Individuals granted lawful permanent residence in the United States receive Form I-551, commonly known as a Green Card.  This card is evidence that an individual has the right to live and work permanently in the United States.  Currently, an I-551 remains valid for a period of ten years.  Consequently, if an individual remains a permanent resident for more than ten years, the resident will be required to renew the I-551.

Permanent residents can commence the process of renewing an I-551 within six months of the card’s expiration date. Applicants request a renewal by submitting a Form I-90 along with the following:

- The prior I-551

- $130 fee

- 2 identical color photographs developed within 30 days of the application.  The photos, with a three-quarter frontal profile, can be no larger than 2X2 inches.  The residents A# should also be lightly printed on the back of each photo.

For a majority of I-551 renewals, the application should be submitted to the appropriate INS Application Support Center (ASC) serving the resident’s local area. Information regarding local ASCs can be located at http://www.ins.gov/graphics/fieldoffices/ascs/asc.htm.  If an individual resides in an area where the ASC does not accept I-90s, the resident should contact the local INS office or call the National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283 for filing instructions.  If a resident is outside of the United States when the I-551 expires, the individual should contact an American Consulate, INS office, or Port of Entry before attempting to file an I-90.

Besides applications for renewals due to a card’s expiration, permanent residents may utilize an I-90 to request a new I-551 for any number of reasons including losing the I-551 or changing one’s name.  If the card is unavailable, the resident should submit evidence of identity.  If the purpose for the new I-551 is a biographical change, the resident should also submit evidence of the modification in the application.