How to Obtain a Replacement Green Card

Start with the reason your card needs replacing. A lost card calls for a different set of supporting documents than a card with a printing error, and an expired card may affect what you attach. In most of these situations, the main application is Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card.

USCIS accepts Form I-90 online or by mail. Before you file, match your situation to the form, check the latest instructions, and confirm the current fee. That simple check can prevent a rejected or delayed application.

Match your problem to the right replacement request

You may need a replacement Green Card if your card is:

• Lost
• Stolen
• Destroyed or badly damaged
• Expired or close to expiring
• Printed with incorrect information
• Changed because your personal information is no longer correct
• Missing for another reason covered by the current Form I-90 instructions

If your card was lost, stolen, or destroyed, the usual next step is to file Form I-90. You don't get a paper copy of the old card back. Instead, the application asks USCIS to issue a new Permanent Resident Card.

An expired or soon-to-expire card also generally points you toward Form I-90. Use the expiration date printed on the card as your starting point, then review the current USCIS instructions for the filing timing and evidence required.

A card with an error may need a different approach depending on what caused the mistake. Before paying a fee, read the instructions for your specific reason. The fee rules can depend on the situation.

Start with Form I-90

The official name of the application is Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card. This is the form used to request a new physical Green Card in the situations covered by USCIS.

The form asks for information about you and the card you are replacing. It also asks you to select the reason for the application. Choose that reason carefully. For example, “lost,” “stolen,” “destroyed,” and “expired” describe different situations. Your answer should match what happened to your card.

Before you begin, gather the basic details you can find in your records, such as:

• Your name and other identifying information
• Details from the missing, damaged, or expired card, if you have them
• The reason you need a replacement
• The documents needed for that reason
• Your payment method, if a fee applies

If you no longer have the card, don't guess at information you can't confirm. Use your available records and follow the current USCIS directions for a lost or stolen card.

Read every question before submitting the form. A mistake in your reason for filing, address, or other identifying information can create problems later.

Pick the filing route that fits you

USCIS provides two ways to submit Form I-90: online and by mail. Both options use the same form, but the filing experience is different.

Filing through USCIS online

Online filing may be useful if you want to enter the application electronically and receive the online system's confirmation of submission. You still need to prepare your supporting evidence and payment as the current USCIS process requires.

Before submitting online:

1. Create or access the USCIS online account required for the application.
2. Select Form I-90.
3. Enter your information and choose the correct replacement reason.
4. Upload the documents requested for your situation.
5. Review every answer.
6. Pay the current fee, if one applies.
7. Submit the application and save the confirmation for your records.

“Green Card renewal online” usually refers to using the online Form I-90 process for an expiring or expired card. Online filing doesn't remove the need to check the instructions. Your reason for filing still controls what evidence you may need.

Sending a paper application

You can also complete a paper Form I-90 and send it to the USCIS filing address listed in the current instructions. Use the address connected to your filing method and location. USCIS filing addresses can change, so don't rely on an old envelope or a remembered address.

For a paper submission:

1. Download or obtain the current Form I-90.
2. Complete it clearly and fully.
3. Sign the form where required.
4. Add the supporting documents for your reason.
5. Include the correct payment or fee-waiver request, if allowed.
6. Make a copy of the entire package.
7. Send it using the address and delivery directions in the current USCIS instructions.

Do not send original documents unless USCIS specifically asks for them. Keep copies of what you submit and keep proof that you sent the package.

Gather your documents and payment

The exact document list depends on why you are replacing the card. A paper filing update identifies several common items:

• A completed Form I-90
• The expiring or expired Green Card, when you have it
• Photocopies of documents
• Payment, such as a check or money order when using that filing method

For an online application, the system will tell you how to provide documents and payment. For a paper application, follow the current instructions for document copies and payment format.

If the card is still with you

Keep the card available while preparing the application. USCIS may ask for a copy of an expiring, expired, damaged, or incorrect card. Make a clear photocopy if the instructions call for one.

If the card contains an error, preserve the card and any document that helps show the correct information. The current instructions should tell you what evidence belongs with that type of request.

If the card is missing

For a Green Card lost replacement, stolen card, or destroyed card, explain the situation accurately on Form I-90. You won't be able to include a copy of a card you no longer have, so check the instructions for the evidence USCIS accepts in that situation.

Don't create a replacement document or alter another record to stand in for the missing card. Use copies of any records you do have, and follow USCIS directions for the missing-card reason.

Check every copy before sending it

Make sure copies are readable. Keep a complete copy of the application, attachments, and payment record. If you file online, save the confirmation and any documents the system makes available.

Your payment must match the current USCIS instructions. A check or money order listed in an older filing update may not reflect the current process, amount, or payment rules.

Submit the application to USCIS

Once the form, evidence, and payment are ready, do one final review before filing. Confirm that:

• You selected the correct reason for replacing the card.
• Your name and other identifying details are consistent across the form and documents.
• You included the required signature.
• Your copies can be read easily.
• Your payment is for the current amount and made in the accepted format.
• Your filing method matches the instructions.
• You are using the current filing address if sending the application by mail.

Then submit the application online or mail the paper package as directed.

USCIS may send a filing confirmation or other notice after receiving the application. Keep each notice with your records. If USCIS asks for more information, respond by the deadline and use the instructions in that notice.

Filing Form I-90 starts the replacement request. It does not mean you should ignore a notice, request, or document problem that comes up later.

The next step depends on why the card is gone

Lost, stolen, or destroyed

File Form I-90 using the reason that matches what happened. If the card was stolen, keep any related records you may have, but don't assume every type of report is required unless the current USCIS instructions say so.

If you think someone may use the missing card, take reasonable steps to protect your personal records while you arrange the replacement. The filing itself is still handled through the Form I-90 process.

Expired or about to expire

Use the expiration date on the card to identify the problem. If the card is still available, prepare a photocopy if the instructions request one. Then check the current USCIS directions for the supporting documents and filing timing.

The available information does not set a renewal interval for all Green Card holders. Use the date printed on your card and confirm the current guidance instead of relying on a general schedule.

Damaged or incorrect

Keep the damaged or incorrect card. Include the copy or other evidence USCIS currently asks for. Select the reason that most closely describes the problem, since the reason can affect the documents and fee.

If you're unsure whether Form I-90 is the correct filing for your particular issue, check USCIS instructions before submitting payment.

Check the Green Card replacement fee and fee-waiver rules

The Green Card replacement fee can change. One filing update lists a $110 application fee, but that figure should not be treated as the current amount without checking the latest USCIS Form I-90 instructions.

Before you file, confirm:

• The current Form I-90 filing fee
• Whether a separate charge applies
• Which payment methods USCIS accepts
• Whether your replacement reason changes the fee
• Whether you may request a Green Card replacement fee waiver
• What form and evidence USCIS requires for a fee-waiver request

Don't simply leave out payment because you believe you qualify for a waiver. If the current rules allow a waiver, follow the waiver instructions and include the required request with the application. If the waiver request is incomplete or unsupported, USCIS may not accept it.

Because fees and payment rules can change, check the current USCIS instructions immediately before submitting. The amount shown in an older article, checklist, or filing update may be out of date.

What to do before traveling without the card

Losing your card before travel creates a separate problem. Form I-90 is the replacement application, but filing it does not automatically answer whether you can board a flight, leave the United States, or return with the documents you have.

Before making travel plans, check the current USCIS travel guidance for permanent residents. Consider:

• Whether you have another valid document showing your status
• Whether your destination or carrier has its own document rules
• Whether you have received a USCIS filing notice
• Whether you need to contact USCIS about evidence of status before traveling
• Whether the trip can wait until you have the documents required for return

Don't assume a photocopy of the lost card will work as a travel document. It may help with your records, but it isn't automatically a replacement for the original card.

If your card was stolen, keep any available record of the theft and carry only documents you are prepared to protect. For a time-sensitive trip, get guidance from USCIS before departure rather than relying on an old card image or an online filing confirmation alone.

The safest filing routine is simple: identify why the card needs replacing, use the current I-90 Form, choose online or paper filing, prepare the evidence for that reason, and verify the payment rules. Before submitting, review the latest USCIS Form I-90 instructions and confirm the current fee and supporting-document requirements.