1. What is a Permanent Resident Card?
A Permanent Resident Card, commonly known as a Green Card, is evidence of your status as a lawful permanent resident with a right to live and work permanently in the U.S. It also is evidence of your registration in accordance with U.S. immigration laws. The Permanent Resident Card is also called Form I-551.
2. Who needs to replace a Permanent Resident Card?
You will need to replace your Permanent Resident Card if:
- Your previous card was lost, stolen, mutilated, or destroyed
- Your card was issued to you before you were 14 and you have reached your 14th birthday
- You have been a commuter and are now taking up actual residence in the U.S.
- 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 For example, Form AR-3, Form AR-103, or Form I-151 – all no longer valid to prove your immigration status, and must replace it with the current permanent resident card Form I-551
- Your card contains incorrect data
- Your name or other biographic information on the card has been legally changed since you last received your card
- You never received the previous card that was issued to you by the USCIS
3. What does the law say about Permanent Resident Card?
Section 264 of the Immigration and Nationality Act provides that:
- Every alien in the U.S. 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
- 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 and may be subject to fine and/or imprisonment upon each conviction
Note: If you are a conditional resident and your status is expiring, these instructions do not pertain to you. You are to use Form I-751, Petition to Remove the Conditions on Residence, to apply to remove the conditions on your permanent resident status.
4. How do I apply to replace my Green Card?
If you are a permanent resident, who needs to replace your card, or conditional resident who needs to replace your two year card, you may apply for a replacement of Green Card by filing Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Residence Card.
5. What are the documents I need to submit along with Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Residence Card?
Section 264 of the Immigration and Nationality Act provides that:
- Your prior Permanent Resident Card or other evidence of identity. You must submit your original permanent resident card with your application unless it has been lost, stolen, destroyed or you never received it. If your card has an expiration date on it, and it is expiring, you will be required to present your card at the time of the in-person appearance, and may be required to submit the card with the application at that time. If you have been automatically converted to permanent resident status, you must attach your original temporary status document
- If you are not required to submit your original Permanent Resident Card, submit a copy if you have one. If you do not have a copy and are at least 18 years old, you must file your application with a copy of an identity document, such as a driver’s license, passport or a copy of another document containing your name, date of birth,
photograph and signature - You must submit two identical natural color photographs of yourself taken within 30 days of filing Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Residence Card. The photographs must have a white background, be unmounted, printed on thin paper and be glossy and unretouched. The photograph should show a full frontal view (passport style) with your head bare, unless you are wearing a headdress as required by a religious order of which you are a member. The photos should be no larger than 2 x 2 inches, with the distance from the top of the head to just below the chin about one and quarter inches. Lightly print your alien registration number on the back of each photo with a pencil
- If you are filing Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Residence Card, to register as a result of turning 14 years of age, you must be fingerprinted. After filing this application, USCIS will notify you in writing, of the time and location where you must go to be fingerprinted. Failure to appear to be fingerprinted may result in a denial of your application
- Correction or change in biographic data. If you are applying to replace a card because of a name change, you must submit a copy of a court order or marriage certificate reflecting the new name. To replace a card because of a change in any other biographic data, you must submit copies of documentation to prove that the new data is correct. A replacement application based on administrative USCIS error must also include an explanation