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Home > NEWS > News Releases

USCIS To Issue Redesigned Green Card

WASHINGTON - U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that it has

redesigned the Permanent Resident Card - commonly known as the "Green Card" - to incorporate several

major new security features. The Green Card redesign is the latest advance in USCIS’s ongoing efforts to

deter immigration fraud. State-of-the-art technology incorporated into the new card prevents

counterfeiting, obstructs tampering, and facilitates quick and accurate authentication. Beginning today,

USCIS will issue all Green Cards in the new, more secure format.

"Redesigning the Green Card is a major achievement for USCIS," said Director Alejandro Mayorkas. "The

new security technology makes a critical contribution to the integrity of the immigration system."

The enhanced features will better serve law enforcement, employers, and immigrants, all of whom look to

the Green Card as definitive proof of authorization to live and work in the United States. Among the

benefits of the redesign: Secure optical media will store biometrics for rapid and reliable identification of

the card holder. Holographic images, laser engraved fingerprints, and high resolution micro-images will

make the card nearly impossible to reproduce. Tighter integration of the card design with personalized

elements will make it difficult to alter the card if stolen. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) capability

will allow Customs and Border Protection officers at ports of entry to read the card from a distance and

compare it immediately to file data. Finally, a preprinted return address will enable the easy return of a lost

card to USCIS.

In keeping with the Permanent Resident Card’s nickname, it will now be colored green for easy

recognition. USCIS will replace Green Cards already in circulation as individuals apply for renewal or

replacement.

For more information on permanent residency and other immigration benefits, visit www.uscis.gov, or call

USCIS’s National Customer Service Center at (800) 375-5283.

Last updated:05/11/2010

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USCIS - USCIS To Issue Redesigned Green Card http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f61...

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