Permanent Residence Cards, commonly referred to as “Green Cards”, are not permanent. Generally, they have to be renewed every ten years.
While the expiration of your Green Card does not mean that your status as a permanent resident expires, it can create some practical problems for you. For example, while it is legal to continue working after your card expires, a new employer cannot hire you if you do not possess a valid, unexpired card. Similarly, you will have problems qualifying for unemployment with an expired card. And good luck coming back into the country from abroad if your card has expired. Finally, you really should consider citizenship, but you need a valid card to apply for naturalization. Simply put, it is not a good idea to allow you card to expire.
You can begin the process of renewing your card as early as six months before the expiration date. Because of the current backlogs in processing renewals, do not delay in beginning the process. While we have seen cards renewed in just a few months, we have also seen it take a couple of years.
Our staff at Oxford Law PLLC would love to help you through this process. Call us at (409) 727-7711 or (800) 833-9151 for a free consultation.