If you obtained your green card based on a marriage to a U.S. citizen and you have been married to the U.S. citizen for less than 2 years on the day you obtained your green card, your green card will only be valid for a conditional period of 2 years. In order to renew the green card in the future, you will be required to file the Petition to Remove Conditions on Green Card. The reason for this is that the U.S. government wants to make sure that you have a legitimate marriage and did not get married just to get a green card.
Please see our blog post on How to remove the conditions on your Green Card when you click here.
My temporary Green Card expired. How can I prove my legal status in the U.S. to my employer? If I travel outside the U.S., what documents will I need to enter the U.S.?
If you filed your I-751 Petition after June 11, 2018, you will receive an I-797 Receipt Notice that will serve as evidence of your conditional permanent resident status for 18 months past the expiration date on your green card. The I-797A Approval Notice along with your expired Conditional Green card will be evidence of your legal status in the U.S.
If your I-751 petition is still not adjudicated when the I-797 Receipt notice is about to expire, you should schedule an Infopass appointment at your local USCIS office. You will receive a temporary I-551 stamp in your passport and this will serve as an evidence of your legal status in the U.S.
Travelling outside the U.S. within 18 months after your green card expired
If you are travelling outside the U.S. within the validity dates on your I-797 Receipt notice, then you should bring your passport, the original I-797 Receipt Notice for the I-751 petition, and your expired Green Card.
Travelling after your I-797 Receipt Notice validity date
If your I-751 Petition is not adjudicated within 18 months and you need to travel outside the U.S., you will have to schedule an Infopass appointment at USCIS field office. You will then receive a temporary I-551 stamp w in your passport and this will serve as evidence of you conditional permanent residence status in the U.S.
Please see our blog post on How to maintain your Green Card when you click here.
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