Old Green Cards May Have to be Replaced

The Associated Press reports:

Hundreds of thousands of legal residents whose green cards don’t have expiration dates may have to pay $370 to replace them, or risk criminal penalties.

A division of the Homeland Security Department on Wednesday proposed requiring legal residents with those cards to pay a $290 replacement application fee plus $80 for electronic fingerprints and a photo.

Those who repeatedly fail to comply face up to 30 days in prison and a $100 fine, under the proposal.

Citizenship and Immigration Services estimates about 750,000 legal permanent U.S. residents were issued green cards between 1977 and 1989 that lack expiration dates.

Green cards are proof of authorization to live and work in the United States. Legal residents must carry the cards at all times.

Under the proposal, legal residents would have 120 days to replace their cards.

If they fail to apply for a replacement, their green cards would eventually be terminated on a date to be set later. A terminated card would not invalidate an immigrant’s status as a legal resident, but could make it hard to travel or get a new job. Click here for the full story.

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