USCIS Now Providing 24-Month Extension of Green Cards Based on Pending Form I-90
12 Oct 2022The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that, as of September 26, 2022, a person’s permanent resident card (i.e., “green card”) will be extended for two years beyond the expiration date based on a properly filed application to replace permanent resident card (form I-90). Prior to this change, a form I-90 served to extend the validity of the green card for only 12 months.
Background on Form I-90
Form I-90 is used when a lawful permanent resident seeks to renew an expiring green card. It is also used when a lawful permanent resident needs to replace a lost, damaged, or inaccurate green card. More details on this type of application can be found in the MurthyDotCom NewsBrief, Form I-90 Application for Replacement Green Card Now Can be Filed Online (06.Apr.2015).
Policy Applies to New and Pending I-90 Applications
If a permanent resident properly files a new I-90 form, the USCIS will issue the individual a receipt notice indicating that 24-month extension period. If an applicant has a pending I-90 and has already received a receipt notice indicating a 12-month extension, the USCIS will issue an amended notice with a 24-month extension from the date the green card expired. In either case, the expired green card and the receipt notice can be used as evidence of continued status as a lawful permanent resident.
Conclusion
While this is a positive change in how the USCIS processes I-90 applications, it should be noted that the change was only necessary because of the prolonged processing times for these cases. The hope is that the USCIS continues to take steps to streamline its processes to bring processing times under control.
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