Traveling while lifting conditions

[getcr1 0]

Hi! My husband and I are here in the US. We have been married for less than 2 years, so we have to “lift the conditions” prior to our 2 year anniversary of entering the states. I understand that I can apply 90 days prior to my entry into the States. We are planning however, to visit family in Canada at the end of July 2012 (which is when the 2 year anniversary will be). I will be applying right at the start of those 90 days, but worry that the entire process won’t be completed in time before we leave for Canada. Am I allowed to travel while my condition is being lifted? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[RebeccaAndPhil 5]

Hi! My husband and I are here in the US. We have been married for less than 2 years, so we have to “lift the conditions” prior to our 2 year anniversary of entering the states. I understand that I can apply 90 days prior to my entry into the States. We are planning however, to visit family in Canada at the end of July 2012 (which is when the 2 year anniversary will be). I will be applying right at the start of those 90 days, but worry that the entire process won’t be completed in time before we leave for Canada. Am I allowed to travel while my condition is being lifted? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

You can travel but you must wait until you get your NOA1 which extends your conditional green card for one year. The expired Green Card and original NOA1 letter together serve as travel documents. I wouldn't suggest leaving before your biometrics is completed though because you don't want to miss that. They're usually scheduled around 1 month following when the I-751 is filed.

[nycguy78 0]

Once you apply for removal of conditions , you will receive a letter from uscis that your GC has been extended for a year.. you can travel with this letter

[Brit Abroad 166]

Look at the expiry date on your green card and count back 90 days for the correct I-751 submission date.

USCIS will send you a NOA1, which extends the validity of your expired green card by a year. Once you have this, you can travel freely until the 10 year green card arrives and supercedes the NOA1 extension letter.

Edited January 20, 2012 by Brit Abroad

[getcr1 0]

anyone know how long it takes to get this letter stating that my Green card is being extended?

[RebeccaAndPhil 5]

anyone know how long it takes to get this letter stating that my Green card is being extended?

Not long at all. Once your service center receives your application, they'll issue the NOA1 (usually the same day). You should get it around 1 week from when you file, depending on the mail service you use to send the package.

[Fred N Emilia 0]

It takes about a couple of days for this to arrive. You must travel with this letter and your expired green card with you when you come back to the US border (via ground, immigration (airport). Failure to have your green card with you even if it is expired results in a $1000 dollar penalty, they will still let you in but they want that $1000:) they do accept all major credit cards, trust me on that!

[getcr1 0]

Great! So then I guess it is okay to buy my ticket already? As soon as it hits the 90 days prior to my expiry date, I should receive my NOA1 in the next few days and can then travel with that letter and the green card? What about the biometrics? (I can't believe I have to doanother one!?!) can I start on this as soon as it is the 90 days prior to my expiry date? What is the risk of leaving the country prior to doing biometrics? Sorry for all the questions... You have all been very helpful. Thank you so much!

[ceadsearc 516]

You can buy the tickets. You will have to do another biometrics appointment. You cannot miss that. Typically the notice will come a few weeks after the NOA but it can take several months do there is no way to know exactly when it will come. You'd need to come back for biometrics if you were abroad at the time, and have someone check your mail to make sure you don't miss the notice.

Unfortunately, you can't just do it right away. You can attempt a walk-in early, but only if you already have the appointment letter. If not, nothing you can do.

Edited January 23, 2012 by ceadsearc

[getcr1 0]

So how long did it take everyone to get their biometrics? Was it a month after you sent in your forms? Was it longer than that? Once you received the letter, how much warning did they give you to do your biometrics? Do they give you the option of changing your appointment for your biometrics? We are also traveling out of the country at the end of April, early May 2012 but our 2 year anniversary is the end of July 2012. That means that I will be out of the country exactly 90 days prior to us entering the US together. Does this mean that I should wait until I get back to file my form? Ugh, this is so confusing... What happens if you miss the biometrics? I would love to hear some peoples' time frames as to when they sent their letter, when their entry to the US anniversary was, when they received their letter stating they are applying for the lifting of conditions, when the biometrics letter came, and when the biometrics was actually performed. Is there also anything else after the biometrics???Any info would be great! Thank you so much.

[Dave&Roza 748]

Hi! My husband and I are here in the US. We have been married for less than 2 years, so we have to "lift the conditions" prior to our 2 year anniversary of entering the states. I understand that I can apply 90 days prior to my entry into the States. We are planning however, to visit family in Canada at the end of July 2012 (which is when the 2 year anniversary will be). I will be applying right at the start of those 90 days, but worry that the entire process won't be completed in time before we leave for Canada. Am I allowed to travel while my condition is being lifted? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Just to be clear. The conditional GC expires 2 yrs after it was issued--not when you entered the US. My wife entered the US on December 22, 2010, but her GC expires on May 26, 2013. Check the date on it and count backwards 90 days. I would hate to have you file only to get the application returned because it was filed too early. Other than that you can travel with the extension letter just so long as you do not miss the biometrics appointment.

Dave

Edited January 23, 2012 by Dave&Roza

[ceadsearc 516]

This is good information for anyone reading to keep in mind and make sure to double check as the dates can be different depending on how one entered the country. The OP entered on a CR-1 according to their timeline so their date of entry and green card issuance date should be the same.

[JackDp 1]

My GC expired Nov 17, I've filed I751 on Oct 10th, passed Biometrics appointment on Nov 4th and since that time no any feedback from USCIS.

It is strange but no NOA1 was received and I'm going to travel abroad on March 13th. Shall I contact them and request for NOA1?

[ceadsearc 516]

You never received the NOA/extension letter? I'd contact them or schedule an Infopass. Chances are it got lost in the mail (since it was obviously received or you wouldn't have gotten biometrics). If you don't get your GC before March you'll need that NOA to be able to travel.

[getcr1 0]

While I wish that my date of entry is different, unfortunately, that issue doesn't apply to me. Any others with a timeline as to the following?

entry date

date sent in application to lift conditions

date letter received

date of biometrics letter arriving

date of biometrics

Anyone have the basic steps of where this biometrics comes in? I looked everyone on the web for the process of filling out the application, and all I could find was what you had to fill out 90 days before your port of entry...I would hate to organize a party for our families to meet and for me not being able to come!