Removing the "conditional" on the conditional PR card

[Tammy1010 1]

Hi all,

I am approaching the end of my 2nd year of having my conditional green card (through marriage). On the USCIS website, it states you can file form I-751 90 days prior to the expiration date. I am still a few months away from this and I wanted to know if there was anyone who could kindly share their experience with this. Was filing the form enough? How quickly did you hear back, do they just mail you another green card that is not conditional? Did anyone go for another interview? What documents are needed to take that are different from the ones we initially filed and took to our first interview? Any help would be greatly appreciated. 

- Tammy 

[Unlockable 7,315]

They don't just issue another card. You have to provide evidence that the past 2 years you have been living as a legitimate married couple (and not a scam). It is a whole nother process. You and your spouse will likely be interviewed. 

 

You can read the guides on all the evidence you will likely need. Process can take up to a year.

 

http://www.visajourney.com/content/751guide

[NikLR 13,232]

~~moved to ROC from AOS progress reports~~

 

I highly suggest reading the stickied threads in the ROC forum.  You need a great deal more than just the I-751. 

[shell20 746]

4 hours ago, NuestraUnion said:

They don't just issue another card. You have to provide evidence that the past 2 years you have been living as a legitimate married couple (and not a scam). It is a whole nother process. You and your spouse will likely be interviewed. 

 

You can read the guides on all the evidence you will likely need. Process can take up to a year.

 

http://www.visajourney.com/content/751guide

Actually not completely accurate, if you look at timelines it is rare for an interview. However you are correct evidence evidence, evidence. Too little evidence interview, sometimes too much and they send it for an interview as they don't have the time to go through it.

[nightingalejules 678]

If you send sufficient evidence, you may be approved without an interview. To summarize, in addition to your petition, send in:

• Evidence showing you live together: 
  • Drivers' Licenses/State IDs showing the same address
  • Mail addressed to both of you
  • Rental/Mortgage/House Deed with both names
• Evidence of comingled finances (take a representative sample of these from throughout your marriage since moving to the US)
  • Joint account bank statements 
  • Credit Card statements with both names as cardholders
  • Joint utilities
  • Health Insurance for both of you
  • Investments or life insurance with the other as beneficiary
• Evidence of ongoing relationship
  • Birth certificate(s) of child(ren) of the marriage
  • Wills and powers of attorney
• Secondary Evidence
  • Photos/Proof of holidays together/etc
  • Affidavits from people who have known you throughout your marriage

This is by no means an exhaustive list but it should give you an idea of what to include.

 

The process is (right now) taking roughly a year or more. You will receive an NOA that will extend your greencard's expiry for a year, and if you reach the end of that year without an approval you will go into your local office for another extension (which will be a stamp in your passport). You remain legally "in status" throughout this process - the letter/stamp provides proof of your continued status but you're still legal without it.

 

Eventually you will receive either an RFE, an Interview Notification, or a new, 10 year green card.

Good luck!

 

 

[Tammy1010 1]

Thank you all for your answers!

Supporting documentation makes sense. I filed from Houston, Texas. 

What is the earliest that you all have been able to file? Or has everyone stuck to 90 days. 

The length of the 1 year waiting time, is that from the time of filing the I-751 to the receipt of the 10 year visa? Or just simply the NOA for the 1 year extension?

How long did it take you guys to get the 10 year visa from the time of filing the I-751.

[shell20 746]

8 hours ago, Tammy1010 said:

Hi all,

I am approaching the end of my 2nd year of having my conditional green card (through marriage). On the USCIS website, it states you can file form I-751 90 days prior to the expiration date. I am still a few months away from this and I wanted to know if there was anyone who could kindly share their experience with this. Was filing the form enough? How quickly did you hear back, do they just mail you another green card that is not conditional? Did anyone go for another interview? What documents are needed to take that are different from the ones we initially filed and took to our first interview? Any help would be greatly appreciated. 

- Tammy 

Firstly you should get a reminder just before the 90 days, there is a calendar somewhere that someone will share, so you can work out your dates for 90 days before.  Please do not file even a day before as they will return your application nor after.  You receive a letter a week or so later, then your extension letter and then your biometrics letter.. Interviews are rare I think around 10 percent.   If you file too little evidence you might get one, too much the same and if there is a red flag again you might.  There is an awful lot of information on ROC in the ROC forum.  Documents its evidence, evidence, evidence the last two years of being a married couple, joint utility bills, rent/mortgage, pensions, car insurance, joint credit cards, pictures, vacation/holiday receipts the list is endless. There is a pinned topic in ROC section about this very helpful!  This is probably the most evidence you need during your whole visa journey.  It will take around a year to obtain your GC, might be sooner, might be later, there are timelines and processing times on this forum.  Prepare for a long wait and good luck!

Edited May 22, 2017 by shell20

[shell20 746]

2 minutes ago, Tammy1010 said:

Thank you all for your answers!

Supporting documentation makes sense. I filed from Houston, Texas. 

What is the earliest that you all have been able to file? Or has everyone stuck to 90 days. 

The length of the 1 year waiting time, is that from the time of filing the I-751 to the receipt of the 10 year visa? Or just simply the NOA for the 1 year extension?

How long did it take you guys to get the 10 year visa from the time of filing the I-751.

Normally around a year from sending your documentation, however some people have waited 2 years and some people the minority have waited 6 months, normally after a very rare interview.

[Tammy1010 1]

2 minutes ago, shell20 said:

Firstly you should get a reminder just before the 90 days, there is a calendar somewhere that someone will share, so you can work out your dates for 90 days before.  Please do not file even a day before as they will return your application nor after.  You receive a letter a week or so later, then your extension letter and then your biometrics evidence. Interviews are rare I think around 10 percent.   If you file too little evidence you might get one, too much the same and if there is a red flag again you might.  There is an awful lot of information on ROC in the ROC forum.  Documents its evidence, evidence, evidence the last two years of being a married couple, joint utility bills, rent/mortgage, pensions, car insurance, joint credit cards, pictures, vacation/holiday receipts the list is endless. There is a pinned topic in ROC section about this very helpful!  This is probably the most evidence you need during your whole visa journey.  It will take around a year to obtain your GC, might be sooner, might be later, there are timelines and processing times on this forum.  Prepare for a long wait and good luck!

Thanks!
Could you provide me the link to the timeline/processing time section of the forum please. 

[nightingalejules 678]

Your application will not be accepted prior to the 90 day window (even if it's only a day early). They'll send it back to you and you'll have to resubmit. You must "stick to the 90 days".

Use this calculator to find the earliest date you can file. https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/dateCalculator.html

You will probably get your NOA within a couple of weeks. Then you'll get a letter with a biometrics appointment - you go in and they take your pic and fingerprints again. That'll happen within about a month of submitting.

Then you wait. and wait. and wait.

[shell20 746]

2 minutes ago, Tammy1010 said:

Thanks!
Could you provide me the link to the timeline/processing time section of the forum please. 

Look to your right hand side http://www.visajourney.com/content/times taken from people's ROC timelines on this forum, however you can look at the USCIS however they are late updating their statistics.

[shell20 746]

4 minutes ago, Tammy1010 said:

Thanks!
Could you provide me the link to the timeline/processing time section of the forum please. 

USCIS processing times due to be updated, well over due. Depends on who you need to file with California is quicker, just can't understand how they dare put up their fees when their service is getting slower and slower, but nothing will change until their is a MASS petition of complaint.  https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/processTimesDisplay.do

[shell20 746]

8 minutes ago, nightingalejules said:

Your application will not be accepted prior to the 90 day window (even if it's only a day early). They'll send it back to you and you'll have to resubmit. You must "stick to the 90 days".

Use this calculator to find the earliest date you can file. https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/dateCalculator.html

You will probably get your NOA within a couple of weeks. Then you'll get a letter with a biometrics appointment - you go in and they take your pic and fingerprints again. That'll happen within about a month of submitting.

Then you wait. and wait. and wait.

Absolutely the truth not a day before and then wait and wait and wait and wait, Watch paint dry, the grass grow etc, etc etc. Oh and pay HUGE sums of money for the privilege!

[nightingalejules 678]

Just now, shell20 said:

Absolutely the truth not a day before and then wait and wait and wait and wait, Watch paint dry, the grass grow etc, etc etc. Oh and pay HUGE sums of money for the privilege!

Not that we're frustrated or bitter at all! 

[shell20 746]

Just now, nightingalejules said:

Not that we're frustrated or bitter at all! 

Right, my hair isn't falling out  for no reason!  I have to go for an appointment to the field office on Thursday, oh joy there is always red, red wine in the interim period. I feel a song coming on!!