Green Card Renewal Fee: Everything You Need to Know
A green card renewal fee refers to the amount of money that you will need to pay to replace an expired green card. 3 min read
Green Card Renewal Fee
A green card renewal fee refers to the amount of money that you will need to pay to replace an expired green card. A green card, or permanent resident card, serves as proof of an individual's right to live and work in the United States.
How Much Does it Cost to Renew a Green Card?
When it comes to renewing or replacing a green card, you will need to pay costs associated with both preparation and filing to successfully receive a new one.
USCIS Fee
To replace or renew a green card, applicants need to file Form I-90 with the USCIS. The USCIS charges a fee to accept the Form I-90. The fee will be $540 if you are renewing your green card because it will expire or has already expired. The $540 fee includes a biometrics fee and an application fee.
Preparation Fee
You can prepare the Form I-90 by following one of three methods. If you feel confident about the process of renewing a green card, you can do it on your own. Otherwise, you can prepare Form I-90 through CitizenPath or with the help of an attorney.
Go to the USCIS website to download Form I-90. You will also find step-by-step instructions there. If you prepare Form I-90 on your own, you will not need to pay a fee. CitizenPath is affordable software that you can use to prepare Form I-90 if you need a little help. Finally, you can hire an attorney to help you prepare Form I-90. Most lawyers will charge $250 to $350 to prepare the form.
How to Renew a Green Card
A new green card is valid for one decade. The only exception to this rule is if you received a green card before the age of 14. You will need to renew your green card when you turn 14 years old. If your green card has expired, you will need to send Form I-90 as soon as possible.
Ideally, you should prepare and file this form six months before your green card expires. You can find the expiration date on the front of your card. If you file within six months of the expiration date, you will be less likely to experience a delay.
If your card expires while you are overseas and you did not file a renewal before you left the United States, you should contact the USCIS office, a U.S. consulate, or a U.S. port of entry as soon as possible.
When paying the $540 fee to renew your green card, you can use Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover. You can also pay the fee with a money order or check. You should not send cash in the mail to pay the fee. You will receive a receipt from the USCIS once it receives the payment, the form, and the supporting documents. You will get the receipt in an email or letter.
If you are unable to afford the green card renewal fee, the USCIS may waive the $450 fee. To prove to the USCIS that you are unable to pay the fee, you will need to file Form I-912 and pass the "inability to pay" test. The USCIS will likely waive the fee if you receive public assistance.
When can Permanent Residents use Form I-90?
If you are a permanent resident, you can use the Form I-90 unless the following is true:
- Your green card was stolen, destroyed, mutilated, or partly destroyed.
- The USCIS sent the green card but you have not received it.
You can use Form I-90 if your green card has a mistake or if the personal data of the cardholder has changed. If the green card has expired already or will expire within six months, you can use Form I-90.
When do Conditional Permanent Residents use Form I-90?
You should use Form I-90 as a permanent resident if you lost the individual card or if the green card was lost in the mail. Conditional permanent residents with a destroyed or mutilated card can use Form I-90.
Renewal or Replacement Time
It takes about three to four months for the USCIS to process a green card replacement or renewal. Therefore, you should plan accordingly if your green card is about to expire.
If you need help with a green card renewal, you should turn to the lawyers on UpCounsel's marketplace to find an attorney who will be able to meet your legal needs. UpCounsel only allows the top five percent of all lawyers who have graduated from Harvard Law, Yale Law, and other elite law schools. The lawyers on UpCounsel's marketplaces have decades of legal experience.