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There are several reasons why your green card may expire while you wait for citizenship.
This is mainly because the process can take a very long time.
So, what should you do if your green card does expire?
You can apply for a renewal or an extension of your green card. This will give you additional time to get your application processed while still being able to live and work in the United States.
What is a green card?
The green card is a permit that allows aliens residing in the United States to work and enjoy most of the same rights as American citizens.
Green card holders are authorized to live and work in the U.S. and also enjoy protection against deportation for certain crimes, which they wouldn’t if they were still an alien.
You should apply for a renewal of your green card when there is a change in your Alien Registration Number (ARN). Additionally, it is important to apply for naturalization before or on the expiration date of your current green card.
How long does it take to renew a green card?
Renewing an expired green card is necessary if you want to stay in the U.S. after your first five years of residence. You can apply for naturalization after three more years (8 years total).
In case of expiry, you have two options: renewing it or leaving the U.S. for a certain amount of time and then applying for a new green card from your home country.
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It is important to note that leaving the U.S., especially after living there for more than six months, can be considered abandoning your green card.
If you renounce your green card, you must maintain temporary resident status, but this will not apply to those who are abandoning their green cards or have been living in the United States for less than six months continuously. If that is your case, you must leave U.S. territory after 60 days.
Why would my green card expire while waiting for citizenship?
A green card can expire while you wait for citizenship because the application process takes a long time.
If you have already been living in the U.S. with that document, it is essential to renew it before your status changes from permanent resident alien. If your original documents were damaged or lost, you would need to try and obtain a copy from your home country.
It is also possible that the green card expires while waiting for citizenship due to delays in processing that application. In most cases, it can take several months or even years before immigration services process an application. It is important to remember that they do not necessarily process applications in the order they are received.
It is essential to keep track of the expiration date of your green card because you need it for many things, including traveling outside or within the United States, starting a new job, or getting married.
It is possible for someone who holds a green card to renew it at their local U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, but it is also possible to appoint someone else to do it in your place.
What are the consequences of not having a valid green card when applying for citizenship?
It is possible to apply for citizenship without renewing the expired green card, but you will most likely need to pass an interview where they ask questions about your stay in the United States.
If you are applying for the naturalization process, your application may be denied if there are any inaccuracies or omissions on the submitted forms.
You can be denied citizenship if your green card has not been renewed after several years of waiting. If it expires while you are waiting, you should apply for naturalization as soon as possible before your status changes from permanent resident to alien.
To avoid all these complications and ensure the smooth processing of your citizenship application, renew your green card on time.
What can you do if your green card expires while you are waiting for citizenship?
Anyone currently in the United States with an expired green card must get their renewal processed as soon as possible because immigration services do not process applications in the order they are received. So this could delay your expected processing time.
If your green card expires while waiting for citizenship, you can renew it. If you need help, someone can fill out the application on your behalf.
Ensure that this person has legal authority over you and is willing to travel with you if necessary. It is also important that they prove that applying outside of the U.S. would be easier and more convenient than doing so while you are still in the country.
