I-751 Removal of Conditions

When the green card is obtained through marriage, if the marriage is less than two years old when the card is obtained, it is conditional. That is to say that two years later you have to send new documents and a new check to obtain the 10-year green card. The idea is to avoid fraud because it is more difficult for false couples to stay together for two years.

The process is simpler than obtaining the green card because there is only one form to fill out: the I-751 (compared to more than six in our case for the first green card). Add to that a check for $ 545 and all kinds of paperwork to prove the marriage is legitimate. USCIS (the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) particularly wants to see that finances are in common. Indeed during a white wedding, there is less chance that the parties concerned have a joint account or share the purchase of a car. You have to send documents from the date of marriage, but in general, everything that comes after the first green card.

In our case, here is the list of documents sent.

• Form I-751
• Copy of my green card (required)
• Copies of our driving licenses (same address)
• Copy of our 2018 and 2019 taxes
• Copy of the deed of purchase of the house with our two names
• Copy of the annual receipt of our loan for the house
• Copies of account statements from our pooled savings account.
• Copies of account statements from our joint checking account
• Copy of the deed of purchase of our car with our two names
• Copy of our home insurance contract
• Copy of our car insurance
• Copy of our medical insurance
• Copies of electricity and water bills with our two names
• Copies of our joint credit card and statement of account
• Copy of our air travel itinerary in Pakistan.
• Copy of our flight journey
• Copies of our pass cards during the cruise.
• Photos: showing us in front of known sites and in the company of family members.

I should receive a receipt that will extend the validity of my green card by one year. I would then have a new “biometric” (fingerprinting and photos), we will have or not an interview (it is a small percentage that must do the interview, it is chosen at random).

At 90 days of my conditional green card expiration date, it’s time to deal with immigration papers again.

When you obtain the green card via marriage, if the marriage is less than two years old when you obtain it, it’s a conditional one. So two years later you need to send new documents and a check to obtain the 10-year green card. The idea is to avoid frauds as it’s harder for fake couples to stay together for two years.

The process if simpler than when we obtained the first green card since we only have one form to fill: the I-751 (vs. six in our case for my first green card). To that of course you have to add a $ 545 check and all sorts of papers to prove that the marriage is legitimate. USCIS (the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) wants to see among other things that finances are mingled. Indeed for a fake marriage, there are fewer chances that the parties involved will share accounts or buy a car together. They expect documents from the date of the marriage, but generally anything that comes after the first green card approval.

In our case here are the documents we sent:

• Form I-751
• Copy of my green card
• Copies of our Drivers Licenses
• Copy of the joint tax return for 2019 and 2018
• Copy of our house Settlement Statement showing joint ownership
• Copy of our mortgage interest statement
• Copies of our joint saving account statements
• Copies of our joint checking account statements
• Copy of our car purchase statements showing joint ownership
• Copy of our co-insurance contract on our house
• Copy of our cars insurance
• Copy of our health insurance cards showing a joint policy
• Copies of utility bills in both our names
• Copies of our credit cards and copies of a statement showing a joint account.
• A copy of our airline journey for a trip we did in Pakistan in September 2019.
• Copies of our US Airways flights to LA In February 2020
• Copies of our cruise cards for a family cruise we took in February 2020
• Pictures (showing us in front of known landmarks or with family members).

I will receive a notice extending my green card validity for a year. Then I’ll have new biometrics (fingerprints and picture), and we will or will not have an interview (it’s a small percentage taken at random that has to do one).