Green Card Renewal 2026: I-90 Fees, Timeline and Process

What the I-90 Is

Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card, is the USCIS form used to renew or replace a 10-year green card. A lawful permanent resident must carry a valid, unexpired green card or equivalent documentation at all times, and applying for naturalization does not change that requirement, so keeping the card current matters even if citizenship is on the horizon.

The I-90 covers two broad situations. A renewal replaces a card that is expiring or already expired. A replacement handles a card that was lost, stolen, destroyed, damaged, never received, or issued with incorrect information, and also updates a name or other biographic detail after a lawful change. Both are filed on the same form, but you select the correct filing reason, and the reason affects the fee.

One absolute rule appears at the top of USCIS's I-90 page: if you are a conditional resident with a two-year card, do not use the I-90 to remove conditions. Conditional residents must file Form I-751 for a marriage based card or Form I-829 for an investor card. Filing the wrong form wastes both the fee and months of time.

When to Renew or Replace a Green Card

The filing trigger depends on what went wrong with the card. USCIS directs applicants to file a replacement card with Form I-90 in these situations:

• Expiring or expired card: for a 10-year renewal, file within the six months before the expiration date shown on the card; do not wait until it lapses.
• Lost, stolen, or destroyed card: file immediately, because without proof of status you cannot easily show work authorization or reentry eligibility.
• Damaged card: a card that is physically damaged or unreadable should be replaced.
• Never received the card: if USCIS issued a card that never arrived and it was not returned as undeliverable, a replacement can be requested.
• Changed name or other biographic data: a legal name change or an incorrect date of birth needs an updated card.
• USCIS error: a card issued with a mistake caused by USCIS can be corrected, often without a fee.

Filing early costs nothing extra and avoids the awkward window when your only proof of permanent residence has expired. If you are already outside the six-month window with an expiring card, simply file as soon as you are inside it.

The I-90 Fee in 2026

The current fee under the USCIS fee schedule is 415 dollars when you file Form I-90 online and 465 dollars when you file on paper, with biometric services included rather than charged separately. Filing online saves 50 dollars and gives you an instant digital receipt, case tracking, and faster notices in a USCIS online account. Some replacement categories, such as a card issued with a USCIS error or certain cards never received, carry a reduced or zero fee, and limited fee waivers may be available through Form I-912.

Because fee amounts can change, confirm the amount with the USCIS fee calculator immediately before filing. An incorrect fee is one of the fastest ways to get an application rejected. Keep the receipt notice that follows, because it is the document that keeps your status provable while the replacement is pending.

The Form I-797 36-Month Extension

After you file the I-90, USCIS sends a receipt notice, Form I-797 or I-797C, Notice of Action, that automatically extends the validity of your green card. USCIS increased that automatic extension from 24 months to 36 months for I-90 renewal applicants, effective September 10, 2024, to cover longer processing times.

That combination, your expired card plus the receipt notice showing the 36-month extension, is accepted as evidence of continued lawful permanent resident status and work authorization for Form I-9 purposes. This is why filing early is smart: a properly filed renewal keeps your status provable on paper even after the printed expiration date passes.

If your card is lost rather than expiring, you do not have an expired card to pair with the notice. In that case you may request an appointment at a USCIS field office through the USCIS Contact Center and, after filing the I-90, may be issued an Alien Documentation, Identification and Telecommunications (ADIT) stamp as temporary proof of status. Keep your address updated in your USCIS online account so the notice and the new card reach you.

I-90 Processing Times

Green card renewal is not fast. In 2026, Form I-90 processing commonly runs roughly 8 to 14 months from filing to card delivery, and USCIS reported completing about 80 percent of I-90 cases in approximately 10.5 months. Timelines vary by service center, case type, and background check results, so treat any single number as a planning range rather than a promise.

Check the live figure for your form and office using the USCIS processing times tracker, and monitor overall trends on the green card processing time page and the visa trackers page. Because the receipt notice extends your status by 36 months, a long wait is usually inconvenience rather than a status emergency, provided you filed in time and kept your address current.

I-90 vs I-751 and I-829

The single most important distinction in green card renewal is between permanent and conditional residence. The I-90 is only for the standard 10-year card. A conditional resident who received a 2-year card through a recent marriage or through investment must remove conditions, not renew, and USCIS warns explicitly not to file the I-90 in that situation.

A qualifying I-751 or I-829 receipt notice extends the conditional card by 48 months, notably longer than the I-90's 36-month extension, because those cases take longer to adjudicate. If you are a conditional resident and your card is also lost or damaged, you generally still address the condition first through the I-751 or I-829 rather than the I-90. Our marriage green card guide covers the conditional residence and I-751 sequence in full.

Travel, Naturalization, and Common Mistakes

A few practical points keep a renewal from becoming a problem. If you travel while the I-90 is pending, carry the expired card, the receipt notice showing the extension, and any ADIT stamp you hold. Airlines and border officers accept the card plus the notice as evidence of status, but a traveler with no card at all should secure an ADIT stamp before departing.

Applying for naturalization does not remove the duty to carry a valid card, and it does not change the I-90 process if the card is expiring; many residents file the N-400 and the I-90 in parallel. If you move while the case is pending, update your address with USCIS within 10 days using Form AR-11 or your online account, or the new card may go to the old address. Review our N-400 citizenship guide if naturalization is next.

The recurring mistakes are predictable: filing the I-90 when the correct form is the I-751 or I-829; waiting until the card has already expired to start a renewal; sending the wrong fee or the wrong form edition; ignoring USCIS requests for evidence or biometrics appointments; and forgetting to update the address. Avoid those, and a green card renewal is a routine, if slow, administrative step. Confirm your eligibility and options with the visa eligibility checker.

Frequently Asked Questions