The receipt date for my Greencard was July 30 2013. I had two years on that greencard, 11/07/13 - 11/07/15.
At which point I submitted a I-751 and my conditional resident status was extended for one year, the receipt date for that extension was 11/13/2015. I had my bio-metrics taken also.
Recently (over a year later and after the expiration of my extension) I received a notice of action re my form I-751, asking why the petition was 6 days late and why I did not submit a reason for the late filing. They have asked I submit a written explanation showing good cause.
The I-751 should have been received by 11/07/2015, however the receipt date was 11/13/2015. I believe it was received late for two reasons.
The first is that I presumed the filing would need to be postmarked by the due date like taxes, but it seems I was incorrect.
The second is that I put the I-751 in the mail on the due date of 11/07/2015 which was a Sat, so it may not have been stamped until the Monday, which would be 11/09/2015. Foolishly I did not mail with tracking from memory.
Given that the main reason for the late filing was my misunderstanding of the postmark date, and I need to submit an explanation showing good cause, I’m wondering if I can just reply with this information or if this is something I need to hire a lawyer to help me with.
The main reason I didn’t get the I-751 out any earlier is that I was out of town and travelling with a one year old child which was a bit hectic and unfamiliar.
At which point I submitted a I-751 and my conditional resident status was extended for one year, the receipt date for that extension was 11/13/2015. I had my bio-metrics taken also.
Recently (over a year later and after the expiration of my extension) I received a notice of action re my form I-751, asking why the petition was 6 days late and why I did not submit a reason for the late filing. They have asked I submit a written explanation showing good cause.
The I-751 should have been received by 11/07/2015, however the receipt date was 11/13/2015. I believe it was received late for two reasons.
The first is that I presumed the filing would need to be postmarked by the due date like taxes, but it seems I was incorrect.
The second is that I put the I-751 in the mail on the due date of 11/07/2015 which was a Sat, so it may not have been stamped until the Monday, which would be 11/09/2015. Foolishly I did not mail with tracking from memory.
Given that the main reason for the late filing was my misunderstanding of the postmark date, and I need to submit an explanation showing good cause, I’m wondering if I can just reply with this information or if this is something I need to hire a lawyer to help me with.
The main reason I didn’t get the I-751 out any earlier is that I was out of town and travelling with a one year old child which was a bit hectic and unfamiliar.