Green cards can be the first stepping stone to U.S. citizenship and are often used to meet the residency requirement of naturalization. Generally, one must have been a green card holder for five years before applying for U.S. citizenship. However, immigrants marrying a U.S. citizen and still cohabiting together throughout this time may only need to wait three years.
To dissuade fraudulent marriages, USCIS grants immigrants married less than 2 years and entering on a valid marriage a Conditional Legal Permanent Resident Status. USCIS requires that this condition be ‘removed’ by application generally within 90 days prior to 2-year conditional resident expiration.
These types of I-751 Removal of Conditions applications can often involve severe complications arising from divorce, domestic abuse or lack of initial documentation proving the marriage was bona fide during that two-year period.
If you have questions regarding the application for U.S. citizenship or in need of representation from an immigration lawyer in Houston, contact our firm today!