Many people delay renewing their green card for several reasons: you don’t have enough time on the weekends, the $540 filing fee is out of your price range for the moment, or simply you don’t think a valid Green Card matters, to list a few examples.
Regardless of the reason, you may very well find yourself in one of the following situations, and you will wish you had a valid Green Card.
- Driver’s License – Most Department of Motor Vehicles require that you show proof of legal presence. Typically, a Green Card is proof of legal presence, however an expired Green Card will not be considered proof. If your driver’s license expires and you do not own a non-expired Green Card, you can find yourself without driving privileges for months.
- Traveling– Our office does not recommend traveling near the expiration date of your Green Card or if a renewal is pending. The potential risks are not worth your time and money. Most airlines will not allow a passenger with an expired Green Card board the plane. In addition, a Customs & Border Protection (CBP) officer may not allow you to re-enter the U.S., or you might experience a long delay and a large reentry fee.
- Work – When starting a new job, you are obligated by law to complete a Form I-9, a form used to identify you and allow you to legally work in the United States. A non-expired Green Card is needed to satisfy the “List A” document requirements.