The government has started automatically extending Green Cards for lawful permanent residents who have applied for U.S. citizenship. The automatic extension means that citizenship applicants no longer need to apply to replace their Green Cards while their citizenship applications are pending with the government. USCIS will update the language on its citizenship receipt notices to indicate that Green Cards are extended for up to 24 months. The receipt notice and the expired Green Card serve as evidence of continued permanent residence status. This extension is especially important to show evidence of employment authorization and ability to reenter the U.S. from international travel.
The extension applies to all applicants who file Form N-400 on or after December 12, 2022. Green Card holders who filed naturalization applications prior to December 12 will not receive the extended receipt notice. We have revised the case strategy for impacted clients.