** LEGAL UPDATE **
U.S. permanent residents carry what's known as a "green card" to prove their status. That card, however, must be renewed every ten years. The procedure for doing so is to fill out and file Form I-90 with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and pay a fee. Once the agency receives your complete application, it will send you a receipt notice, which automatically extends the holder's status for a time.
This extension is meant to cover the all-too-common situation where USCIS fails to approve the renewal and issue a new green card before the old one expires. The typical extension is for 12 months. In 2022, however, USCIS announced that, in light of its unusually long processing times, it would automatically extend the validity of permanent resident cards (green cards) to 24 months via these receipt notices.
If you've already filed for a renewal using Form I-90 and gotten an old USCIS receipt notice that says 12 months, you don't need to do anything. USCIS is printing and sending amended receipt notices for applicants whose I-90s are pending a decision with the 24-month extension.
If you need to demonstrate your U.S. permanent resident status, for example when traveling or job-searching, you can show the receipt notice along with your expired green card. (Make a copy or two and keep these in safe places in case you lose this!)
Effective Date: September 26, 2022