Your I-485 is approved. After years of waiting, the status page finally changes, and then a new set of questions starts. When does the card arrive? Are you a resident yet? Can you travel? This is a short list of what happens next and what to do in your first weeks.
As of October 31, 2026, this guide is built from USCIS's own after-approval pages and its employer handbook.
- USCIS mails a welcome notice, then the Permanent Resident Card.
- Submit an e-Request after 30 days without a notice, or 30 days after the notice without a card.
- If you move before the card arrives, change your address online or submit an e-Request.
- USCIS only generally sends secure documents to U.S. addresses, unless special rules apply.
- Stamps or temporary documents can be used for a Social Security card, license or short travel.
- Report any address change to USCIS within 10 days.
What happens right after approval?
Two mailings. USCIS says "after you become a permanent resident, we mail you a welcome notice. Then we mail your new Permanent Resident Card (Green Card)" (USCIS, After Receiving a Decision). The card then serves as "evidence of identity and status in the United States" (USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 11, Part B, Ch. 1).
You can follow the delivery. USCIS says applicants "may track the delivery status of their secure identity document by signing up for a Case Status Online account to obtain a tracking number," and may use USPS Informed Delivery to preview mail in transit (USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 11, Part A, Ch. 2). Our guide to USCIS case status explains the tool.
When should the card arrive, and when do you worry?
Use the 30-day markers. USCIS tells you to submit an e-Request if (USCIS, After Receiving a Decision):
- "It has been more than 30 days since you became a permanent resident, and you have not received your welcome notice."
- "It has been more than 30 days since you received your welcome notice but you have not received your new card."
- "You received your welcome notice or card, but you believe there is an error."
Do check the details on the card when it arrives, including your name and date of birth. USCIS says it must be replaced with Form I-90 if "your card contains incorrect information," though the form instructions distinguish errors made by USCIS, so read them before paying a fee (USCIS, Replace Your Green Card).
What if you moved?
Update USCIS right away. USCIS says "if you move before you get your card, change your address online or submit an e-Request" (USCIS, After Receiving a Decision). The general rule still applies too: "Aliens must report any change of address within 10 days of moving within the United States or its territories," and USCIS says "if more than one application or petition is pending, the requestor should ensure that USCIS updates the address on all pending benefit requests" (USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 11, Part A, Ch. 2). Our guide to Form AR-11 explains how.
USCIS also says it generally "only sends secure identity documents to U.S. addresses," so plan ahead if you are about to go abroad.
How do you prove your status before the card arrives?
With any stamp or temporary document you were given. "Until you receive your new Permanent Resident Card, use this stamp or document" for three situations (USCIS, After Receiving a Decision): applying for an unrestricted Social Security card, applying for a driver's license, or when "you need to travel abroad for less than one year."
Not everyone receives one. USCIS says "if you were already in the U.S. when you became a permanent resident, and have not yet received temporary evidence of your new status, please follow the instructions on your approval notice."
What should you do at work?
Show your employer the right document when you need to. For an I-9, an employer must let you choose: "an LPR may choose to present a List A document (such as Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card, commonly referred to as a Green Card) or a List B and C document combination (such as a state-issued driver's license and unrestricted Social Security card)." The handbook also says "you are not required to reverify the employment eligibility of a lawful permanent resident who presented these documents" (USCIS, Handbook for Employers M-274, 7.1).
Temporary stamps are different and require reverification, so tell HR if that is what you are using.
Do you have to stay with your employer? Your status is no longer tied to a temporary work visa, but many green cards are based on a job offer. Keep records of your job and of any change after approval, in case the question comes up later, such as at naturalization.
Which old documents can you stop using?
In our reading, your new card replaces the need for visa-based paperwork in everyday use. Your EAD and advance parole were tied to the pending application, so keep them with your records but rely on the green card or temporary I-551 evidence for work and travel. If you have a spouse or children with their own applications, check that each person has an approval and a card. Our guide to derivative family green cards covers family members.
If you sent original documents with your case and want them back, USCIS says to file Form G-884, its request for the return of original documents. Do this while your address details are current, because mailings can go astray after a move.
Are there travel limits now?
Yes, but different ones. A green card "is valid for readmission to the United States after a trip abroad if you do not leave for longer than 1 year," USCIS says, and "if your trip will last longer than 1 year, a reentry permit is needed" (USCIS, After We Grant Your Green Card). Long absences can raise the issue of abandonment, and USCIS also warns that "absences from the United States of six months or more may disrupt the continuous residency required for naturalization" (USCIS, International Travel as a Permanent Resident). Our guide to maintaining permanent residence has more.
When does the citizenship clock start?
From the date you became a permanent resident. USCIS says you must "show you have been a lawfully admitted permanent resident of the United States for at least five years," with "continuous residence" and physical presence "for at least 30 months out of the five years immediately before the date you file" (USCIS, I am a Lawful Permanent Resident of 5 Years). Our guide to naturalization after an employment green card covers how to use the date on your card.
What about a conditional card?
If your card lasts only two years, your next deadline is close. "You must file a petition to remove conditions 90 days before your Green Card expires, or you will lose your permanent resident status" (USCIS, After We Grant Your Green Card). Put that window in your calendar now.
What this means for you
- Save the approval notice and welcome notice somewhere safe.
- Check your card for errors as soon as it arrives.
- Use the 30-day markers before asking USCIS about missing mail.
- Update your address within 10 days of a move.
- Carry the card if you are 18 or older, and mark your renewal or conditional deadline.
- Record the date on the card for your future naturalization filing.
Where to start
Green card approved? Your family members or colleagues might still be on the path. Our free evaluation at /evaluate/ checks whether EB-1A or the NIW fits a profile, and Frank, our AI assistant at /frank, helps build the evidence. Petitions are reviewed and filed by our partner law firm, Lai & Turner.
Sources
All checked October 31, 2026.
- USCIS, After Receiving a Decision. Welcome notice; card; 30-day markers; temporary evidence.
- USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 11, Part B, Ch. 1. Purpose of the card.
- USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 11, Part A, Ch. 2. Delivery; tracking; address changes.
- USCIS, Replace Your Green Card. Incorrect information.
- USCIS, Handbook for Employers M-274, 7.1. I-9 documents; reverification.
- USCIS, After We Grant Your Green Card. Travel; conditional residents.
- USCIS, International Travel as a Permanent Resident. Absences and naturalization.
- USCIS, I am a Lawful Permanent Resident of 5 Years. Five-year requirements.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to get the green card after I-485 approval?
USCIS does not publish a fixed number of days in the pages we checked, but it does set a marker. If it has been more than 30 days since you received the welcome notice and you have no card, it tells you to submit an e-Request. You can also track delivery through a Case Status Online account, which can provide a tracking number.
Am I a permanent resident before the card arrives?
Yes. The card is evidence of status, and USCIS says you can use a stamp or temporary status document until you receive it. If you have no temporary evidence and were already in the United States when you became a permanent resident, USCIS says to follow the instructions on your approval notice.
Can I travel right after I-485 approval?
You need something to show at the border. USCIS says a stamp or temporary document can be used if you need to travel abroad for less than one year. Do not rely on an old advance parole document or visa without checking with your attorney, because your status has changed and you now need proof of permanent residence.
Do I need to keep working for my sponsor after I-485 approval?
Your permanent resident status is no longer tied to a temporary work visa, but many employment-based green cards rest on a job offer that must be valid when you become a resident. Leaving immediately after approval can raise questions later, including at naturalization. Keep records of your job and of why any change happened, and get advice on your own facts.
What should I update after getting my green card?
Update your address with USCIS within 10 days of any move, and tell your employer if you are showing a temporary stamp, since it must reverify you. If your Social Security card carries work restrictions, USCIS says you can use your new evidence to apply for an unrestricted one. Keep a copy of the approval notice and the card.
Green Card Guide AI is not a law firm and this article is not legal advice. It describes evidence-building strategy in general terms; your attorney determines what belongs in your petition and how it's argued.
