USCIS EXTENDS GREEN CARD VALIDITY FOR PERMANENT RESIDENTS WITH A PENDING FORM I-751 OR FORM I-829

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has extended the validity of Permanent Resident Cards (also known as Green Cards) for petitioners who properly file Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence, or Form I-829, Petition by Investor to Remove Conditions on Permanent Resident Status for 48 months beyond the card’s expiration date.

This is an effort to mitigate increasingly long processing times for both forms.

Additionally, USCIS has updated the language on the associated receipt notices to extend the validity of a Green Card for 48 months for individuals with a newly filed Form I-751 or Form I-829. New receipt notices will be issued to eligible conditional permanent residents who previously received notices with an extension shorter than 48 months and whose cases are still pending. The updated receipt notices may be presented with an expired Green Card as evidence of continued status, while the case remains pending with USCIS. This allows applicants to maintain authorization to work and travel for 48 months from the expiration date on the expired Green Card.

Note that conditional permanent residents who have plans to be outside of the U.S. for a year or more must apply for reentry permits using Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, before leaving the United States.

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