USCIS Form I-90

Facts in this article that refer to USCIS instructions for Form I-90 refer to the 02/27/17 edition of the USCIS instructions for Form I-90.

USCIS Form I-90, the Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card (Green Card), can be filed in many different circumstances. The form can be filed online, or through a paper filing. If you are considering filing Form I-90, some common mistakes that people can make when filing Form I-90.

Selecting the wrong category

USCIS provides several different categories to file form I-90 under. For example, one category is “My previous card has been lost, stolen, or destroyed”  

It is important to know which category you are filing under because the filing category can affect the evidence that is required for your application and it can also affect the filing fee. For example the USCIS instructions request that those filing under the category “My existing card has been mutilated” submit a copy of your Permanent Resident Card or government issued form of identification. Under the category, “My existing card has incorrect data because of DHS error,” USCIS instructions request that you attach your original Permanent Resident Card issued with the incorrect data, and that a copy of the card is not acceptable.

Note that if the USCIS instructions state not to select the category, “My previous card was issued but never received” if the card was mailed to you at the address you provided, and it was never returned as undeliverable to USCIS. 

Not providing the appropriate filing fee

USCIS will not accept your Form I-90 unless you provide the appropriate application fee. As of the date this article was written, for many applicants the filing fee for Form I-90 is 455.00 dollars, plus an 85.00 biometrics fee. One should note that the filing fee can vary by category and therefore it is very important to have the fee that is appropriate for your category. Fees to USCIS are payable through money order, check, or credit card. Checks and money orders must be written to “U.S. Department of Homeland Security” written in full without any abbreviations. One can pay through credit card by filling out form G -1450, Authorization for credit card transactions. Filing fees can sometimes change, so it is important to keep up to date with the filing fees. 

Filing too early

If you are filing under the category “my existing card has already expired or will expire in six months” your application may be denied if you file before 6 months prior to the date of expiry on your green card. This means that generally people file within 6 months of their green card expiring.