When permanent residency status expires and you are still in the U.S., you are considered to have no status, and therefore are in the country illegally. Permanent residency status is informally known as holding a green card. Green cards are good for either two or 10 years, depending on the card's conditions. In some cases, you may be eligible to renew your green card after it has expired. Take a few steps to check the status of your expired green card.

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How to Find Out If a Resident Green Card Has Expired

Instructions

1

Look at the expired green card. Note the date of issuance and the expiration date, both listed on the front of the card. If the card was valid for two years (because it is a conditional green card), your green card has expired for good, holds no validity and is not eligible for renewal.

2

Look on the front of the card and find the number, otherwise known as the A-number, issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Call USCIS at 800-375-5283, provide your A-number and ask if you are eligible for renewal. If your card was valid for 10 years, you did not physically leave the U.S. for more than 12 months at a time and the card is considered to have expired within a reasonable enough amount of time for your card to possibly be eligible for renewal.

3

Visit the website of USCIS (uscis.gov) and click "Renew or Replace my Green Card" under the larger heading of "Green Card (Permanent Residence)." Click "Renew a Green Card" at the top of the screen and then click on the link for "E-Filing Form I-90." Set up a user name and password to begin your electronic application for renewal.

4

Complete the electronic application and pay the applicable fee with a credit card. Receive a receipt number in your e-mail inbox.

5

Visit the home page of USCIS and locate the "Case Status" portal on the left side of the page. Type your receipt number into the portal labeled "Enter Your Receipt Number" and click the "Check Status" button just underneath the portal. View the processing status of your green card renewal application.

Tags: green card, eligible renewal, Green Card, your green