USCIS announced today new designs to improve security of Permanent Resident Cards (also known as Green Cards) and Employment Authorization Documents (EADs). USCIS will begin issuing the redesigned cards on January 30, 2023.
The new Green Card and EAD designs contain state-of-the-art technology that continue to safeguard national security and improve service for our customers. Changes 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.
The introduction of the new designs does not mean that currently issued cards are invalid. Current cards remain valid until their expiration date (unless otherwise noted, such as through an automatic extension of a Green Card or EAD as indicated on a Form I-797, Notice of Action, or in a Federal Register notice).
Some Green Cards and EADs issued after January 30, 2023, may still display the existing design format because USCIS will continue using existing cardstock until current supplies are depleted. Both versions of the cards are acceptable for Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification; E-Verify; and Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE). Some older Green Cards do not have an expiration date. These older Green Cards without an expiration date generally remain valid; however, USCIS encourages applicants with these older cards to consider applying for a replacement card to prevent fraud or tampering should the card ever get lost or stolen.
USCIS launched the current cards in May 2017. To mitigate the risk of fraud and counterfeiting, the Document Management Division in the USCIS Office of Intake and Document Production redesigns the cards every three to five years. Redesigning the cards is part of the Secure Identification Platform (SIP) Project. The SIP Project began in 2019 with extensive market research. The USCIS Document Management Division met with key industry leaders and stakeholders to learn industry best practices.
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