On January 23, 2023, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it will be extending the validity of Permanent Resident Cards, also known as Green Cards, for 48 months beyond the card’s expiration date for petitioners who successfully file Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence, or Form I-829, Petition by Investor to Remove Conditions on Permanent Resident status. The accommodation comes in response to significantly increased processing times for these forms in the past year.
This change started on January 11, 2023, for Form I-829 and will start on January 25, 2023, for Form I-751. USCIS has updated the language on Form I-751 and Form I-829 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.
USCIS will also issue new receipt notices to eligible conditional permanent residents who previously received notices with an extension shorter than 48 months and whose cases are still pending. These receipt notices can be presented with an expired Green Card as evidence of continued status, while the case remains pending with USCIS. By presenting an updated receipt notice with an expired Green Card, individuals will remain authorized to work and travel for 48 months from the expiration date on the front of their expired Green Card.
USCIS enacted this measure to assist applicants who experience longer processing times. Due in part to the Covid-19 epidemic, ongoing application backlogs have caused significant delays in the processing of Forms I-751 and I-829. USCIS previously provided a 24-month extension of the validity of Green Cards for conditional permanent residents in response to ongoing pandemic-related delays in September 2021.
Should you have any questions or concerns regarding expiration of your Green Card or the applicability of this extension of validity to the circumstances of your conditional permanent residency, please feel free to contact Stephen Antwine, Esq. of Green & Spiegel at (215) 395-8959 or at santwine@gands-us.com.
