USCIS Automatically Extends Green Card Validity For Naturalization Applicants

On December 12, 2022, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it would automatically extend the validity of permanent resident cards (green cards) for lawful permanent residents (LPRs) who have applied for naturalization, i.e., citizenship. Procedurally, this will be implemented by adding a green card extension to the Form N-400 (Application for Naturalization) receipt. This change will serve as much-needed help for naturalization applicants due to longer processing times and may, in certain cases, eliminate the need to file Form I-90 (Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card), saving both time and money. Previously, naturalization applicants who failed to apply for naturalization at least six months before their green cards expired had to file a Form I-90 renewal application. While well-intentioned at the time, this policy was based on USCIS's stated goal of processing naturalization applications in less than 180 days. Currently, USCIS