US Publishes Rule for Foreigners With 2-Year Green Cards, Shares Deadline to Keep Residency
- The US government has outlined a strict rule for conditional permanent residents holding a two-year Green Card
- USCIS confirmed that holders cannot renew the two-year card but must instead file a petition to remove conditions before it expires
- The filing window opens 90 days before the card's expiry date, and missing it could mean losing permanent resident status
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The United States government has released an important reminder for foreigners holding a two-year Green Card, warning that failure to act within a specific deadline could cost them their permanent resident status entirely.
According to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), conditional permanent residents are not permitted to renew their two-year Green Cards the way standard cardholders renew theirs. Instead, they are required to file a separate petition to remove the conditions attached to their residency status.
Source: UGC
US: The 90-Day filing deadline
USCIS states that the petition must be submitted within the 90-day window before the Green Card's expiration date. Missing this window means the individual risks losing their permanent resident status altogether, a consequence the agency describes with no room for ambiguity.
The type of petition required depends on how the conditional residency was obtained. Those who received their status through a family-based route must file Form I-751, known as the Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence. Those who entered as investors or entrepreneurs are required to submit Form I-829, the Petition by Entrepreneur to Remove Conditions.
US: How to calculate filing date
To help conditional residents avoid missing the deadline, USCIS provides a Filing Calculator on its official website, which allows users to enter their card's expiry date and determine exactly when the 90-day period begins.
The agency's guidance applies to a significant number of immigrants in the United States, particularly those who obtained their Green Cards through marriage to a US citizen and have held conditional status for two years. The removal of conditions is what converts that temporary status into a full, unconditional permanent residency.
For Nigerians and other Africans in the United States navigating the immigration process, this rule is particularly relevant given the growing number of people on the Japa wave who have obtained or are pursuing family-based or investor-based residency pathways.
Meanwhile, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services announced the full list of conditions under which lawful permanent residents must replace their Green Cards.
US issues fresh updates for green-card holders
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the US government explained that some Green Card holders needed to complete an important immigration process before their cards expired.
Authorities warned that missing a key Green Card requirement could affect a person's lawful permanent resident status.
Source: Legit.ng
