How do I correct a mistake on my green card? After receiving a green card in Illinois with incorrect information on it, you may be able to correct the details by taking the right steps. Learn more about common issues people see with their green cards and how to correct them.

Most Common Mistakes on Green Cards
After successfully applying for and receiving a green card, green card recipients may notice mistakes in their documentation. In other cases, applicants may make mistakes when completing their applications that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) may include in the final documentation.
Regardless of the source of the mistake, the following are some of the most common ones that appear in green card documents.
Misspelled Names or Incorrect Personal Information
It’s possible to include the wrong name on the green card. A clerical error is usually responsible for these mistakes, often through a spelling error that may result from a government worker misreading the name on an application.
Apart from names, other types of incorrect information could appear on the green card, including the country of origin, USCIS number, and sex.
Incorrect Immigration Category or Classification
Another potential mistake on a green card could include an incorrect category or classification. For instance, someone might have entered the country on an IR1 visa as the spouse of a U.S. citizen, but the green card lists an IR2 category, which pertains to other family members of a U.S. citizen.
To avoid this error during the application process, it’s critical to know which immigrant category applies to you.
Inaccurate Dates or Expiration Information
Green card recipients may notice an incorrect date of birth on the green card or another incorrect date. In addition to birthdates, two key dates that must be correct include the card expiration date and your residency date, both of which indicate the validity of your card and the chance to change immigration status after being a resident for a certain period.
If you notice these or any other mistakes on your green card, you must take immediate action to seek a correction. Failure to do so could put your green card and immigration status in jeopardy.
Steps to Correct a Mistake on Your Green Card in Illinois
After noticing any type of error on a green card or green card application, you can take the following steps to have the U.S. government correct the information and provide you with a valid replacement green card.
Gather Required Documentation
The first step you’ll need to take is to collect all relevant supporting documentation and prepare to submit a request for correction.
The supporting documents you’ll need appear in the Specific Instructions section of the USCIS instructions for completing Form I-90, which you’ll ultimately need to submit to USCIS.
These supporting documents must contain details such as:
- An Alien Registration Number, or “A-Number”
- USCIS Online Account Number you may have received if you connected with USCIS through its online filing system
- Your full legal name
- Legal name changes
- Mailing address
- Physical address
These and other pieces of evidence will help support the correction and provide USCIS with accurate, up-to-date information.
Contact the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
If USCIS hasn’t noticed the error on your green card already, you will want to contact the agency. However, if you only realized there was an error on your application after sending it, you will need to wait until you receive a notice from USCIS indicating that the agency obtained your application before reaching out to make a correction.
If you must wait for a notice of receipt, you’ll find information that can help you navigate a correction once you receive the notice. This document will include details like your case number that can help USCIS officials locate and manage your case. As soon as you receive this notice or if you already have it, you can contact USCIS Contact Center and let the agency know about the error, requesting a correction.
USCIS makes it easy to submit a request for correction via the agency website, allowing you to make a service request for a typographic error. At this time, you would schedule a service request appointment to meet with a USCIS official who can discuss your case.
Prepare for the Appointment
After submitting a service request and scheduling an appointment with USCIS, prepare for the appointment ahead of time. This will entail collecting and organizing copies of documentation containing the error, including your green card or green card application.
Make sure you have all relevant supporting documentation with correct, up-to-date information, as this will help ensure your new green card contains accurate and error-free information.
Attend the Appointment
Once you’ve prepared for your interview, you’re ready to attend. During this appointment, you’ll have the chance to discuss the error and provide any supporting documentation to help make a correction.
Follow Up and Await Decision
Upon completing your interview, USCIS should reach out to you shortly after to determine whether it has corrected your information and will send you a replacement green card.
Importance of Correcting Mistakes on Your Green Card
If you notice an error on your green card, you must notify USCIS as soon as possible to remedy the situation. Otherwise, certain issues can occur that may complicate matters. For example, USCIS may discover the error and invalidate the green card.
Take Prompt Action
If you want to know more about how to speed up the green card process, acting fast is one of the best ways. If you notice an error and don’t act on it, USCIS could notice it later, which can lead to problems that may result in an invalid green card and negatively impact your immigration status.
More specifically, errors on a green card could make it difficult for you to gain employment, travel domestically or abroad, and otherwise make full use of your lawful permanent resident status.
Even if the error appears minor and inconsequential, an erroneous green card could be the source of much headache later. It’s best to address the issue as soon as you notice it, which can help you obtain a correct green card.
Seek Legal Help
If you’re not sure how to go about correcting an error on your green card or obtaining the right supporting documentation, you may benefit from connecting with an immigration legal services attorney in Illinois.
In addition to helping correct an error on a green card, an immigration attorney can help you in numerous ways. For example, a qualified lawyer could help immigrants with the initial application for their green card, renew their green card, and go through the naturalization process to become U.S. citizens.
An immigration attorney may also help with legal issues regarding your immigrant status. If for any reason you are facing deportation or other problems regarding immigration, an attorney could represent you and build a case in your favor.
Before a consultation, you can also learn about which documents to bring an attorney for a green card, which can help your consultation go more smoothly.
Avoiding Mistakes During the Green Card Application Process
While USCIS might be behind some errors on a green card, it’s also crucial to avoid errors during the application process.
If you’re preparing documentation to send for a green card application, taking some key steps to keep the process efficient will help you successfully apply.
Some mistakes that people can make on their green card applications include:
- Not including all relevant forms — When applying for a green card, the process can be complex and involve multiple forms that you’ll need to send to USCIS. Failure to include any pertinent forms could result in a green card denial.
- Neglecting to sign all forms — You must also provide your signature for all forms requesting them, and you’ll need to ensure your signature is in the right location on each form.
- Providing false information — This mistake could lead to a lifetime ban from the U.S., even if you fail to provide correct information by mistake. If USCIS believes that you’re not telling the truth about yourself on your application, not only will the government deny your application, but it may also bar you from entering the U.S.
- Ineligibility — Sometimes, individuals may apply for a green card or another form of documentation when they aren’t qualified, which will lead to an automatic denial.
These and other costly mistakes are critical to avoid during the application process. Working with an attorney can help you simplify the process and increase your chances of successfully applying for a green card or visa. Taking the right steps when noticing a mistake at any point before, during, or after the green card application process will help you avoid any future problems down the road.