USCIS Extends Green Card Validity to 24 Months for Renewals
By: Immigration Attorney Osas Iyamu
Published: March 23, 2023
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced a new policy that extends the validity of Permanent Resident Cards (Green Cards) to 24 months for lawful permanent residents who file Form I-90 to renew an expiring or expired Green Card. This new policy, effective September 26, 2022, is aimed at helping applicants who experience longer processing times.
New Policy: 24-Month Green Card Validity Extension
Previously, Form I-90 receipt notices provided a 12-month extension of the validity of a Green Card. However, USCIS has updated the language on Form I-90 receipt notices to extend the validity of a Green Card for 24 months for individuals who filed Form I-90. This new policy will allow green card holders to continue to work and travel while they await their replacement cards.
Presentation of Form I-90 Receipt Notice
Form I-90 receipt notices can now be presented with an expired Green Card as evidence of continued status. In addition, the extension period runs from the green card expiration date. This will help applicants who experience longer processing times because they will have proof of lawful permanent resident status as they await their renewed Green Card.Applicants with a pending I-90 application who no longer have their Green Card and need evidence of their lawful permanent resident status while waiting to receive their replacement Green Card may contact the USCIS Contact Center to request an appointment at a USCIS Field Office to be issued an Alien Documentation, Identification, and Telecommunications (ADIT) stamp
Conclusion
Overall, the USCIS’s new policy of extending the validity of Permanent Resident Cards to 24 months for lawful permanent residents who file Form I-90 is a welcome development. It will help alleviate some of the challenges faced by green card holders who experience longer processing times by enabling them to continue working and traveling. Yet, at the same time, they await their renewed Green Cards.
