On January 23rd, USCIS announced that they have extended the validity period of conditional green cards to 48 months for those who have filed removable conditions.

See: 1-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence

For some individuals who go through the green card process based on marriage, you’ll receive a two-year conditional green card and immigration will want to check back in with you at that two-year mark and you’ll have to provide relationship evidence because immigration wants to check in and see you still have a real relationship and still have an intention of having a future together with your spouse.

Part of that conditional green card process is the removal of conditions process with all of that evidence you’d have to provide once that application is sent. Though by the time it’s sent and immigration reviews it, during that time, your green card will expire. What immigration does is they’ll send you a notice and an official paper that extends your green cardto 48 months or 4 years. Previously, it was two years but because of wait times, it’s taking more than two years in most cases for immigration to make a decision so on that official paper that you’ll receive that receipt notice they’re going to give you 48 months.

That means your green card that’s expired plus that notice will extend your card by four years from that expiration date on your card.

This is great news if you’re filing, you’ll get that four-year extension. If you’ve already filed and you have less than 12 months on your previous extension, you’ll get a new extension letter in the mail.