Washington, DC, 2007- The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that it intends to require all lawful permanent residents who currently have permanent resident cards (Green Cards) with no expiration date to replace them with new ones.
It is estimated that approximately 750,000 lawful permanent residents in the United States currently have Green Cards without an expiration date. Green Cards without a date were given out during the years of 1977 to 1990. Hence, these Green Cards are now currently 17 to 30 years old. The Green Cards are not updated and usually include old photographs of the resident. Once ordered by the USCIS, these individuals will have 120 days to renew their Green Cards.
Thought the proposal is not a concrete rule of the USCIS yet, it is expected to become a rule in the next few weeks. Individuals should begin processing their request for a Green Card now to assure receipt of new Green Card on time. The USCIS will announce a date of termination (invalidation) of all Green Cards without an expiration date. All individuals who did not request their new Green Cards ahead of time will have to wait for processing of their request to be completed and will not have a valid proof of residence or work authorization while they wait.
The change in the permanent resident cards will allow the USCIS to issue a more secure permanent resident card with a 10 year expiration date which will require residents to apply periodically for a new card. It will allow the USCIS the opportunity to update the resident’s information, conduct background checks, and store the resident’s fingerprint and biographical information.
It is important to remember that any crime of moral turpitude may cause an individual to be inadmissible. If classified as inadmissible, the individual will not be able to renew his or her Green Card. However, there are pardons available for specific crimes and wrongdoings. All individuals that have been arrested for any sort of crime after the time they were originally granted their permanent resident card (Green Card) should seek representation from an Immigration Attorney to establish whether a pardon is available to them for renewal of their Green Card and lawful permanent resident status.
About the Author:
Attorney Sonia M. Muñoz is the President of Immigration Legal Council, LLC. (ILC), a South Florida-based law firm, handling cases in all 50 states. The firm is very active in protecting the rights of Immigrants and in assisting foreign professionals to legally enter and work in the United States. You can find more information about ILC and different methods of entry into the US on their website at www.ilclawfirm.com, or by calling 1-866-482-VISA(8472). Initial Consultation is FREE.
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