I-90 processing time

What the data says today

USCIS reports one row for the I-90, covering both renewals and replacements.

Source: USCIS, All Forms by Quarter, FY2026 Q3. The median covers cases USCIS finished in April to June; cases still waiting are not in it.

Two readings from these counts, by our own calculation:

• USCIS decided 254,227 I-90s in the quarter, 45,916 more than it received. The line was getting shorter in that quarter, not longer.
• 97.5% of decisions were approvals (247,819 of 254,227).

The monthly report to Congress, which gives August 2026 averages for other forms, does not include the I-90. So there is no average to show next to the median. For your own case, see the time for your office on the USCIS processing times page, and compare other forms on the processing times hub.

Your receipt notice keeps your status

The wait matters less than it looks, because the receipt works as proof while you wait. The Replace Your Green Card page says, for a renewal:

• The I-90 receipt notice, together with your expired green card, is evidence of your permanent resident status for 36 months from the expiration date on the card.
• USCIS says you remain authorized to work and travel.
• The notice with the expired card is evidence of your status and work authorization, for example for an employer’s Form I-9. USCIS lists a line for I-9 questions on that page: 888-897-7781.
• If you no longer have your card at all, USCIS may issue an ADIT stamp after you file, as evidence of your status while you wait.

If USCIS already accepted your renewal, the same page says it will mail you a new receipt notice to use with your expired card as temporary evidence of your status.

Outside the US? If your card will expire within six months while you are abroad, but you will be back within one year of leaving and before it expires, USCIS says to file the I-90 as soon as you return.

Keep the receipt notice with the card. If you move, update your address in your USCIS online account or with Form AR-11 (change of address), so neither the notices nor the new card go astray.

When to file and what it costs

USCIS says a permanent resident must replace the card if it:

• is expired, or will expire within the next six months;
• was lost, stolen, mutilated or destroyed;
• was issued before you turned 14, and you have now turned 14 (with exceptions on the USCIS page);
• has wrong information, or your name or other details legally changed;
• never reached you;
• no longer fits how you live: you were a commuter and now take up residence in the US, or the other way around.

Conditional residents (two-year card) do not use the I-90 to remove conditions. They file the I-751 or the I-829 (Form I-90).

Fees, from the G-1055 as checked on Nov. 4, 2026:

Some applicants may qualify for a fee waiver with Form I-912; the G-1055 points to its instructions.

How to file. Online with a USCIS online account, or by mail. For U.S. Postal Service mail, the I-90 page lists USCIS, Attn: I-90, P.O. Box 21262, Phoenix, AZ 85036-1262; courier deliveries use a different street address on the same page. If you file on paper and have no online account, USCIS creates one and mails you an account acceptance notice.

What your I-90 status will show

1. Case Was Received. USCIS asks you to wait 72 hours after filing before checking your case status.
2. Biometrics. If USCIS decides you need them, it mails an appointment notice. For the I-90, USCIS uses your biometrics to produce the new card, and its Policy Manual says the I-90 always needs a new photo. See biometrics appointment and “Case Was Updated To Show Fingerprints Were Taken”.
3. Review, sometimes with a request for evidence (evidence stage).
4. Case Was Approved, then “New Card Is Being Produced” and “Card Was Mailed To Me” (card stage). How to follow the USPS tracking number and what to do if the card goes missing: green card status.

If USCIS denies the I-90, it sends a letter with the reasons. You cannot appeal, but you can file a motion to reopen or reconsider with the office that decided (Replace Your Green Card).

If your I-90 is taking longer than normal

USCIS does not look into cases still within normal processing time. Check your form and office on the processing times page. If you are past it:

1. Case inquiry. Submit an e-Request.
2. Contact Center. Call the USCIS Contact Center with your name, date of birth, receipt number and A-Number ready.
3. Expedite. For an emergency or severe financial loss, read the expedite criteria. USCIS decides at its discretion.

Before filing an I-90, USCIS suggests checking whether you can apply for citizenship instead: see N-400 processing time. Every status message is explained in our status index. The YourCaseStatus app (coming soon) will alert you when your status changes.

Official links

• USCIS Form I-90
• Replace Your Green Card
• G-1055 Fee Schedule
• Check your case status
• USCIS processing times
• Case inquiry (e-Request)