Sat, Jun 4th, 04:44 AM
When to File a Form I-90 U.S. Immigration Form
The Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card, is an immigration form for lawful permanent residents and conditional permanent residents who need to replace their permanent resident card (“green card”). It is for individuals who have already had a green card issued — not for individuals looking to receive a green card for the first time — and it can be filed by mail or electronically.
Replacement green cards can be requested when the original card is no longer valid or when the resident’s information has changed. It should be noted that conditional permanent residents looking to have the conditions removed from their residency status cannot file a Form I-90, and must apply using a different form.
There are a number of reasons why green cards need to be replaced:
- The original card has been lost or stolen.
- The original card has been damaged or partially destroyed.
- The original card has expired and needs to be renewed.
Residents can also request to have their green card replaced if their original card was never received. However, in order to claim that the card was never received, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) must have a record showing that the original card was returned to them as undeliverable. If USCIS cannot confirm that a resident’s card was returned as undeliverable, then the resident needs to file the I-90 form with a claim that the original card was “lost, stolen, or destroyed”.
There are also a number of reasons why green cards need to be re-issued with new information:
- The original card was issued with incorrect information due to an error made by USCIS.
- The card holder’s name has legally changed, or there is some other reason (other than USCIS error) why the current information on the green card is not correct.
- The cardholder has reached his or her 14th birthday (child cardholders must undergo registration and fingerprinting within 30 days after their 14th birthday).
- The cardholder is changing from permanent resident to commuter status, or vice versa.
- The card holder’s status has automatically converted to permanent resident status.
The I-90 form can also be filed by individuals who have prior editions of the Alien Registration Card. In limited circumstances, there may be other unspecified reasons for requesting a replacement green card.
Filing the Form I-90 requires an application fee and a biometric fee, although USCIS may waive one or both of those fees depending on the circumstances. For example, neither application fee nor biometric fee are required if the new card is being issued due to an error made by USCIS. The situations in which these fees can be waived are explained in the Form I-90 instructions.
The immigration form also needs to be filed along with the supporting documentation that USCIS has determined to be relevant.