USCIS Extends Green Card Renewal to 36 Months: What You Should Do

An expired green card does not cancel lawful permanent resident status in the United States 🇺🇸, but it can leave you without everyday proof that you can work, travel, or renew a license. In 2026, USCIS backlogs and tighter screening make early, accurate renewal more important than ever.

USCIS now gives most green card renewal applicants a 36-month extension of card validity through the Form I-90 receipt notice, a change that took effect September 10, 2024. That buffer matters because processing times stretched to 4–10 months in 2025, and forecasts point to 9–15 months in 2026.

This extension applies only when you properly file Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card for a 10-year card renewal or replacement. Conditional residents with two-year cards must file Form I-751 or Form I-829, not I-90, or they risk losing status.

Legally, an expiration date limits the document, not your right to live in the country. Day to day, however, many people meet gatekeepers who ask for “a valid green card” and don’t know the new receipt rules. That gap shows up at hiring desks, airport check-in counters, banks, schools, and state motor vehicle offices.

For a new job, your employer completes Form I-9, and the combination of an expired card plus the I-90 receipt notice with the 36-month extension language works as proof. For travel, airlines and CBP generally accept the same combination for re-entry, but carriers can be inconsistent. When timing is tight, request an I-551 “ADIT” stamp through USCIS.

The 36-month extension and proof you should carry

Cost also changed. Biometrics fees for I-90 ended in April 2024, and the filing fee became $415 online or $465 by paper. A broader USCIS fee rule sets increases across most forms starting January 1, 2026, and planning ahead lets families file before higher charges arrive.

If you can’t afford the fee, USCIS allows a waiver request for eligible applicants using Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver. The guide in the form describes common paths, including household income under 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or receipt of a means-tested public benefit.

Important: The 36-month extension exists only if you properly file the correct current edition of Form I-90 and receive the USCIS receipt notice. Keep that receipt with your expired card.

Fees, biometrics, and January 2026 increases

Before you file, check the form edition date and use the current version issued after January 20, 2025. USCIS rejects outdated editions, and a rejection can leave you without the receipt notice that extends your proof. Filing online usually receives updates faster and reduces the chance that a packet is misrouted.

Key fee and biometrics points:
– Biometrics fees ended: April 2024.
– Current I-90 filing fee: $415 online / $465 by paper.
– Fee increases take effect: January 1, 2026 (plan to file before this date if possible).
– Fee waiver: Use Form I-912 when eligible.

Step-by-step renewal path (I-90)

Here’s a renewal path that matches current USCIS practice:

1. File I-90 online or by mail, and save a complete copy of your submission.
2. Protect the receipt (Form I-797C) and keep it with the expired card as your proof.
3. Attend biometrics if USCIS schedules it; appointments still occur even though biometrics fees ended.
4. Track the case through your myUSCIS account and keep your address current.
5. Wait for the decision, which may arrive without a Request for Evidence (RFE) or Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID).

Renewal journey using Form I-90 — what’s different now

The no-RFE approach means USCIS often decides a standard renewal on what you send the first time. Lawyers have warned clients that a missing copy, unsigned page, or unclear reason for replacement can now trigger a denial instead of a simple follow-up letter.

USCIS began a security vetting overhaul effective November 27, 2025. Changes include:
– Country-specific pauses for applicants from “high-risk” countries.
– Additional re-interviews.
– AI-driven social media checks.
– Re-examination of benefits approved after January 20, 2021.

Because those checks take time, many residents now file 6–12 months before the card expires, even with the longer extension. Filing before January 1, 2026 also helps you stay under the current I-90 fee schedule. Once you get the receipt, keep a digital scan and a paper original.

If your card already expired, file right away and use the receipt notice to keep daily life moving. If you are outside the United States 🇺🇸 and lose the card, you may need a consular boarding foil or other help to return, then file I-90 once back and stable.

Many residents choose naturalization as soon as they qualify. An active citizenship case can also serve as proof. If you file Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, the N-400 receipt notice can document that your case is pending while your card renewal remains in the system.

Keeping life moving while you wait

Practical tips to avoid hassles:
– Carry the expired card + I-90 receipt together, and keep photocopies in a separate place.
– For employers: existing employees do not need re-verification just because a card expires.
– For driver’s licenses and state IDs: ask the office which receipt language they accept.
– For schools and benefit agencies: a calm explanation plus a printed copy of the receipt usually resolves it.
– For banks: bring a passport and secondary ID if available, since institutions may set their own rules.

Track processing times with realistic expectations, because online status updates can stay unchanged for months. Your myUSCIS account lets you see notices and update your address. USCIS also explains renewal basics and the receipt extension on its official guidance: https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/after-we-grant-your-green-card/replace-your-green-card

If you fall under the high-risk country screening described for late 2025, build extra time into work and travel plans. A pause in I-90 processing can stall the receipt-to-decision timeline, even though your extension notice remains valid. When you must travel, an I-551 stamp in your passport reduces airline confusion.

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the longer extension is a practical response to backlogs, but it does not stop the paperwork stress that comes with long waits. Employers, especially large firms with rotating HR staff, should train teams to accept the expired card and receipt as a single package.

Avoiding denials under the no-RFE rule

Denials are rising in this environment, and the stakes differ by category. Standard I-90 renewals do not erase your status, but a denial forces you to refile and pay again, and it can complicate travel plans. For conditional residents, analysts project a 20%+ denial surge for I-751 in 2026.

Use this completeness checklist before submitting:

• Confirm your name, A-Number, and mailing address match USCIS records.
• Attach a clear front-and-back copy of the current card, if available.
• Explain the reason for filing, especially for replacement cases.
• Sign and date every required signature block.
• Pay the correct fee for online or paper filing, or include a fee waiver request.

After filing, USCIS issues the receipt notice, and that is the document that carries the extension language. Some applicants still receive biometrics appointments (even without biometrics fees) because USCIS may update fingerprints or photos. When the case is approved, USCIS produces the new card and mails it to the address on file.

For urgent proof needs, the I-551 stamp remains the fastest option, but it requires planning. Bring a valid passport and available identity documents, plus the I-90 filing evidence. The stamp typically covers 6–12 months of temporary proof and can bridge a long wait for the plastic card.

Plan ahead. File so a 9–15 month 2026 wait doesn’t overlap travel, a job change, or license renewal. Protect the receipt notice; it proves status under the 36-month extension until your new card arrives.