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 a need of representation from an immigration lawyer in Houston, contact our firm today!