Renewing a green card and protecting your status when you travel

Who this guide is for

This guide is for lawful permanent residents whose green card is expiring, lost, damaged or wrong, and for residents who plan to spend long periods abroad. It explains which form fits which situation, how conditional residents differ, how reentry permits work, and when travel can put permanent residence at risk.

A key point first: for most people, permanent resident status does not expire when the card does. The 10-year card is proof of status. Conditional residents with a 2-year card are the exception, because their status itself ends unless conditions are removed.

Which form do you need?

Fees are from 8 CFR 106.2; the $50 online discount comes from 8 CFR 106.1(g). Children who got a card before age 14 generally must replace it after turning 14; there is no I-90 fee if the existing card would expire after the 16th birthday. The I-829 fee is an exception: after a November 2025 court decision, USCIS returned to the pre-April 2024 EB-5 fees ($3,750 for Form I-829), and a DHS final rule (91 FR 61940) sets the fee at $5,000 for filings postmarked on or after November 30, 2026. Our fee calculator totals the fees for your forms.

How to renew a green card with Form I-90

Renewing does not reopen the original case in most situations, but USCIS does run background checks. People with arrests or convictions since getting the card should talk to an attorney before filing, because a renewal can bring those records to the agency's attention.

Conditional residents: I-751 and I-829

A conditional card cannot be renewed with Form I-90. Conditional residents must ask USCIS to remove the conditions during the 90 days before the card's expiration date:

• Form I-751 for those who got residence through a marriage less than two years old. Spouses usually file jointly. A spouse who is divorced, widowed or abused can file alone with a waiver request. See the marriage green card guide.
• Form I-829 for EB-5 investors and their families, showing the investment was sustained and the required jobs were created. See the EB-5 guide.

A timely filing produces a receipt notice that extends conditional status for a set period past the card's expiration while the petition is pending. USCIS lists the current extension period on its Form I-751 and Form I-829 pages; carry the receipt notice with the card. Our deadline calculator shows your 90-day filing window. Missing the deadline without good cause can end status automatically and lead to removal proceedings.

Traveling as a green card holder

A green card allows return to the United States after travel, but it is not a guarantee. At the border, CBP looks at whether the person still lives in the United States.

• Trips under 6 months generally raise few questions, though repeated long trips can.
• Trips over 6 months may prompt questions about whether the person has abandoned residence, and affect continuous residence for citizenship.
• Trips of 1 year or more without a reentry permit generally mean the green card can no longer be used to return. The person may need a returning resident (SB-1) visa from a consulate, which requires proof that the long stay was beyond their control. The State Department fee for determining returning resident status is $180.

Abandonment of residence

Permanent residence can be lost by abandonment even without a single long trip. Officers look at intent and ties: where the person works, files taxes as a resident, keeps a home, holds bank accounts and has family. Filing U.S. taxes as a nonresident is a particularly strong sign of abandonment. A resident who is pressured at the border to sign Form I-407 (record of abandonment) is not required to sign it and can ask for an immigration judge to decide instead.

Reentry permits (Form I-131)

A reentry permit helps a resident who plans to be abroad for 1 to 2 years. It shows intent to keep U.S. residence and can be used to return instead of a visa. Key points:

• It must be filed while the resident is physically in the United States, and the resident must stay for biometrics. USCIS can mail the permit to a U.S. consulate or a U.S. address.
• It is generally valid for up to 2 years, and less in some cases where the person has spent much of recent years abroad.
• It does not protect continuous residence for naturalization. For that, some workers abroad may use Form N-470. See citizenship and naturalization.

Proving status while the new card is pending

Employers, motor vehicle agencies and airlines may ask for proof of status before the new card arrives. Options as of October 2026 include:

• The I-90 receipt notice with the expired card. For employment verification (Form I-9), an employer may accept the expired card together with the receipt notice that extends it.
• An ADIT stamp. A resident with an urgent need, such as imminent travel, can contact the USCIS Contact Center to request an appointment for a temporary I-551 stamp in a passport or on a Form I-94.
• Lost card abroad. A resident whose card is lost or stolen outside the United States may need Form I-131A, carrier documentation, to board a flight home. The fee is $575 as of October 2026.

Keep copies of the old card, the receipt notice and the biometrics notice together, and carry them when traveling.

Renew or apply for citizenship?

Many long-time residents who are already eligible for citizenship choose to naturalize instead of renewing the card again. Citizenship ends the need to renew, removes abandonment risk from long trips and allows the person to sponsor more relatives. However, a pending N-400 does not extend an expiring card. If the card will expire before the naturalization oath, file Form I-90 as well, or ask USCIS for temporary evidence of status. A naturalization case also involves a closer review of the person's history than a card renewal, so anyone with a past arrest or immigration problem should get advice first.

Common problems

• Waiting too long to replace an expired card, which can make travel, work verification and license renewals harder.
• Missing the I-751 or I-829 window.
• Assuming a reentry permit preserves eligibility for citizenship.
• Not updating the address with USCIS within 10 days of moving, as the law requires.

Questions to ask an attorney

• Have my trips abroad created an abandonment risk?
• Do I need a reentry permit for an upcoming long stay?
• Should I file for citizenship instead of renewing my card?
• Could anything in my record cause problems when I renew or travel?

Want help applying this to your situation? Email us to be connected with a participating immigration attorney, or see free and low-cost legal help.