The INS has announced the issuance of a new fraud-resistant “green card.” The agency calls the new permanent residency document “one of the most sophisticated, counterfeit-resistant documents produced by the federal government” and is now pinning its hopes on the card to put a bite in the increasingly sophisticated counterfeit green card industry. The rollout of the card has been delayed for three months due to quality control problems.

According to the INS, the new card has a number security features including digital images, holograms, micro-printing (using an image of the nation’s 42 Presidents plus flags of the 50 states) and an optical memory strip.The new card is also getting a new name changing from Alien Registration Receipt Card to Permanent Residence Card. The new cards will still have the same I-551 form number as the previous cards.

The cards are currently being produced at the Vermont Service Center only, but the INS expects three more machines to be online by the end of the calendar year.

Holders of previous versions of the green card do not need to replace their cards right away. Cards issued since 1989 have 10 year expiration dates and there will be a gradual replacement of existing card. Those holding cards issued between 1977 and 1989 will not be required to replace their cards until an official replacement program is in place at an undetermined future date.

Individuals needing to renew expired green cards should file in person Form I-90 (available on the SSHC Forms Center at http://www.visalaw.com) along with a filing fee of $75 at their local INS office.

The card is not being issued without some controversy. Some immigration advocacy groups are concerned that the new cards say the country of nationality on the front of the front instead of the numerical code on the current cards. The groups believe this could lead to discrimination on account of nationality.