How much does it cost to renew a green card?
In 2021, the green card renewal fee for Form I-90 is $540 total.
An Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card, or Form I-90, is a US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) form which allows applicants to obtain, replace or renew a green card.
If your green card is expired or soon-to-expire, has been lost, destroyed, damaged or stolen, then you must file Form I-90 with USCIS.
This article will discuss Form I-90 filing and application process, fees, required documents and processing time.
Who should use Form I-90?
You must file Form I-90 to renew or replace a green card if:
- You are a permanent resident whose 10-year green card has expired or will be expiring in the next six months;
- You are a permanent resident whose green cards have been damaged, lost, destroyed or stolen.
You can also fill out Form I-90 in the following situations:
- You never received your issued green card
- You legally changed your biographical information since the current green card was last issued
- An error exists on the green card whose fault is the Department of Homeland Security
- You have commuter status and will take up residence in the United States
- Your immigration status was automatically converted to “green card holder”. This applies to a narrow group of people, such as “Special Agricultural Workers.”
- You have an earlier edition of the Alien Registration Card that must be replaced with a current green card.
- The permanent resident has turned 14 years of age
What supporting documents are required?
The form alone is not enough to apply for a replace or renew a green card.
You will need to provide supporting evidence as well.
The supporting documents that are required for filing Form I-90 vary depending on the reason you are applying for a new green card.
Your green card is among the supporting documents unless you never received it, or it was lost.
This table summarizes the documents you need to submit under different circumstances.
| Reason for green card renewal or replacement | Required supporting document | Sample Documents |
| Your green card is expired or will expire within 6 months. | A copy of green Card | Form AR-3 Form AR-103 Form I-151 |
| You received a 10-year green card before age 14, and it will not expire before you turn 16. | ||
| You have an old and now invalid version of the green card. | ||
| Your card was lost, stolen, mutilated (damaged), or destroyed | A copy of green card, or Government-issued ID showing your name, birthdate, photo, and signature | Government-issued IDs:
|
| Your green card was issued by USCIS, but you never received it. | Government-issued ID showing your name, birthdate, photo, and signature, andYour latest Form I-797 (“Notice of Action”), or Your passport page with an I-551 stamp | |
| Your green card contains an error (or errors) made by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). | Your original Permanent Resident Card Proof of your correct biographical data | |
| Your name or personal information has legally changed. | Green Card, and Legal document(s) showing your new or correct name or personal information | Legal documents:
|
| You’re a “commuter” meaning you live in either Canada or Mexico but travel to the United States for work. | Green Card, and Evidence of your employment within the past 6 months | Evidence of employment:
|
| You’ve been a “commuter” but now live in the United States. | Green card, and Proof of U.S. residence | Proof of U.S. residence:
|
| Your immigration status was automatically converted to green card holder (applies to a narrow group of people, such as “Special Agricultural Workers”) | Government-issued ID showing your name, birthdate, photo, and signature, and Evidence of temporary-resident status | Government-issued IDs:
Temporary-resident status: Form I-797 (“Notice of Action”)
|
USCIS can reject your form if information about your family name, mailing address and date of birth are missing.
USCIS allows you to submit photocopies of supporting documents unless it states otherwise.
If the documents are written in a language other than English, you will need to include a certified translation of those documents with your form I-90
If you do not sign the form, USCIS can also reject it.
How Much Does it Cost to Renew a Green Card?
The green card renewal fee for Form I-90 is $455. There is an additional biometrics fee of $85 for the fingerprinting process. The total cost is $540.
Both these fees may be waived by completing Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver.
In order to waive these fees, the applicant will need to prove financial hardship resulting in the inability to pay the fees.
To apply for a fee waiver, you must complete a separate form and submit supporting documentation about your financial situation.
If approved, both the filing and biometrics fees ($540 total) will be waived, and you will pay $0.
Fees paid to USCIS are nonrefundable.
In some circumstances, you may be exempt from paying one or both fees if:
- Your Green Card was issued by USCIS, but you never received it
- Your Green Card contains errors made by DHS
- You qualify for a fee waiver.
However, you pay only $85 if you turned 14 in the past 30 days and your Green Card will expire after you turn 16.
When filing Form I-912, you will provide documentation showing that you qualify based on one of the following criteria:
- You, your spouse, or the head of household living with you, are currently receiving a means-tested benefit (Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, SSI).
- Your household income is at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
- You are currently experiencing financial hardship that prevents you from paying the filing fee, including unexpected medical bills or emergencies.
If you are waiving the fee, you are not eligible to submit Form I-90 online. You must mail in a paper document.
Form I-90 Processing Time
| Form type | Application center | Processing time |
| 10-year renewal | Potomac Service Center | 12 Months to 13 Months |
| Initial issuance or replacement | Potomac Service Center | 6.5 Months to 11.5 Months |
