Does your green card or permanent resident card have an expiration date?

A proposed USCIS rule would require all United States permanent residents with a green card without an expiration date to apply for a new and updated green card.

There are approximately 750,000 green card holders with a permanent resident card without an expiration date. These green cards were issued to individuals between 1977 and 1989. The old green cards with no expiration date (Form AR-3, AR-103 and I-151) will be valid until the USCIS sets a termination date for the cards, which will soon be published in the Federal Registry. While it is currently not required to update green cards without an expiration date, it is strongly recommended to do so. The total fee for renewing a green card is $370, which includes the $80 biometric fee. This is the same fee as any other permanent resident must currently pay to have his or her green card renewed. Click here to order the Green Card Renewal application guide.

The purpose of the new Green Card (Permanent Resident Card) regulations:

• Ensure that all green card holders have the latest tamper proof and secure version of the “Green Card”
• Ensure that all green cards have a recent photo and fingerprints of the bearer
• Ensure that all personal information of the green card holders is up to date, including recent finger prints, photograph, and background check

When the proposal is made into law, permanent residents would have 120 days to apply for their updated green card. It is important to remember that permanent residents must be able to prove that they are legally in the country at all times by carrying a valid green card. If the old green cards are cancelled due to the new USCIS rule, the permanent resident will be “out-of-status” which can lead to consequences including fines and/or imprisonment.

Critics of the proposed update come from permanent residents that are afraid of a denial of their green card application and removal from the United States.