Removal Of Conditions on Conditional Green card and Travel

[mlapray]

My wife filed for the removal of conditions after receiving her conditional green card (K-1) We filed in the appropriate time frame. USCIS web site says that she is not outside of the normal time frame, so an inquiry is not yet possible. They list the processing time as up to 3 years before we can inquire. Her conditional green card has expired by over two years. My understanding is that even with the removal of conditions receipt, she can only use that for 2 years. We have the receipt that shows she filed and is still waiting for an interview. Can she travel outside the country while we continue to wait. We have done everything right and they are slow at processing her paperwork. Is there no other choice to solve this?

[rkk09]

Hi Member,
Please see my response below.
Can she travel outside the country while we continue to wait. We have done everything right and they are slow at processing her paperwork. Is there no other choice to solve this?
Answer: Yes. Applicant can travel abroad while I-751 petition is pending..
Please make sure to have below mentioned documents while travel.
1. Valid passport
2. Expired conditional green card
3. I-797 C notice
Thanks

[newacct]

My wife filed for the removal of conditions after receiving her conditional green card (K-1) We filed in the appropriate time frame. USCIS web site says that she is not outside of the normal time frame, so an inquiry is not yet possible. They list the processing time as up to 3 years before we can inquire. Her conditional green card has expired by over two years. My understanding is that even with the removal of conditions receipt, she can only use that for 2 years. We have the receipt that shows she filed and is still waiting for an interview. Can she travel outside the country while we continue to wait. We have done everything right and they are slow at processing her paperwork. Is there no other choice to solve this?

The I-751 receipt serves as a 24-month extension letter. So if it has been more than 24 months since her green card expired, the extension letter no longer serves as proof of her permanent residency. If she needs to travel abroad, she should make an appointment at a local USCIS office before she leaves, to obtain an I-551 stamp on her passport.

p.s. She should be well over 3 years of permanent residency at this point, so she can apply for naturalization under the 3-year rule (assuming she is still married to the US citizen). She can file N-400 while the I-751 is pending, and some people have said that filing N-400 might help speed up the I-751.