Removing Conditional 2 year Permanent Residence - Finalization

Alright, so I got started with the paperwork in September, sent it and got an appointment for biometrics for November. The process was just like when applying for the Green Card for the first time: fill in papers with eye color, hair color, height, weight... take finger prints, do a photo, and out of the door!

The following thing I received was just straight the Green Card. No interview, no more paperwork. This new Green Card has a 10 year validity.

Now, with the I-751 and the payment we sent a few documents to prove we are a valid marriage. Having no doubts about our marriage, that made our lives (and theirs) easier and we did not need the interview (they may get you in for an interview again if they see the need).

Alright! Here is the list of documents we sent:
-A copy of the car title where both (my husband and I) are owners (make sure at least one thing you buy has both of you as owners for this purpose)-A copy of our credit cards to prove we share them
-A letter from the bank directed to us to prove that we share bank accounts
-An IRS Tax Return that we filled together
-Pictures of our last 2 years that show we do things together
-A copy of our expenses' record from the last 2 years approximately
-Will and testament
-2 affidavits of known persons declaring that we are a legitimate marriage
-And lastly, a cover letter with a list of all the sent documents

I hope this is helpful for when you have to deal with this process. Good luck!

And then you can wait to renew the Green Card in 10 years, or get your American Citizenship as I will do in about a year!

Removing Conditional 2 year Permanent Residence - Getting started

Why do we need to do this? Because this Green Card as a condition, a 2 year validity linked to the veracity of the marriage (a lot of people get married to obtain the Green Card and divorce afterwards).

Therefore, if you need to get rid of the 2 year condition we have to do a different process than the renewal one (for which you could start the process up to 6 months before it expires). Let's get into it!

For this process you can start the process up to 90 days before the Green Card expires (basically we have half of the time we would if renewing). And for this process we only need 1 document, I-751, or Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence. Quite simple

Besides the I-751 there is of course a fee (are we used to this yet?): $505 to cover the paperwork process and $85 to cover the biometrics process (yes, again). So a total of $590 as of January 2017.

Here you can find some tips about how to fill the documents and how to do the payments.

Otherwise, the paperwork process is pretty much the same as the Green Card application. Once you send the documents and the money you receive a receipt letter that informs you that the application has been approved. Then you get another letter informing you of the following step: the biometrics appointment (click here for more information on biometrics).


Well then, I hope that was useful. Good luck!