Visa and/or Green Card Renewal Question

[Pete Rogers 3]

Apologies if this doesn't make sense or is a non-issue.

 

I have an Immigration Visa printed and stuck inside my UK passport, set to expire on September 1, 2024. Today (July 8, 2024) I received my Green Card, valid for two years, beginning on the day I entered the US (April 25, 2024).

 

First, am I right in saying the IV is irrelevant now I'm in the US, and I simply had until September 1 to move to the US?

 

Second, I'm sure I read somewhere that I could remove the conditions on my CR-1 green card after two years of marriage to a US citizen. Is that the case, or am I confusing myself and it's actually two years from the date my US residency began? My two-year anniversary is this November, so I want to clarify if I need to begin the renewal process this coming August, or if I have to wait until January 2026.

 

In terms of the visa, is there nothing to renew now? It's all about the green card until such time as I can begin the citizenship process?

 

I'm asking here because I can't get past the automated menu when I call USCIS to speak to someone...

 

Thanks in advance!

[Vickys_Mom 223]

4 minutes ago, Pete Rogers said:

First, am I right in saying the IV is irrelevant now I'm in the US, and I simply had until September 1 to move to the US?

 

Yes.  The visa gets you in the United States.  The green card is proof of your permission to stay here.

 

Regards,

Vicky's Mom

[wildbug100420 97]

5 minutes ago, Pete Rogers said:

Apologies if this doesn't make sense or is a non-issue.

 

I have an Immigration Visa printed and stuck inside my UK passport, set to expire on September 1, 2024. Today (July 8, 2024) I received my Green Card, valid for two years, beginning on the day I entered the US (April 25, 2024).

 

First, am I right in saying the IV is irrelevant now I'm in the US, and I simply had until September 1 to move to the US?

 

Second, I'm sure I read somewhere that I could remove the conditions on my CR-1 green card after two years of marriage to a US citizen. Is that the case, or am I confusing myself and it's actually two years from the date my US residency began? My two-year anniversary is this November, so I want to clarify if I need to begin the renewal process this coming August, or if I have to wait until January 2026.

 

In terms of the visa, is there nothing to renew now? It's all about the green card until such time as I can begin the citizenship process?

 

I'm asking here because I can't get past the automated menu when I call USCIS to speak to someone...

 

Thanks in advance!

You're a Green Card holder now. Renew 90 days before the card expires with I751 form 

[Pete Rogers 3]

1 minute ago, wildbug100420 said:

You're a Green Card holder now. Renew 90 days before the card expires with I751 form 

 

I'm sure there was something in the visa process where I had to be married to a US citizen for two years before I could do it... am I imagining that? I thought it was removing the green card conditions.

[Crazy Cat 41,722]

9 minutes ago, Pete Rogers said:

 

I'm sure there was something in the visa process where I had to be married to a US citizen for two years before I could do it... am I imagining that? I thought it was removing the green card conditions.

Had you entered the US after 2 years of marriage to the US citizen, you would have received a 10 year Green Card, instead of a 2 year card.  You cannot file an I-751 to remove conditions until 90 days prior to the expiration of the 2 year GC (assuming you have not divorced).

Edited July 8 by Crazy Cat

[Pete Rogers 3]

2 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

Had you entered the US after 2 years of marriage, you would have received a 10 year Green Card, instead of a 2 year card.  You cannot file an I-751 to remove conditions until 90 days prior to the expiration of the 2 year GC (assuming you have not divorced).

 

Yes, that's it. I think I misinterpreted what it said at the time. I knew you got a CR-1 with <2 years marriage, and an IR-1 with >2 years, but I didn't realise that was it — I thought I could remove the conditions once I passed the 2-year anniversary, regardless of the green card expiry date.

 

Glad I confirmed though. Thank you all!

[Ontarkie 14,193]

~~Moved to ROC, from IR1/CR1 P&P- the OP is past the visa stage and trying to understand the next step(ROC).~~

[OldUser 6,559]

No issue at all. As everybody already said, GC supercedes any US visas in your passports.

 

You can also safely renew your passport if it's close to expiration. Majority of European countries will allow to renew passport online and will return your old passport by post if it has any active visas.

 

And make sure to file I-751 sometime in April / May of 2026 depending on Residence Since date on GC (within 90 days of 2 year anniversary)

Edited July 8 by OldUser

[Pete Rogers 3]

4 minutes ago, OldUser said:

No issue at all. As everybody already said, GC supercedes any US visas in your passports.

 

You can also safely renew your passport if it's close to expiration. Majority of European countries will allow to renew passport online and will return your old passport by post if it has any active visas.

 

And make sure to file I-751 sometime in April / May of 2026 depending on Residence Since date on GC (within 90 days of 2 year anniversary)

 

Yeah, the confusing part for me was whether my 2-year wedding anniversary counted as part of that process, or not. Pretty sure it doesn't (as per the guide on this site), but can't get the USCIS to confirm.

 

If how long I'd been married only affected the initial issuing of the green card, that's fine. It's within 90 days of date of issue, which was April 25, 2024 for me, right?

[Crazy Cat 41,722]

6 minutes ago, Pete Rogers said:

It's within 90 days of date of issue,

90 days before the expiration date of the card is the earliest you can file an I-751.

[OldUser 6,559]

43 minutes ago, Pete Rogers said:

 

Yeah, the confusing part for me was whether my 2-year wedding anniversary counted as part of that process, or not. Pretty sure it doesn't (as per the guide on this site), but can't get the USCIS to confirm.

 

If how long I'd been married only affected the initial issuing of the green card, that's fine. It's within 90 days of date of issue, which was April 25, 2024 for me, right?

Resident since date + 2 years - 90 days

 

If Resident Since date on GC is April 25 2024, then you should file I-751 no later than April 25 2026.

 

Ideally within 90 days window prior to the date, which would any time after January 25, 2026. I'd recommend aiming for first week of February 2026.

Edited July 8 by OldUser

[Demise 1,268]

19 hours ago, Pete Rogers said:

Apologies if this doesn't make sense or is a non-issue.

 

I have an Immigration Visa printed and stuck inside my UK passport, set to expire on September 1, 2024. Today (July 8, 2024) I received my Green Card, valid for two years, beginning on the day I entered the US (April 25, 2024).

 

First, am I right in saying the IV is irrelevant now I'm in the US, and I simply had until September 1 to move to the US?

 

Second, I'm sure I read somewhere that I could remove the conditions on my CR-1 green card after two years of marriage to a US citizen. Is that the case, or am I confusing myself and it's actually two years from the date my US residency began? My two-year anniversary is this November, so I want to clarify if I need to begin the renewal process this coming August, or if I have to wait until January 2026.

 

In terms of the visa, is there nothing to renew now? It's all about the green card until such time as I can begin the citizenship process?

 

I'm asking here because I can't get past the automated menu when I call USCIS to speak to someone...

 

Thanks in advance!

1. Somewhat.

The expiration date on the visa is the date you have to enter by. You're in, so the expiration date doesn't matter anymore. You might notice the text that says "Upon endorsement serves as temporary I-551 evidencing permanent residence for 1 year", basically the now expired visa and the stamp on or next to it is proof that you're a permanent resident, valid for 1 year since your entry. So if you were to misplace your green card until April 24, 2025 the stamped immigrant visa can be used in place of a green card for stuff like work or travel. Reason for this is because sometimes USCIS can be a bit slow to print the actual green card and that's an interim proof.

 

2. Since the day your residency began. So 90 days before April 24-25, 2026. So yeah, late January to February is where you should file an I-751 for removal of conditions and you really need to get it in by April 25, 2026.

 

In terms of the visa, yeah, there's nothing to renew right now. Yes the green card is the document that matters.

Edited July 9 by Demise

[garebear397 68]

22 hours ago, Pete Rogers said:

 

Yeah, the confusing part for me was whether my 2-year wedding anniversary counted as part of that process, or not. Pretty sure it doesn't (as per the guide on this site), but can't get the USCIS to confirm.

 

If how long I'd been married only affected the initial issuing of the green card, that's fine. It's within 90 days of date of issue, which was April 25, 2024 for me, right?

Yeah I think you are getting slightly confused with the 2 year wedding anniversary, and the 2 year validity of your green card. The 2 year wedding anniversary (and when you enter the US) is important for determining if you get a CR1 or IR1 and the length of validity of your first green card (2 years or 10 years). After entering the country, your 2 year anniversary basically stops mattering. You could even enter the US being married 1 year and 11 months, and you would still get a 2 year valid green card and have to go removal of conditions -- which is why if you are close to that 2 year anniversary before you enter the US, its better to go ahead and wait until you complete 2 years.