US NEWS
New Green Cards: Is your Permanent Resident Card still valid or do you need to get a new one?
New designs have been released which include increased security measures to prevent fraud and counterfeit.
The US government has announced a new design for green cards, officially designated Permanent Resident Cards. A number of changes are to be made the these cards which have been sent out since 30 January.
The new design changes are said to integrate “state-of-the-art technology” and “include:
- improved detailed artwork;
- tactile printing that is better integrated with the artwork;
- enhanced optically variable ink;
- highly secure holographic images on the front and back of the cards;
- a layer-reveal feature with a partial window on the back photo box; and
- data fields displayed in different places than on previous versions.
“This redesign further demonstrates the US Citizens and Immigration Services’ (USCIS) commitment to taking a proactive approach against the threat of secure document tampering, counterfeiting, and fraud,” said USCIS Director Ur Jaddou in a statement.
Redesigns of cards happen every three to five years to stop fraudsters. Redesigning the cards is part of the Secure Identification Platform (SIP) Project which began in 2019. Consultation included meeting with key industry leaders and stakeholders to learn industry best practices.
Do current cards remain valid?
Yep. The validity of current cards will end on their expiration date, at which point a redesigned version will be issued. Additionally, while some new cards were sent earlier this week, the USCIS does plan to deplete its “existing cardstock,” meaning if you applied for a card recently you might receive the old version.
Older Green Cards may not have an expiration date, and these specific versions will remain valid. Nevertheless, the USCIS advises permanent residents to apply for a new version.