How to Renew Green Card and How Long Does It Take?

If you’re one of those people who keep forgetting stuff and can’t be trusted when it comes to things that require good memory, you may need to find a way to keep the expiry date of your green card in mind. 10 years is a long time and it’s inevitable to forget stuff in that time frame.

Normally, a green card is required to be renewed every 10 years and it’s suitable to apply for renewal 6 months before the expiry date. It’s to be kept in mind that the form used for the renewal of green card is the same one used for replacement as well, the Form I-90 has both the options in it.

Why do I need to renew my Green Card?

Just like any other legal document that represents your identity or a permit for something, the green card falls in the same category as well, for example, if you drive any vehicle, you have to get a license for that and it gets renewed after a fixed time. The same is the case with a green card, in a decade, a lot changes in terms of government policies so it is made sure that your documents represent them accurately.

There are two methods to get your Green Card renewed

  1. Online:

If you decide to get your green card renewed online, you need to download the I-90 Form first and fill it out. In addition to that, you’ll be required to send a copy of your existing green card no matter if it’s expired or has few months remaining in expiring.

  1. By Mail:

If you’re old school and like getting stuff done without having to deal with tech gadgets, you can choose to get it done via mail, however, the process remains the same. The first step is getting the I-90 Form and filling it out and after you’re done filling it, you need to attach the existing green card with it and review all the documents thoroughly. Paying the government fee for renewal and posting it to the USCIS would be the last step.

How Long Does It Take?

If you’re reading this in 2020, It will take approximately 11 to 12 months to get your green card renewed, you can check for the renewal time on the official website of USCIS as well.

But what if you can’t wait for a year to receive your new card? Well, this situation is common, when people apply for jobs or it can be for some other reason, they’re required to attach their copy of the green card with the application. The USCIS can provide an ADIT stamp in that case and you’ll be good to go.

What Happens When I Apply for Renewal?

After applying for renewal, you will receive an acceptance letter from the USCIS, the letter will include a 13-character receipt number having 3 letters and 10 numbers in it. The same notification will be sent to your online account on USCIS but if you don’t have an account there, they’ll create one for you and get you notified.

In the next 1 to 2 weeks, you’ll be given a biometric appointment, this appointment is to take your fingerprints, a fresh photo, and a signature. You can check your renewal status online by entering your receipt number on the official webpage of the USCIS and can opt to receive an email notification or a text message by filling out a secondary Form while submitting the renewal form.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]If you’re one of those people who keep forgetting stuff and can’t be trusted when it comes to things that require good memory, you may need to find a way to keep the expiry date of your green card in mind. 10 years is a long time and it’s inevitable to forget stuff in that time frame.

Normally, a green card is required to be renewed every 10 years and it’s suitable to apply for renewal 6 months before the expiry date. It’s to be kept in mind that the form used for the renewal of green card is the same one used for replacement as well, the Form I-90 has both the options in it.

Why do I need to renew my Green Card?

Just like any other legal document that represents your identity or a permit for something, the green card falls in the same category as well, for example, if you drive any vehicle, you have to get a license for that and it gets renewed after a fixed time. The same is the case with a green card, in a decade, a lot changes in terms of government policies so it is made sure that your documents represent them accurately.

There are two methods to get your Green Card renewed

  1. Online:

If you decide to get your green card renewed online, you need to download the I-90 Form first and fill it out. In addition to that, you’ll be required to send a copy of your existing green card no matter if it’s expired or has few months remaining in expiring.

  1. By Mail:

If you’re old school and like getting stuff done without having to deal with tech gadgets, you can choose to get it done via mail, however, the process remains the same. The first step is getting the I-90 Form and filling it out and after you’re done filling it, you need to attach the existing green card with it and review all the documents thoroughly. Paying the government fee for renewal and posting it to the USCIS would be the last step.

How Long Does It Take?

If you’re reading this in 2020, It will take approximately 11 to 12 months to get your green card renewed, you can check for the renewal time on the official website of USCIS as well.

But what if you can’t wait for a year to receive your new card? Well, this situation is common, when people apply for jobs or it can be for some other reason, they’re required to attach their copy of the green card with the application. The USCIS can provide an ADIT stamp in that case and you’ll be good to go.

What Happens When I Apply for Renewal?

After applying for renewal, you will receive an acceptance letter from the USCIS, the letter will include a 13-character receipt number having 3 letters and 10 numbers in it. The same notification will be sent to your online account on USCIS but if you don’t have an account there, they’ll create one for you and get you notified.

In the next 1 to 2 weeks, you’ll be given a biometric appointment, this appointment is to take your fingerprints, a fresh photo, and a signature. You can check your renewal status online by entering your receipt number on the official webpage of the USCIS and can opt to receive an email notification or a text message by filling out a secondary Form while submitting the renewal form.