means you could potentially explore information about naturalization while also managing your card renewal. These are separate processes, but timing them correctly prevents gaps in your documentation.

The USCIS website provides a worksheet where you can calculate your own five-year or three-year date. Finding this date gives you a concrete understanding of when citizenship exploration becomes available to you. Many people find this calculation eye-opening because they may have already passed their eligibility point without realizing it.

Practical Takeaway: Calculate your five-year or three-year permanent resident anniversary date. Write it down along with your card expiration date. If these dates are close together, you can plan to handle both matters in the same general timeframe. If your anniversary date has already passed, you now know that citizenship exploration has been available to you.

The Renewal Process: Keeping Your Green Card Valid

Renewing your green card before it expires is a separate matter from citizenship, but it is equally important. A valid green card allows you to work, travel internationally, and prove your status to employers and government agencies. The renewal process involves completing forms, providing documentation, and paying a fee to USCIS.

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The primary form for renewal is Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card. You can file this form online through the USCIS website, by mail, or in person at certain USCIS offices. Most people file online because it is faster. The form itself is straightforward—it asks for your personal information, your A-number (a unique identification number assigned by immigration), and details about your immigration history.

USCIS recommends filing your renewal application no earlier than six months before your card expires and no later than your expiration date. This timing window exists because the processing of renewal applications takes time. If you submit too early, USCIS may reject your application. If you wait until the last moment, you risk having your card expire before the new one arrives. Filing around the four-to-six-month mark is generally wise.

You will need to provide several documents with your renewal application. These typically include your current green card, a government-issued ID such as a driver's license or passport, proof of residence, and two passport-style photos. Some applicants must also provide evidence that they have not abandoned their permanent resident status, such as tax returns or employment records. The USCIS website provides a detailed checklist for your specific situation.

The renewal fee as of 2024 is $385 for most applicants, though some people may qualify for a reduced fee of $194 or may not need to pay a fee at all. You will also need to pay a $85 biometric services fee if you are required to attend a biometric appointment. Many people file online and pay by credit card, which is the fastest method.

Practical Takeaway: If your green card will expire within six months, begin gathering your documents now: current green card, driver's license, proof of current address (utility bill or lease), and two recent passport-style photos. You do not need to wait for anything—these are documents you likely already have. Gathering them early means you can file your renewal whenever you decide to do so.

What Happens During the Renewal Process and What to Expect

Once you submit your Form I-90 renewal application, the process typically takes several months. USCIS sends you a receipt notice (Form I-797) confirming they received your application. This receipt is important—keep it in a safe place. The receipt shows your case number, which you can use to check the status of your application online through the USCIS case status tool.

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Next, you will receive a notice to attend a biometric appointment. This appointment is usually scheduled at a local USCIS Application Support Center. At the appointment, a USCIS officer will take your fingerprints, photograph, and signature. These biometrics are used to run background checks. The entire appointment usually takes less than an hour. You will receive a notice in the mail telling you the date, time, and location of your appointment.

After your biometric appointment, USCIS processes the results of your background check. If there are no issues, the next step is the approval of your application. You will receive a new green card in the mail. Many people receive their new card within a few weeks after biometrics are completed, though some cases take longer if there are questions or delays.

In rare cases, USCIS may request additional information or documents. If this happens, they will send you a Request for Evidence (RFE) notice. This notice explains what documents or information they need from you and gives you a deadline to respond. If you receive an RFE, respond promptly and provide exactly what they ask for. Many applications are approved once the additional information is provided.

While your application is pending, you can continue to work and travel if you have an Advance Parole document (Form I-131) approved. However, if you are not working abroad and do not have an Advance Parole document, you can still travel internationally by keeping your receipt notice and expired green card with you. This combination demonstrates to U.S. Customs that you have a pending renewal application.

Processing times vary by location. As of 2