Good news! The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has extended the validity of Permanent Resident Cards, or Green Cards, for lawful permanent residents who file Form I-90. The validity period has been increased to 36 months, offering some breathing room to those waiting for their cards to be renewed.
The decision took effect on September 10, 2024, and according to USCIS, it will benefit applicants who submit Form I-90 to renew an expiring or expired Green Card. Form I-90 receipt notices had previously provided a 24-month extension of the validity of a Green Card.
How does it help?
Green Card holders are eligible to travel in and out of the United States, however, they are not permitted to stay outside the US for over one year, or their Green Card will expire and they will be required to undergo the application process once again.
Under the new policy, notices of the card extension can be presented along with an expired Green Card as proof of continued legal status in the US. This also serves as employment authorisation while waiting for the new card.
For those who no longer have their Green Card and need evidence of their lawful permanent resident status, USCIS recommends contacting their Field Office. “If you need proof of your status while waiting for the replacement, you can request an appointment at the USCIS Contact Centre. After filing Form I-90, we may issue you an Alien Documentation, Identification, and Telecommunications (ADIT) stamp,” the agency confirmed.
When do you need to renew your Permanent Resident Card?
If you’re wondering when to renew your Permanent Resident Card, it depends on your card’s validity period.
You should renew your card if it is valid for 10 years and has either expired or is due to expire within the next 6 months.
If your card is valid for 36 years (since September 10, 224), it means you are a conditional resident. In this case, you’ll need to file a petition to remove the conditions on your residence before your card expires. You can file this petition up to 90 days before your conditional green card expires.
If your petition is approved, you’ll receive a new card valid for 10 years, and there is no need to file Form I-90.
Additionally, if your card doesn’t have an expiration date on the front, it’s likely an old version, which may no longer be valid. In such cases, USCIS recommends that you apply to renew your card, even if it lacks an expiration date.
When do you need to replace your Permanent Resident card?
There are specific instances when you’ll need to replace your card. These include:
*If any of the information on the card needs to be changed
*If the card has been lost, stolen, or damaged.
Also, if you became a permanent resident before the age of 14, you are required to replace your card once you turn 14.
How long do Green Card holders wait?
The extension is aimed at addressing long processing times. Despite this change, the overall process remains slow for many applicants, as green cards are still subject to long waiting periods. In fact, a report by the Cato Institute shows that only about 3% of applicants are likely to obtain a green card in the US this year.
The demand is staggering, with 34.7 million applications currently in the pipeline for the 2024 financial year. To put that into perspective, only about 10 million applied back in 1996. The US government plans to approve around 1.1 million green card applications this year, leaving a large number of applicants waiting.
Who is in the line for Green Cards?
Notably, a large proportion of those applying are of Asian descent, with Indian Americans forming a considerable portion. Many of these applicants hold advanced degrees and are key players in sectors like technology, medicine, and academia.
According to USCIS data, over a million Indians are waiting for their Green Cards, facing wait times that can stretch for decades. The primary reason for these delays is the annual limit on employment-based green cards, set at 140,000, alongside a 7% per-country cap.
This backlog impacts not only the applicants but also their families, delaying their access to permanent residency and citizenship.
How many people hold Green Cards today?
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) estimated that in 2022, there were 12.9 million Green Card holders residing in the US. Of those, 9.2 million were eligible for citizenship, although many remain stuck in the system due to long wait times and processing delays.
The Covid-19 pandemic slowed down admissions temporarily, but the numbers are now rising. Over a million new Green Card holders were admitted in 2022, and the trend is expected to continue upwards.
A study by the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP) revealed that more than 1.2 million Indians are currently waiting in the top three employment-based green card categories. These applicants are mostly in high-demand sectors such as technology, medicine, and academia, yet their applications are often caught in years-long delays due to per-country limits.
The 7% cap disproportionately affects countries like India, where the pool of skilled professionals is large. Despite the demand for tech talent in the US, many Indian immigrants face lengthy delays in securing permanent residency. “Without legislative intervention, it could take nearly two centuries to clear the backlog,” the study noted.
First Published: Sep 20 2024 | 4:18 PM IST
