Your rights as a green card holder and what can put them at risk

This page covers your rights as a permanent resident and the things that can put them at risk. It is general information, not legal advice. How to fight a deportation case is on Can a green card holder be deported, and how to fight it.

What rights do I have as a green card holder?

You are a lawful permanent resident. That means:

• You may live in the United States permanently.
• You may work for almost any employer. Your green card proves you can work.
• You may travel abroad and come back, as long as your trips are temporary.
• You may qualify for some public benefits. Rules depend on the program and your history. See Benefits in California based on immigration status.
• You may sponsor some family members for green cards. See How a family member can help you get a green card.
• You may apply for citizenship after you meet the time rules, usually 5 years as a permanent resident, or 3 if you are married to and living with a U.S. citizen.
• You keep your constitutional rights, like the right to stay silent and to have a lawyer in a criminal case. See Your rights in California.

Does my status end when my card expires?

No. Your card expires. Your status does not. You stay a permanent resident until you become a citizen, give up your status, or an immigration judge orders you removed.

Still, renew on time. USCIS says to file Form I-90 if your card has expired or will expire within six months. When you renew, your receipt notice, together with your expired card, proves your status, your right to work and your right to travel for 36 months past the card's expiration date.

Conditional residents with a two year card do not use the I-90 to renew. They file a different form to remove the conditions. See How to remove conditions on your two year green card.

Do I have to carry my green card?

Yes. Federal law says permanent residents 18 and older must carry their card at all times. Not carrying it is a misdemeanor. USCIS also says applying for citizenship does not change this rule.

Keep a copy, front and back, in a safe place at home. If your card is lost or stolen, file Form I-90 to replace it.

How can I lose my green card?

USCIS lists four main ways:

1. An immigration judge orders you removed. You lose your status when the removal order is final. A Notice to Appear starts the case. It does not by itself take away your status.
2. You abandon your status. This can happen by moving abroad to live, by staying away too long, or by filing U.S. taxes as a "nonimmigrant."
3. USCIS rescinds it. Within your first five years, USCIS can start a case to take it back if it finds you were never eligible.
4. Conditional status ends. For two year cards, USCIS can end conditional status, for example if it finds fraud.

You can also give up your status on purpose by signing Form I-407. That form is a voluntary choice. Do not sign it at the airport or anywhere else unless you truly mean to give up your green card. You may ask to have your case heard by an immigration judge instead.

How long can I stay outside the United States?

Short trips are usually fine. Long ones are where people get hurt.

• Over 6 months: a trip of 6 months or more can break the "continuous residence" you need for citizenship.
• Over 180 days: border officers can treat you as someone asking to be admitted, as if you were arriving for the first time. That means they can check you for every reason to keep someone out.
• About 1 year: USCIS calls a trip of more than a year a general sign of abandonment. Even shorter trips can count if officers decide you did not mean to keep the U.S. as your home.
• Over 2 years: a reentry permit lasts at most 2 years. After that you may need a returning resident (SB-1) visa from a U.S. consulate abroad.

Before a long trip, file for a reentry permit on Form I-131 while you are still in the U.S. It helps show you plan to come back. If you will be gone a year or more and want to protect your citizenship timeline, USCIS says you may file Form N-470. It has strict rules, so ask a lawyer whether you qualify.

Show your ties. Officers look at whether you kept a U.S. job, home or mailing address, bank accounts, driver's license, and whether you filed U.S. taxes as a resident. Keep proof.

See Will long trips abroad hurt my citizenship application?

Which crimes can put my green card at risk?

Many crimes can make a permanent resident deportable. Under federal law, these include:

• A crime involving moral turpitude committed within 5 years after you were admitted, if the crime can carry a sentence of a year or more
• Two or more crimes involving moral turpitude at any time after admission, from separate events
• An "aggravated felony," a long list in immigration law that includes some crimes that are not felonies under California law
• Drug offenses, except a single conviction for possessing 30 grams or less of marijuana for your own use. Being a drug abuser or addict can also count.
• Firearm offenses
• Domestic violence, stalking, child abuse or neglect, and violating a protection order

These are just the main groups. Immigration law has its own meaning of "conviction," and a plea deal, diversion or probation can still count. See How a criminal record can affect your immigration status and What is a crime involving moral turpitude?

Why is travel risky if I have a record?

When you come back from a trip, you are usually not treated as a new arrival. But federal law lists exceptions. They include being away more than 180 days, and having committed certain crimes, such as a crime involving moral turpitude or a drug offense. If an exception applies, officers can treat you as seeking admission.

In Blanche v. Lau, decided June 23, 2026, the Supreme Court said a border officer does not need clear and convincing proof of a crime before treating a returning green card holder that way. The person in that case was let in on parole while his criminal case was pending and later put in removal proceedings.

So if you have any arrest, charge or conviction, even an old one, talk with a lawyer before you leave the country. See Green card holders: should I travel abroad with pending criminal charges?

What paperwork mistakes can cause trouble?

• Not reporting a move. All noncitizens must tell USCIS about a new address within 10 days. Failing to do so can make a person deportable unless the failure was not willful or had a good excuse. Changing your address with the post office does not update USCIS.
• Claiming to be a U.S. citizen. Checking "citizen" on a job form, a loan form or a voter form can make you deportable. There is a narrow exception for some people raised by U.S. citizen parents.
• Voting. Voting in an election that is limited to citizens can make you deportable. Since August 29, 2025, USCIS policy says it will issue a Notice to Appear to citizenship applicants who voted unlawfully or falsely claimed citizenship, with limited exceptions. If you registered to vote by mistake, talk with a lawyer before you apply for anything.
• Selective Service. Almost all men ages 18 through 25 who live in the U.S., including green card holders, must register. Not registering can cause problems when you apply for citizenship.
• Filing taxes as a nonimmigrant. This can be used as a sign you gave up your status.

Questions people ask us

Can ICE or a border officer take my green card? An officer may take the card or ask you to sign Form I-407. Taking the card does not end your status. Only a final order from an immigration judge does, or your own voluntary choice. Ask for a hearing before a judge, and call a lawyer.

My card is expired. Can I still travel? USCIS says you need a valid, unexpired green card to reenter after a trip. If you filed to renew, USCIS says your I-90 receipt notice, shown with your expired card, proves your status for 36 months and says you remain authorized to travel. Still, ask a lawyer before you travel with only a receipt.

Should I become a citizen? The deportation rules on this page apply to noncitizens. Citizenship can be taken away only in limited cases. See Can my US citizenship be taken away? If you qualify, it is worth looking at. Get screened first if you have any record. See Can I become a US citizen? Check these warning signs first.

I got a Notice to Appear. Have I lost my green card? Not yet. You keep your status while the case goes on. Get a lawyer fast. See What a Notice to Appear means.

Who can help?

These are free or low cost public offices and nonprofits. Contact them to confirm hours, languages and openings. Being listed here is not a referral or a promise of service.

• Anywhere in the U.S.: the DOJ list of pro bono legal service providers or ImmigrationLawHelp.org. If you are charged with a crime and cannot afford a lawyer, ask the court for a public defender.

For San Mateo and Santa Clara county residents:

• Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto (CLSEPA): 650-326-6440
• Immigration Institute of the Bay Area, Redwood City: (650) 587-1558, by appointment
• Catholic Charities San Francisco (serves San Mateo County): (650) 285-6451
• Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County: (408) 468-0100
• Asian Law Alliance, San Jose: (408) 287-9710
• Criminal defense if you are charged and cannot afford a lawyer: San Mateo County Private Defender Program (650) 298-4000; Santa Clara County Public Defender (408) 299-7700

Anywhere in California:

• California Department of Social Services: the state's map of free immigration legal services, or call (916) 651-8017.

See Free or low cost legal help in the Bay Area.

Is there a checklist I can print?

Yes. Keep it with your important papers.

Your green card is something you worked hard for. Knowing the rules is how you keep it. Take the steps above, and reach out early when something worries you.