Although it can be a pain, renewing your green card is typically a formality. While getting your first green card can be challenging, getting your current green card renewed is typically simple and uncomplicated.
If your current green card has less than six months left on it, you can apply for a new one. In order to account for any delays and prevent any lapses in the validity of your permanent residency card, it is advised that you start the process as soon as you are qualified.
Can a Renewal of a Green Card Be Refused?
Although submitting a renewal application for a green card is often just a formality, these applications may be rejected. A green card renewal may occasionally be rejected due to issues that impair your eligibility for permanent residency.
Nonetheless, the majority of the time, the applicant’s mistake is to blame when a green card renewal application is rejected.
Top 5 Grounds for Rejecting Green Card Renewal Applications
Before you realize it, ten years have passed, and it’s time to apply for a new green card. Your green card may be renewed by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) within six months of its expiration date.
The process is usually simple and straightforward, but occasionally, a green card renewal application is turned down. Make sure to learn the five most common reasons why renewals get rejected, so you can avoid these pitfalls.
Your Removal Was “Ordered”
Your green card renewal will probably be rejected if you were required to leave the country. That means at least one of the following has occurred:
- You were removed or deported by a judge.
- You signed a stated removal order.
- When you were at the border, immigration agents filled out your expedited removal application.
Keep in mind that just because your visa category is Z11, Z13, Z14, or Z15 does not mean that you have been “ordered removed.” These classifications are based on a “suspension of deportation” or “suspension of removal,” which is distinct from having your removal ordered.
You Have Broken the Law
The best course of action if you have committed a felony or misdemeanor is to see a specialist before applying to renew your green card. You have a significantly better chance of obtaining a renewable green card if you consult with an immigration lawyer.
Your Application Was Incomplete
Make sure you carefully read every instruction when applying for renewal. Here’s what to look out for:
Do not forget to sign in the appropriate locations.- Make care to affix any necessary proof, such requested photocopies of official documents.
- Pay the I-90 filing fee and the biometrics services charge, if necessary.
- Attend your biometrics appointment as scheduled.
A couple of weeks later, USCIS ought to send you an I-797 form with details on your planned biometrics appointment. Your application will probably be rejected if you don’t show up for your appointment, don’t sign your I-90 form, or don’t provide all the supporting documentation.
You Provided False Information
Ensure that every detail on your application is exact. USCIS will ask you to confirm under penalty of perjury that the documentation you submitted is accurate and complete at your biometric services appointment. Any inaccurate information found by USCIS will result in the denial of your application.
You Filled Out the Incorrect Green Card Renewal Form
A green card with conditions and a regular green card are very different from one another. Do not submit the I-90 to renew if you are a conditional permanent resident. Only in the event of loss, theft, or damage to the conditional permanent residence card should the I-90 be filed. Depending on the circumstance, conditional permanent residents may remove the conditions with either the Form I-751 or the Form I-829.
Green Card Rejection: What Comes Next?
You cannot challenge the decision if your application for a renewed green card is rejected. You can instead ask USCIS to reopen or reconsider your case by submitting a motion. You will need to submit fresh evidence in support of your application to reopen your case in order to justify the continuation of your permanent residency.
Nonetheless, submitting a motion for reconsideration signifies that you believe the USCIS’s decision to be erroneous. You need to show that the law or policy was applied incorrectly in order for your green card renewal application to be approved.
Have Questions?
If you’re interested in learning more about conditional permanent residency or the reasons why your green card renewal may have been rejected, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our friendly and helpful staff at Pride Immigration today.
