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I filed an I-751 but my one-year extension is expiring – what do I do?

(Revised Oct. 30, 2018)

Have you filed a Form I-751 and need to show your lawful immigration status? After your receipt notice expires, it can be difficult to prove that you are still in legal status. Download our free, printable letter that explains that under U.S. law you remain in valid status. You are welcome to use this document when talking to employers and government agencies.

I-751 status letter

Conditional lawful permanent residents (C-LPRs) are required to file a Form I-751 petition in the 90 days before their status expires. Once the Form I-751 is filed, the individual’s resident status is automatically extended for a period of one year. This one-year extension is proven with the receipt notice for the Form I-751, which indicates that the person’s status has been extended. That receipt notice can be used for employment purposes, and also for travel purposes to demonstrate that the person is still a resident.

So what happens if a year has gone by and USCIS still has not approved your Form I-751?

Unfortunately, this is happening quite a lot these days. We see many Form I-751 petitions that have been waiting for more than a year. That does not indicate a problem with the case – it is simply a matter of adjudications taking a long time. This can lead the conditional resident to panic, since she thinks that her legal status is about to expire.

First off, let’s be clear about one thing: once the Form I-751 is filed the individual remains in residency status until the Form I-751 is approved (or denied). That happens by “operation of law,” which is basically a way of saying that it happens automatically. In other words, even if the date of the one-year extension has come and gone, the person remains in legal status until the Form I-751 is adjudicated. The individual remains legally eligible to work, and legally entitled to re-enter the U.S. as a resident.

Now, of course, you still want to be able to prove that you remain a resident. So how do you do that?

Actually, it’s quite easy. You can set up an appointment at the local USCIS field office with jurisdiction over your case. To get started, just visit the InfoPass system online and schedule a free appointment. Generally, it’s possible to find an appointment slot within a couple of weeks.

Preparing for the appointment is simple. According to recent guidelines released by USCIS, all you need to bring to the appointment is:

  • Your Form I-751 receipt notice.
  • Your unexpired passport.
  • Or – if you do not have an unexpired passport – two passport-style photographs.

The appointment will be a simple, short one. Most of these are conducted informally at a counter – you will generally not be interviewed at length. It is a simple, administrative request. The USCIS officer will then physically stamp an extension either on your I-551 (green) card, or in your passport.

For lengthy cases, you may have to go through this procedure more than once. I believe the record at our firm is three times. It is a hassle to go into the USCIS office, but far better than being without proof of your residency status.

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All Sound Immigration attorneys are members of the American Immigration Lawyers Associations. They practice immigration law exclusively, focusing on helping families start new lives in the United States.

This Post Has 261 Comments

  1. Hello,

    My husband’s 751’s 18mth extension letter is expiring in a few days. Can he still file for N400 this late or should we wait/get a stamp? We have not gotten a new extension letter or any other updates on our case. Oct 2020 filers. Our nearest USCIS office is 3hrs away and with the holidays, it may take a while for us to get a stamp appt. Can you still apply for n400 if the conditional green card and letter has expired? Thank you!!

  2. Hi!

    I filed my i-751 and my extension letter is expiring in August.

    My passport has expired and I am wondering if I can get a stamp or extension though my passport is expired?

    Thank you!

    1. Hi, Medeliza:
      No, USCIS normally will not issue anything without a current passport. I’d recommend contacting your consulate in the US ASAP and figuring out how to renew.
      Best,
      Greg

  3. Hi all,

    I filed my Form I-751 on June 25th 2020, and got my letter of notice very quickly (so far so good). It is almost one year at this point and my case status on the USCIS Website is still in the “Case Was Received” status. I was just wondering if anyone of you experienced a waiting time like this, or what I should expect. I mean it is literally one year and my case didn’t even move. This can be really troublesome on some days.

    Thank you for any answer on this.

      1. Hi , I filled I-751 on Sept 2019, I got my 18 months extension on Oct 2019. My biometric on Oct 2019. On April 2 2020, my status changed case ready to schedule interview , still I’m waiting for my interview. My two years green card expire and my 18 months extension also expire, I submit 2 times e- request no reply, two times talk to officer for info pass to get 1551 stamps for visit aboard but they don’t give me appointments date , don’t schedule interview, we are married last 5 years live happily with 2 years old son, can I appliy for N-400 now with pending I-751. I have 3 years here in USA as a spouse of US citizen.

    1. My husbands green card expired aug 2019. His family had a tragic accident one which we experienced loss of a few , this caused a huge financial strain on us. Although his petition was filed on time it was denied due to payment method . The pandemic hit , I was pregnant and we are just now getting back on our feet . I’m petrified this is going to be a problem once I submit the I751. We are married had a baby so our marriage is a valid one . Is he at risk or his petition?

      1. Sorry to hear about the very tough situation.

        You can ask for a waiver of the on-time filing requirement for the I-751. I’ve had these approved where we had no reason better than “my clients are busy parents and just forgot because… life.” On the circumstances that you describe that would present a very compelling case for letting you file late.

        Best,
        Greg

        1. How do I file for that waiver ? Thought it only applied for other circumstances . Please clarify ! Thank you so much…

  4. Hi,
    l have one concern about interview by I-751, will interview make my husband and me separately in two room? Is this interview will the similar with the first interview? or questions will be more tough? how long will be know the result on interview? and my child is taking 3rd year college, if l got denied on I-751 by interview, is there any way to maintain my legal status or at least my child status in the US? or is there a way at least be able to let my child finish his college study? like refill I-751 or transfer to F1 visa to do?

    Thank you so much.

    1. Hi. I have been married in 2016, got my 2 years green card in 2017, i sent my I-751 in June 2019 and my 2 years green card has expired in August 2019. I got a 18 months extension in June 2019 and they send me a letter to let me know my case was transferred to another office in January 2020, we are in April 2021 and I believe the 18 months extension already expired and I still don’t receive my 10 years green card yet, my husband just filed a divorced at the beginning of 2021. What should I expect? Will they call me in an interview? Will they deny my case since I am divorced now or they will still send me the 10 years?

      1. Hi, Saskya:
        Under current policies, virtually all I-751s go to interview. If you are divorced, you will likely need to amend your I-751 at the time of the interview to base it on one of the non-joint filing grounds permitted by the form and corresponding statute. This gets relatively complicated, and you’ll likely want a lawyer to attend the interview and be prepared to file effectively a new “waiver” I-751.
        Best,
        Greg

        1. Hi ,
          I filled I-751 on Sept 2019, I got my 18 months extension on Oct 2019. My biometric on Oct 2019. On April 2 2020, my status changed case ready to schedule interview , still I’m waiting for my interview. My two years green card expire and my 18 months extension also expire, I submit 2 times e- request no reply, two times talk to officer for info pass to get 1551 stamps for visit aboard but they give me appointments date , don’t schedule interview, we are married last 5 years live happily with 2 years old son, can I appliy for N-400 now with pending I-751. I have 3 years here in USA as a spouse of US citizen.

  5. Thank you for your article. We submitted our I-751 application back February 2019 and our 18-month extension expires in October 2020. Additionally, the I-751 interview has been pending since March 2020. We also submitted two case inquiries for the application taking longer than our processing timeline but have not received an update. We even moved to a new state due to the length of the process. Due to your blog, we scheduled an I-551 stamp infopass appointment before our extension expires in October. In addition, we also submitted the N-400 before prices jump Oct 2, 2020. Thank you.

      1. Please I was Denied a job because my 18 months Extension has expired and I am still waiting for the USCIS to get back to me or remove my conditional. What should I do at this point.

  6. Hi,
    l have one question about I-751, I send my RFE to USCIS and USCIS receive them on April 9 2019, but they still doesn’t make any update so far, it almost 440 days after they receive RFE, do l need make a call to check what happen to my case or do l need just wait until the update? otherwise will call for detail makes the bad affect on it? l am concern about after l call for the detail they will push my case to interview step.

    Thank you

    1. Hi, Yuan:
      I’m afraid all you can do is monitor the status online. USCIS furloughed thousands of workers, so everything is badly behind normal processing times.
      Best,
      Greg

      1. Is that mean l still waiting for the status, and nothing gonna work on it, even it makes me feel the case will be endless? because it is ridiculous to take like 400 more days to response on RFE.

        Thank you.

  7. I came to the USA in June 30 then I married my lovey hubby in July and my green card was issued in Jan 15 /2015 then I went for renewal in 2016 December before the expiration date ,they gave me a letter of extension and after I got a stamp 2017 end then another stamp 2018 end then another stamp 2019 end and still I have not gotten my 10year green card when I ask the uscis they tell me the same answer that they are doing a background check ,we still together with my hubby but I don’t understand why it’s not out and I wanted to apply for the air national guard as an officer but I can’t since I have to be a citizen I sent my N400 and it was acknowledged they got it they sent me a letter in June 1st so what should I do because I have to phone before am 39 years and they are not giving me the reason ,kindly advice me on what to do please.

    1. Hi, Mayah ~
      That’s ridiculous. At this stage I would seriously consider filing a mandamus lawsuit in federal court. That would likely result in the USCIS attorney kicking the case into gear and getting it approved. But this is way, way too long for an I-751.
      Best,
      Greg

  8. Hello there!

    Okay, so, me and husband filed in 2017 and 2018 as SINGLE (but we were married)– stupid, I know. Now, his green card (conditional) expires in August 2020 and we were informed (by our lawyer who is processing the I-751) we need to submit 1040-X (amend the 2017 and 2018 returns) to show MARRIED FILING SEPARATELY. I will send these tomorrow (6/26/2020) and understand it can take a while for this to be processed…they have everything else they need. Should we be worried? I am.

    Thank you and I greatly appreciate your response

    1. You’ll likely be asked about this at your interview. At this point, you’ve done what you can to correct it, so that’s good. To the extent this is potential tax fraud – versus an honest mistake – that’s not something USCIS is necessarily interested in. You aren’t even required to file copies of your 1040 with the I-751.

      1. Hello Greg. I hope all is well with you. I’m currently facing a very stressful situation regarding my ROC. Lately due to the pandemic, all these crises plus the dealings with my husband too (being emotionally and mentally abusive) and financial hardship, I failed to file my ROC on time. All this time I thought the expiration would be on November 2, 2020. Unfortunately, last night when I double checked the card (as I supposedly started to get all my paperwork put together),my card says the expiration was yesterday, October 2, 2020. My question is, has anybody on here had the same experience or failed to submit application on time? I’m so torn apart right now and until at this time 7;04am I’m still up and couldn’t go to sleep. I really don’t know what to do. I live in Sacramento, CA. Your input and help as to what I supposed to do is highly appreciated. Thank you, Greg! ☹️😔😢

        1. Cielo, did you file a joint I-751 or a waiver I-751 without your husband? Waivers can be filed after the expiration of of your conditional status. For a joint I-751 you will need to demonstrate why you didn’t meet the deadline, but family circumstances can certainly be considered in that regard. You will likely get an RFE if it was a joint I-751.
          Best,
          Greg

  9. Hi I have a letter stating my biometrics would not be required after filing my i751 why would this be? I did get an extension letter some time ago?

      1. Hi Greg,

        I had my biometric screening for fingerprints in Minnesota August 2020, since then I haven’t receive any document or call from USICIS. Whenever I check the status it hasn’t change since then.

        1. Hi, Enis:
          Minneapolis is posting times of 14-21 months. Assuming your I-485 was filed one or two months before your biometrics, you’d still have a ways to go under the standard processing timeline. So in other words, no cause for alarm and unfortunately not much can be done about it at this point.
          Best,
          Greg

  10. Hi, my CR1 visa will expire this Feb. 4 2019 and me and my husband already filled jointly for the removal I-751by November 2018.. base on our tack on the payment they already received it around Nov.28.. but i still did not receive any receipt from them. should i be worried?

  11. I got married I filed my I-751 thrue domestic violence abuse by my u.s spouse in 2015. I got my Devorce in 2016. Then I filed myN400 11/23/18 and got my biometric last 12/11/18. Both I-751 and N400 was pending. I got married last 12/23/19. How to change my status to married while my two Case are both pending?

    1. Hi, Mayla. You’ll just need to amend the I-751 and N-400 at the time of interview. The re-marriage doesn’t change those applications, though you are correct that you need to truthfully report it when asked.

  12. hi,
    i submitted my i-751 to remove the condition on 11/14/2018 and yet not received a receipt notice and i am planning for traveling what i supppose to do if i am back after my gc expiration date and yet not have extention later?

  13. My two year card runs out on the 14th of November (5 days) been trying to get an info pass appointment for two month with no luck. USCIS said they sent out letter but can’t tell me if one was sent out to me for an 18 month extension(they don’t keep that record!?!?) my 12 month one runs out in 5 days so I can’t renew my driving license so I can’t work. They said they will only reissue it if it come back undelivered . Can someone tell me when they got there’s so I know how long ago I should of got it?

    1. Hi Carrie,
      I tried to get an appointment forever here as well. Then one morning I set my alarm to 4am in the morning and voila – had 8 open slots to choose from on the 14day away opened day. Maybe that can help you as well.

  14. My I751 12 month extension will expire on 01/30/2019. how soon can I request a new extension while I751 is pending, 90 days prior of it expiring just like the conditional permanent residents card or any time as long as it doesn’t expires.

  15. Thank you for your helpful post! It gave me peace of mind reading it and all the comments. I won’t go into detail because my situation has been described numerous times. Right now I’m waiting… and checking everyday for an info pass appointment to open up. I may try to get thro to another office and just drive farther if one doesn’t open up soon at my local location. My question is, does my husband have to go with me this appointment to get the extension stamp in my passport? I am the one filing for the green card extension.

      1. Thanks a bunch! That’s a great idea- I might give it a shot! I mean the worst they can do is say no, the best I can do is wait most of the day;) I’m used to that by now, immigration- it’s a waiting game.

  16. Hi, my current I-751 petition to remove condition is being processed; however, the wait is now in the 10th month- 2 months before my green card extension expires in January.
    My husband and I had agreed to divorce several months after we filed i-751 together, and we just dissolved the marriage in court a month ago. However, it won’t become legally final until 3-4 months from now.
    Should I request to change my i-751 petition to single-file category? Can I do so without re filing the whole a application? If I do, will I ever be in a limbo or without any status while they change my i-751 type? Please advise. Thank you so much.

    1. You will need to change your petition to a waiver – see here. You can interfile an amended petition at the Service Center or at the time of your interview (some offices push back on this, but it should be allowed). Understand that this is a completely different process, requiring a new showing for eligibility, not just changing a field on the form.

      1. My temporary I-551 stamp is about to expire. I have been trying to get an appointment at the local USCIS office for last two weeks but it always says ´there are no appointments available, check back tomorrow´
        Can I go to another office to get it stamped?

    2. Hi there, I just want to share my experience. I got a same situation like you. I and my husband had agreed to divorce after I filed I-751 for 16 months by the time I got 12 months extension and 18 months extension letter. My case got approved and they will send green card with in 60 days. I didn’t file a waiver and I got approved while the divorce on process. The totality 15 months to waiting for an approved.

  17. hi I sent the form i751 on September 19th and it was received three days later at the lockbox in phoenix AZ , my green card expired on November 23rd I still haven’t got the receipt notice what can I do to make sure that they have my form and evidence that I sent.

    thank you

  18. I got my letter w an 18 months extension. I went to get a stamp on my passport bc I want to travel at the end of the year but the guy wo attempted me didnt want to stamp my passport he said that w the letter is enough to travel. Is it correct? will I be ok to enter to the USA or should I get another appointment.

      1. Hi, I am in the same situation as Lina. I am planning on going on a vacation to my country for a couple of weeks, what would be the allowed to time to go? 1 week, 1 month, 3 months before the expiration of the 18 month extension letter?

  19. Hi Craig,

    I will become eligible for filing for Naturalization in 2 months and also have a pending 751-Removal of conditions since December 2017. I need to change both my first and last name and need to understand whether its best to do so before filing for naturalization OR during naturalization. I have spoken to 2 immigration attorneys and could clearly state pros and cons of each approach.

    I am a resident of GA.

    1. It’s fine to do it either way. If you secure a lawful name change order before the naturalization and I-751 interviews then you will just amend you forms at the time of the interview. This is a very common procedure and not difficult. Most folks prefer to change the name before naturalizing so that your original certificate of citizenship will have your new name.

  20. I have applied for conditional green card removal after the expiry date. I totally forgot and I did not not received any notice for renewall. Can anyone answer me if they have any experience like this

  21. Hello, my husband file I-751 on last July or August 2018. We haven’t received any extension letter for my husband. His green card will be expired on Oct 27, 2018. He contacted to USCIS, and found out that they send the extension letter to the wrong STATE!! We live in Texas, but they send the extension letter to Arizona. What will we do?! How will my husband to get extension letter?? Please help!

  22. Good afternoon,

    First of all, thank you for this article and your answers to our concerns on this article.
    I filed for I-751 in September 2017, did the biometrics appointment and received my extension letter extending my Green Card to 12/17/2018.
    I am leaving the country for Christmas vacation on 12/21/2018 and intend to come back to the US 10 days later.
    I guess my questions are:
    – Am I supposed to automatically receive another extension letter in the mail?
    – Do I need to make an appointment to request an extension?
    – Can an airline company let me board a plane with an expired GC and expired extension letter?

    I have also been married more than 3 years to my US american wife. I heard that since delays are long, the USCIS is accepting requests to naturalization even with expired temporary Green Cards. To your knowledge, is this true? and would you recommend applying for US citizenship while waiting for receipt of the 10 year GC?

    Thank you very much for your answers,

    Best regards,

    1. Hi, Max. No, USCIS doesn’t send you another extension. You need to proactively schedule an InfoPass as described above. The airline can allow you to board, but getting back in will be a nightmare without an extension. And yes, we seen many folks apply for natz with the I-751 pending. This is the preferred strategy if someone is indeed wanting to naturalize (why wait?).

        1. Hi,
          I-765s are taking at the very least 4 months these days. Lots of folks find it necessary to try and get an InfoPass appointment with the local Field Office, which can be very tricky to actually accomplish.
          Best,
          Greg

  23. Hello,

    I filed my I-751 back in Feb 2018 with my conditional green card that expired in May 2018. It’s almost October now and I haven’t even heard back about biometrics at all, but just received a second extension letter (18 months instead of just 12 months). I also just lost my wallet with my expired GC in it. Should I make an infopass appointment about the lost GC and get a stamp or should I just wait it out until this coming Feb 2019 and file for citizenship at the three year mark regardless of not hearing back about the I-751? Thanks!

    1. You’ll need to file an I-90 to get a new green card and should do so. The biometrics timing is a bit unusual, but not a cause for concern since you are clearly in the system and getting the other proper notices.

  24. Hi,
    I submitted my i751 form and I haven’t received NOA, my green card expire 2 weeks from now, I called to see if they received my form since 30 days passed already , they said it’s not in the system and I should wait, I submitted a waiver for the fees so no way to track it, if it get denied, my second re-file will be late, what will happen if I submit another package because the first can’t be tracked? Can I still go to info pass appointment and get a stamp?

    1. If you properly filed the I-751 then there is not necessarily any reason to be concerned. We’ve had lots of I-751s that took longer than 30 days to be receipted. Hopefully, you sent it with postal tracking and made a complete copy of your filing.

  25. Hi,
    I have received my conditional green card in August 2017. It will expire after two years. But unfortunately our relationship didn’t work out and now I am divorced. I have the divorce decree. My green card will expire after 10 months. what should I do? File form I-751 right now or wait? Thanks.

      1. Hi, I filed I-751 last year and I got my 12 months extension and I got 18 months extension plus I got a stamp my I-551 till September,2019. I will get divorces in a couples months. What should I do for the next step? Do I need to file the I-751 waiver? I’m married for 4 years with America.

        1. Hi, Taya. This is a very complex situation. You will need to amend your I-751 to be a waiver application, and supplement the supporting evidence. There is no formal procedure for changing the I-751. You will need to either “interfile” an I-751 with the service center or amend/replace the I-751 at the time of the interview.

          1. Hi Greg,
            Thank you for your answer.
            Should I bring my husband at the time of interview if my divorce case is on process ?

            Thanks again.

  26. My conditional green card expired 3 years ago in 2015.
    Got it when married to American citizen.
    I thought it was good for 10 years, and I did not use it,
    so I forgot to apply for I-751 to remove conditions.
    We are still married, have kids, and lived in same place since I came to USA.
    We did not receive any letters from USCIS about this.
    What should I do now ?
    Can I still apply for I-751, or will I be deported?
    Do I have any choices/options?

    Thank you!

    1. Hi, Michael. This is a very serious situation. Based on what you have described you are currently out of lawful status and yes, could be subject to deportation. You will need to file a late I-751 and request a “good cause” waiver for failing to file it in a timely matter. We strongly recommend you find a competent immigration firm to help you with that, as it should not be taken for granted that USCIS will grant such a request. Note that the issue of the waiver (why you filed late) is totally apart from the legitimacy of your relationship. That is, the fact that the family is together and the marriage intact and healthy just gets you to the starting point of whether USCIS would consider your late filing waiver.

      Get started on this immediately – the longer you delay the worse it will be. And good luck!

      1. The “good cause waiver” – is that a standard form that I can get from USCIS, or is it more like a free form letter that I can write myself ?

        Thank you for your answers!

        1. It is filed via the Form I-751 but this is not simply a matter of completing a form. You will need to present a convincing legal argument, and substantial evidence, to merit an approval.

      2. I went to an info pass appointment and they said they cant find my finger print an I was only issued a 60 days stamp extension an was told to email a service center to which my case was first filed at what is the cause

        1. You should use the 1-800 number to contact USCIS if you don’t have the case number. But the service center doesn’t collect you biometrics, that’s the local office.

  27. Hello,

    My initial I 797 is expiring in Oct 2018. I received a letter stating the letter has been extended to 18 months. However, I did not receive another copy of I 797. Does it mean that initial I 797 along with the new letter indicates that it has been extended to 18 months? Or should I have received another I 797?

    1. An I-797 is just the generic USCIS notice form – it’s not a special type of work permit. The new 18-month extension letter serves as your official work authorization extension. But note that the I-751 will probably not be approved in that window based on current processing times.

      1. Hi Greg,

        How long does it take to process a green card after I-751 approval? My cousin was approved 2 weeks ago but hasn’t received her card in the mail. Thank you.

          1. Wow, that’s interesting to know. Can she go to any field office to get a stamp in her passport until the card arrives? She forgot to do so at the field office where she was interviewed and had to move to another state for a temporary assignment. Thank you.

  28. Hi Greg,

    Thank you for the information.
    My I-751 extension letter will expire in January 2019 and judging by the current processing times I won’t be receiving my physical green card until after that date. The problem for me is that my wife (US citizen) and I have recently moved overseas for work. We of course intend to reside in the US and are back periodically but it is currently not feasible for me to visit a USCIS office and receive an extension stamp. Could you advise how you would proceed in my situation come January 2019 when I will inevitably be traveling to the US at some point after that date with only an “expired” I-751 extension notice with me. Will your downloadable letter and proof of having an open case status from the USCIS website suffice?

    Thanks a lot!

    1. Hi, Craig. This can be a real hassle. First, you should be getting a letter extending your status 18 months from the date of filing. Outside that window, you can try to set an appointment at one of the overseas USCIS offices if there is one near you. The issue I would be more worried about is LPR abandonment. If you are moving abroad to work you should look at request a “reentry permit” which is different than just the travel permission that comes with the I-751 extension letter.

      1. Hi Greg. Thanks a lot for your response. I probably should have been a bit clearer in my initial query.

        I have already received a letter extending my status for 12 months (not 18 months as I’m assuming this was before the change) and this is due to “expire” at the end of January 2019. I am also assuming that I won’t receive my physical Green Card by then due to processing times. So I am wondering if, when I travel in and out of the US, it will suffice to show the immigration officer a copy of your helpful letter above along with evidence of my LPR status plus showing that my case is still open (the original extension letter and copy of online open case status)? Or would you recommend going to an overseas USCIS office to get a further extension stamp?

        Regarding your advice about a re-entry permit. The problem there from what I understand is that a re-entry permit can only be granted for 2 years OR up until the date of expiration on your Green Card if that is sooner. Given that my “expiration date” shows January 2019 I am wondering how I would be able to attain a re-entry permit for any period longer than that? I’m aware of the need to be present in the US periodically in order to keep my LPR status and I travel in an out quite often (at least once every 6 months) along with keeping US bank accounts, property etc up to date and valid. So if I am indeed unable to attain a re-entry permit in this transition period between conditional green card and 10-year green card, do you think I would have any issues if I proceed with travel after January 2019 with just the evidence I mentioned above?
        Apologies for the essay and thank you again for your help!

        1. Hi, Craig. For folks who got the 12-month letter, USCIS will follow up with a separate letter showing that you are extended for the full 18 months. An individual with a pending I-751 will generally be allowed back into the states even past the 12-month letter. But it can be extremely unpleasant. We had a client stuck at LAX for 7 hours last year when they left in these circumstances (without telling us), though she was ultimately let back in. It would by far be a better idea to have proof of current status.

          I don’t want to get too granular on the facts of your case in this limited context. But I do want to dispell the notion – which is a common one – that “border run” every six months or so will reset the clock. The law on LPR abandonment focuses on the substance, not form, of where a person is genuinely residing. Officers aren’t required to attach much import to a quick “touch and go” trip back to the states.

          1. Thanks for that, Greg.
            I guess my final question would be regarding applying for a reentry Visa to preempt any of these issues occurring at the border. As I mentioned previously, is it even possible to apply for one if you don’t have a physical 10 year green card yet and/or if you have just a 12 month (hopefully soon 18 month) letter of extension?
            Thanks so much for your detailed help!

          2. USCIS *should* issue the reentry permit for at least up to the 18-month date. Frankly, a lot of immigration lawyers would just advise as a blanket matter to remain the U.S. (save for minor trips) until the I-751 is approved. It’s unusual to take up work abroad while in the midst of the I-751 process.

  29. My husband’s 1 year extention expires on 09/04/18. We got a letter from USCIS giving my husband additional 6 months extention. 18 months extention from the expiration of his temp green card.

      1. Hi. I came to US on tourist visa in feb 2017 and get married with USCitizen in may 2017 and i got green card interview feb 2018 and got conditional green card june 2018.it was arrenged marriage (same country same state same culture and same religion) and now my relation is not good with my USCitizen wife. Everything is genuine but I will file divorce in med of december 2018. Can i get 10 year green card? If yes then how can i get 10 year Green card. Please help me i shall be very thankful to you.

        1. Sorry to hear that, Ray. Check out this page that explains the basis for seeking a “waiver” of the joint filing requirements for your ten-year card. Usually the best course of action is to get the divorce completed as soon as possible so that you can file on the basis of legally concluded marriage + good faith. See the linked page for more on what that means.

    1. Hi Greg,
      Is it necessary to go to the closest USCIS office? Or can we make an appointment in another location in our state? Reason is, the office we want to make an appointment for has no more available schedules or openings. Thank you

  30. Hello,

    After a long time of waiting, I have finally received an interview date from USCIS. Unfortunately, my spouse was not given a day off from work to attend the interview with me. Your advice will be appreciated. Thank you.

    1. Hi, Ann. Your spouse absolutely must attend the interview. If they cannot make the existing date you need to contact your local office immediately to request rescheduling.

  31. I need to get an extension stamp (pending ROC) in my passport in order to renew my drivers license (dmv needs proof of legal status), but my passport has my maiden name and my current (soon expiring) drivers license, Social Security Card and all immigration related documents have my new married name. Will dmv accept the stamp in my passport (in my maiden name) as proof of legal status to renew my license?
    Thank you!!

  32. Hi,
    After reading the article I have to say that it is wonderful that there are people out there that are willing to help us in this type of situations so thank you!
    I have a quick question about going to school for a Masters as a resident. I have my receipt notice for the I-751 that will expire this coming December and when the time comes I will get the extension.
    I want to apply for a Master’s program, and I was told by the school that since my green card has already expired I have to wait until I get a new one. The lady that helped me was not completely sure of what she was telling me and suggested to wait until I received the new card to be on the save side. So my questions are, is it true that I need a current green card to be considered as a new applicant in a school? If so, can I use the receipt notice or the extension, when I get it, to apply to a school as a resident? It seems wrong to me that since I am still a resident I won’t be considered after applying because I don’t have an “actual” residency card. It would be great if I can apply son and hopefully start in January 2019.
    Thank you again for your help!

    1. Hi, Katrina. Your school is wrong. You remain in valid LPR status so long as the I-751 remains under review. We’ve made a downloadable letter (see top of this post) that explains that. You’re welcome to share that with your school. It may be a violation of anti-discrimination laws for them to reject the I-751 receipt as proof of your status, which it is.

      1. I filed a I-751 with my son sept and received my 18months extension in oct but I havent get any extension letter for my son. What should i do?

  33. Hi, I filed my I-751 35 days before my green card expires, the only proof I have is the mail receipt, I have not received any notice extension letter from immigration .My green card is expiring in two weeks. Without that notice Is it possible to schedule an appointment? And the appointment should be in the same location where i was approved for my green card 2 years ago?

    1. Hi, Luz. You should be receiving your receipt notice shortly. Your next interview will be scheduled based on your residential address. You can schedule an InfoPass appointment to request a stamped extension of your LPR status. But they may not be willing to issue it if they can’t find your I-751 case in the system yet. (But no harm in asking, aside from the time investment).

  34. My i751 is pending for 19 months already.
    My N-400 is pending for 5 months also.
    I just got an extension stamp on my passport. But nothing else since the biomwtric appointment 4 months ago.
    Is it normal?

  35. I will be applying for a driver’s license, is it enough to bring the I-797 notice saying my resident card is extended? or I have to get my passport stamped? Thanks

  36. My 1 yr extension expires on October
    14, 2018, got a letter from dmv to renew DL before 90 days of my DL expiration which is Oct 14, 2018. What should I do? Pls help, thank you in advance.

      1. Hi I’m in the same situation. I got a letter from the dmv to renew license but they won’t renew it because my green card shows an expiration date of 2017 but because of the 1 year extension letter they renewed it for only 1 year and now that’s up in September and I’m not sure what to do about it.

        1. You should be getting a letter from USCIS showing the new extension policy. But you remain in LPR status as a matter of law. You can print off a copy of your online case status and show them that your I-751 is still pending.

  37. Hello, please I want to ask about my one-year extension i-751, it will be expire at December 2018, my lawyer told me that no need to renew it if I don’t traveling outside USA, so please I need your information about that.
    Thank you

    1. We would generally agree with that. A change in employment is another reason you would want it. Note that you will also be receiving a letter from USCIS showing that your status is automatically extended 18 – versus 12 – months from the date of I-751 filing. USCIS recently changed their policy on that.

  38. Hi,
    My question is: how many months before the expiration of my extension letter, should I ask for an info pass appointment? I will be starting a new job soon (15th of next month) and my i 751 extension expires in October.
    Thank you for your time and I appreciate the help.

      1. Is it possible to get the info pass appointment after the extension letter is expired to get that stamp if we need to travel?

    1. I had an infopass appointment last week, as my one year extension will expire on 08/27.
      I was asked to come only two weeks prior to the expiry of the green card. So I can go anytime from Aug 13 to Aug 22.

  39. Hello,
    I just made an infopass appointment for next week but I can’t find my original Form I-751 receipt notice. I have a copy on my phone, though. but I just wanted to find out if I can print out and take that with me for the appointment, together with my expired Green Card and unexpired driver’s license?
    Thank you.

  40. Hello.
    l was read all the article about i-751 form, and right now l have some question about it.
    1, l have filed i-751 form on Nov 2017 and then l haven’t receive any notice about i-751 since l took biometic about 7+month. is it weird? or it might go to interview step?
    2, is there any safety time zone? such as after several month the chance of getting interview and extra evidence will be decrease?
    3, l heard about immigrants policy changed about GC from my friends, they told me after filed i-751 form and you will guarantee get interview? is it true?

    1. Hi, Alex.
      1. It’s not surprising to get no further notification between the biometrics and the time you are calendared for interview (which USCIS currently says is 17-33 months).
      2. Not sure what this question is asking. There’s a chance of an RFE any time before (and even at/after) the interview.
      3. Yes – the USCIS policy is that all I-751s go to interview. In reality, we still see some approved without interview, but that’s the policy.

  41. My GC extension letter is expiring in Nov 2018 and my I751 is still pending for 10+ months now. Can i go ahead and file for N-400? as its time for me to file in August 2018. Is it something wrong with my case that I751 is pending is for 10 months? Please advise.

    1. The posted processing time for I-751s is 17-33 months, so there is no reason to think that 10-months is a reason for concern. Yes, if a person with a pending I-751 meets all requirements for naturalization this can be filed while the I-751 is still pending – many attorneys think it’s a wise strategy to get USCIS to move more quickly on the I-751.

  42. Hi,
    We will be traveling around US starting August 4, 2018 but my extension letter is going to expire on October 6, 2018. Can I get an InfoPass appointment on August 1, 2018? Will they give me a stamp? Thank you.

    1. Usually we tell our clients to wait until 30 days prior to expiration. But there is no rule they can’t stamp the extension earlier f you have a reason (such as travel) that you can’t make a late appointment.

  43. Hi,
    My passport has my maiden name. Is there any way I can get the extension with my green card name (married name)? I was hoping I could get my driver’s license with my new name as all my other documents have it. Thanks in advance!

    1. Hi, Viviana. This shouldn’t pose an issue. It’s vary common – for obvious reasons – that K-1 and IR-1 immigrants have a name change during the process. Bring a copy of your marriage certificate documenting the name change if you want to be extra careful.

  44. Hi, thank you for creating this page. My temporary green card expired but my extension letter is still valid for 2 months. Last month, I traveled abroad and when I came back, the border office stamped my passport and wrote my USCIS # and my application # as well as “1yr extension” in the stamp. Is that the same stamp as I would get at my local USCIS office? Do I still need to schedule an infopass appointment for when my letter expires?

    1. Thanks, Florence. It sounds like the CBP officer was just documenting the basis of your readmission to the U.S. You’ll still need do the InfoPass appointment discussed in this post.

  45. One more question – I have applied for my 10 year green card; however, is it possible for me to go ahead and also apply for US citizenship? Please note I received my first green card in Sept 2015.

  46. My 1 Year extension expires on August 11th 2018 along with my driving license. I plan to fly back to the UK on August 1st for a family wedding and i am becoming increasingly worried as for the last month we have been trying to get an appointment via info pass to get another stamp in my passport but nothing is ever available. We have tried at all of hours of the day.

    I don’t know what else to do apart from turning up at my immigration office in Atlanta . I need my driving license to drive and i really want to return to the USA without any issues.

    This is so stressful. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

    1. Unfortunately, the InfoPass system is the only way to schedule requests for emergency advance parole. But if the system permits, you should look at other USCIS offices, as there is generally more than one available.

    2. Just scheduling an appointment is stressful – I agree. Last month, we were able to schedule an appointment online for my wife within the first hour or two of our local office (Phoenix, AZ) opening in the morning and the appointments available to choose from were for exactly two weeks from that day. This was after a couple weeks of trying to schedule an appointment at all different hours of the day hoping to get lucky. The appointment itself was fairly painless – they just stamped her passport and now she is good for another year. I hope this helps you and good luck!

  47. i have pending i751 and have my 5 y old kid as a dependent got the extension letter for one year and fingerprints done i was wondering will i get i 551 extension for him if his passport ( my kid passport ) expire ??

    1. We’re not sure that we understand the question. But the one-year extension doesn’t depend on the validity of a passport. Your extension remains valid even if your passport (or your son’s) expires. With that said, you should update the passport.

  48. Hello,

    I filed my I-751 last year. My green card was set to expire in August of 2017. Would you know if the 1-Year extension extend a year after the Green card expiration or a year after the receipt of the extension letter?

    Also, to go into a USCIS office to request another extension, does it have to be within a month of the expiration of the 1-year extension of can I go in any time before?

    Lastly, is it customary to get a response and request to come in for biometrics right away but not get any further updates on the status of the I-751 case for over a year after that? I think once i submitted my renewal I got a response for biometrics right away but have not heard anything since receiving my 1-year extension over a year ago.

    Please advise. This wait is making me so nervous. Thank you so, so much!

    1. Hi, AJ.
      1. Extensions are normally for 6 months.
      2. Yes, we normally advise clients to set the appointment within 30 days prior to expiration.
      3. Yes, if your case was properly filed then it is normal to hear nothing for 12+ months while waiting for an interview notice. You would normally hear further only if further evidence is required.

  49. my passport expired , what else can use?
    does the one year extension start when the greencard expires or when you get the letter. the letter has an April date and green card expires in july.
    please help

  50. Hi,

    Can you still travel domestically with an expired extension letter while waiting for your infopass appointment?

  51. Hi
    Adding another question

    My passport is expired and my 1 year extension expires in August should I go before it expires to ask to take my 2 passport photos to give m an extension ? Also what do they do with the 2 passport photos?

    Thank you

    1. Hi, Elias. Yes, ideally you should get your extension stamp before the letter expires. USCIS uses the photos to identify the applicant for processing purposes. The biometric appointment photo is used for the actual printed card you eventually get.

      1. Is there any other way to get a extension stamp other than on the passport from the info pass? I heard that people do get stamp on the passport photograph. Please advise and help! Thank you

  52. Hi thank you for all this info,

    Quote
    According to recent guidelines released by USCIS, all you need to bring to the appointment is:
    END QUOTE

    where on the website can I find this info I want to send the link to a friend also.

    Thank you in advance!

      1. I get my one year extension letter in February of this year and I want to travel in August of this year will it be a problem

        1. The one-year extension letter is just what it sounds like. So assuming your travel is for appropriate purposes and duration – and you are back before the extension expires – this does not sound problematic.

  53. Hi
    I have read the article and understand it, thank you… My wife came over on a K-1. She mailed her I-751 to main office 5/10/2017 and they sent notice the next day of receipt. That notice also mentioned her 1 year extension (which you mentioned above). My wife’s green card expired 7/25/2017 but with her one year extension it will expire 7/25/2018. Her I-751 was forwarded to local office on 2-26-2018 and received on 2-27-2018 without a further extension. We have been trying to get into the local office – even staying up to midnight – with not avail. Here we are in June.
    We have plane tickets to go to Philippines on 7-3-2018 and to return on 8-8-2018. I understand that she is still legal to travel and re-enter due to processing but we have fears. If we are unable to get her appt for another stamp before we leave can we take a copy of the page showing that it is being processed and still get back in country? How knowledgeable are the border agents in airports?

    Thank You

    1. Hi, Michael. First, appointments become available first thing in the morning, so there’s little point in staying up late. Instead, get up early to check InfoPass availability.

      As a matter of law – as you clearly understand – your wife remains a resident and is therefore entitled to be treated as a returning resident if she travels abroad (so long as the I-751 remains pending). You would want to bring passport, expired LPR card, 1-year letter, I-751 receipt… and for the day of travel it wouldn’t hurt to print out a page from the USCIS status website showing that the I-751 is still pending. With that being say, you can expect a rocky arrival, in all likelihood. Our clients who have reentered on this type of scenario have all eventually made it in – as they are entitled to under the law – but have spend up to five hours in inspection. (That’s obviously a huge pain for making connections, etc.). So definitely keep trying hard to snag an InfoPass appointment.

      Note also that if your I-751 appointment is scheduled while you are away you will need to contact your local office ASAP to get it rescheduled. You definitely don’t want to miss that.

      1. Thank you for your reply. We were able to schedule an appt. It seems the counters for the OKC office reset at midnight. We scheduled at 12:05 in the morning for a Thursday. However, I have another question. My wife is scheduled for surgery tomorrow on Wednesday and our appt is at 8:00 on Thursday morning. Can I go in her place and get her stamp?

        Thank You

  54. Hi,
    My I-751 extension letter will be expiring soon (and no word on my case), so I found this article. The one thing it doesn’t address is that in NYC area (or all of NY) whenever I go to the USCIS site to book an appointment there are none available. Ever. Now what?

    Thanks,
    Michael

    1. Hi, Michael. Yes, many InfoPass sites are heavily subscribed. Unfortunately, you just have to keep trying to make an appointment. New ones are made available each morning, though they often fill up very fast.

  55. Hi, my GC expired February 2017 and i filled for renewal for 10yrs instead i got 1year extention. This is the status of my case is it possible to send me 10yrs GC or they gonna call us for interview?

    “As of April 9, 2018, we completed our review of your fingerprints and are working on your Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence, Receipt Number EAC180875***, at our Vermont Service Center location. We will let you know if we make a decision or need anything from you. If you move, go to….

    Thanks.

      1. I have unique situation please. My wife’s temporary green card is going to expire at June 6th. We sent our I-751 at 18th of May through Priority mail USPS with tracking number. Today is 1st of June.

        My question is; are we safe because we submitted form WITHIN 90 DAYS BEFORE EXPIRATION or we should be worried that case have not been accepted before expiration of green card?

        I will really appreciate your answer please.

        1. Hi, there. Through the tracking number you should be able to confirm that it was delivered to USCIS. So long as it makes it to USCIS by the expiration date of the card you’re fine. Certainly if you mailed it 18th May it should be received by 1st June. The receipt notice may take one or even two months to get back to you, but that does not change the fact that the petition was timely received.

          1. You are awesome. A big burden have taken off of my shoulders. I am going to take good care of that tracking slip from USPS.

            Thanks again.

        2. Presently, uscis is experiencing delays on the process of form i751. Within 60 days of submission you will hear from uscis.
          I had a similar experience.
          If you are still in doubt, you may call their customer service line.
          Good luck

          1. Not true. It takes them 15days after they receive your envelope to start working on your case

  56. Hi,
    I have a question
    My GC was expired on April 2017, I filed I-751 on JAn 2017, and got NOA until Jan 2018
    Before it expired, I went to USCIS and got stamped in my passport until Sept 2018
    So I applied for N-400, got the biometric appointment on April 2018
    So now, my i_751 and N400 are pending at the same time.
    I’m really worry that how if by the time my stamp on passport expires, and either case is approved?
    Another question is if I can travel during this time, while my N-400 is processing?

    1. It’s fine to have a pending N-400 and I-751 – this is quite common. Probably USCIS will move the I-751 and approve it first. You can travel with a pending N-400 subject to the residential and physical presence requirements for naturalization.

  57. My children’s conditional residency expires June 1, 2018. They applied for I-751 on April 12, 2018. We haven’t received any I-797 letter from USCIS. One of my son has a job. The other has a full college scholarship. My daughter will take summer credits. Will they all lose what they have now because their green card expires in 5 days? I went to our USCIS field office but immigration officer said they can’t do anything on their end because they don’t see anything re I-751 application in their system. What should we do now?

    1. Hi, Valerie. Take another look at this article The children’s legal status does not expire so long as the I-751 was properly filed. Your son has no need to take special action with respect to his employment unless his HR department asks him for updated documentation. Likewise, there is no reason your daughter’s scholarship or enrollment should be jeopardized. I-751 receipts are routinely taking over 30 days, so it is not too surprising that your receipt would not be delivered.

      1. Thank you so much for your prompt response. I appreciate your time and answer to my inquiry. Your immigration office is superb! Your 5 star rating speak volumes!

  58. Hello!
    My extension letter is set to expire in June and I am starting a new job next week. I have emailed Infopass and requested an appointment but am extremely nervous. What should I do?

  59. My wife’s extension letter expires next month. We are currently trying to get an info pass appointment in Phoenix, AZ, to get a stamp, but no luck so far. Her driver’s license will expire on the same date as her extension letter (AZ DOT made sure to not have her license valid past the date on her letter, since she used the letter to get her license). So, even though we can be patient for her interview, etc. (no immediate travel plans), it seems we MUST try to get in for the stamp so she can update her license for another year. Any way around this?

    Is there anything an attorney or other representation can do to expedite either the info pass appointment or the actual processing of the I-751? (My guess is “no”.)

    1. Hi, Erik. Yes, the availability of InfoPass appointments is what it is – attorneys don’t have special access. Your wife’s status as LPR isn’t dependent on an extension stamp, however. You can demonstrate to the DOT that she is still in LPR status bu showing he receipt letter plus the online case status what shows the I-751 is still pending. Now, whether the DOT employee you speak to can be made to understand this is another matter. But we’ve taken this approach often with employers to show our clients’ continued employment eligibility.

      1. Luckily, we were just finally able to secure an InfoPass appointment for her a couple weeks from now. We hope it goes smoothly.

        I agree with the “made to understand” comment completely. We’ve already had trouble in other matters (like our home mortgage, for example) where we had to go around many laps with several people to make them understand that she is here legally, even though her green card was past the expiration date.

        Thanks again for the responses to this and everyone else’s questions — this article and comments have definitely given us peace of mind.

  60. Dear
    i filed in april 10 2017 and got extention letter 1 month after that mean may 2017. i have plan to travel outside the country in july 2018 and my 2 years green card expired in July 10 2016. however i went to the immigration office back in April 2018 and they said my extention letter not expire until July so they cannot stamp my passport? when should i come back to get my stamp? is it safe to travel outside US with expired 2 years green card and expried extention letter and only stamp in passport? i check my case only and they still the same with nothing change. I read here and see alot of people need to get interview so is my case close to that time yet? should i travel or not?

    1. Hi, Annie. The extension letter says right on the letter itself when it expires, which is one year from the notice date. It is definitely unwise to travel abroad without current proof of LPR status. You can theoretically get back into the country even with an expired I-751 letter (so long as the application is still pending). But this will result in a difficult situation at the airport and likely prolonged detention. The timing of your narrative is a bit confusing, but it seems to us that you one-year letter will expire before July 2018 in which case you should be given a stamp.

      1. i’m so sorry for my broken english. my problem that my NOA will expired in 1 month from today base on what the officer told me before. She said my NOA will base on my green card. it’s mean my 2 years green card expired on 7/7/2017. So she means my letter not gonna expired until 7/7/2018 eventhough my letter said the receipt date 04/10/2017 and extend my status for another year. However can i travel outside the country later if they gave a an I551 stamp on my passport? ( cause my NOA gonna expired real soon). i don’t really understand about this situation so please help me out. thank you so much.

        1. Hi, Annie. Yes, you definitely want an extension stamp if you will travel outside the United States past the expiration of the 1-year letter. Let us know if that answers the question.

  61. My extention expires on June 2nd but my passport is expired as well. Will I still be able to get a new extention? I am a bit nervous I wont.

    1. Hi, Emilia. It is doubtful that they would issue one. You will first want to get a renewed passport. Your employment status remains by operation of law, but you should still get your documents updated.

      1. So in the article it says: Or – if you do not have an unexpired passport – two passport-style photographs.
        But you’re saying they likely won’t issue me an extention bec of an expired passport?

          1. Sorry for posting almost the same question, but the article says “Or – if you do not have an unexpired passport – two passport-style photographs”.
            My child’s conditional GC expired last year and his extension letter will expire in 2 months.
            Can I get my child’s expired GC stamped for travel purposes by just bringing to my appointment my 1) expired conditional GC 2) my valid extension letter, and 3) my two passport-style photographs?

  62. My wife’s GC has expired and her extension letter just now expired. After checking online about the case through USCIS it states that the “case has been move to your local field office” for about 2 months. After reading all the posts I hope to ask a question that hasn’t been asked before. So let me make sure I’m right. 1) this is normal? so what’s average wait time? 2) we will have another interview more then likely? and again whats the average time line for this? I understand this is different from case to case but a guesstment is all we are wondering. 6 more months or a year? getting an Infopass in Dallas in next to imposable. We have been trying for two weeks and will need to get the “stamp” so we can go see her family but wondering if we should wait and still try to get in with the Infopass or wait for the interview?

    1. Hi, Matt. Wait times really differ a lot from office to office. But it’s by no means unusual to be in the interview line for more than a couple months. It’s important to get the InfoPass appointment primarily if you’re thinking about international travel. Otherwise you can just wait out the interview and save yourself some trouble.

  63. Hi!
    My husband and I files a I-751 at the california service center and they received my file on april ,16 2018. It will be a month sinxe they got my file on may,16 and they have not yet cashed my check and of course I have not yet received my husband’s NOA. What advice can you give me? USCIS tols me to wait 30 days exactly and call them back. What would the procedure be? If I get an infopass will they be able to give my husband an extension on his conditional resident card? His card experies on June ,30,2018.
    Your advice is greatly appreciate!
    Thank you!!

    1. That’s tricky. You have to lodge your inquiry with the USCIS customer service number: 1-800-375-5283. If you haven’t received the receipt notice in 30 days of filing you should definitely submit an inquiry. You can try to make your case for a temporary stamp at an InfoPass appointment. But they will want proof of filing the I-751. Hopefully you submitted the petition by certified mail so you have proof of filing.

    2. Hello Miami,

      Same here, has been 30 days since i filed my i-751 to the CA office and they still have not cashed my check and no NOA. I just called this morning and they said it is taking up to 60 days now as they are pretty backed up.

  64. Hi, I have tried to set up an appointment at USCIS in Atlanta through the website but it says no appointments are available. I’m on an expired GC and a 1 year extension letter that goes through Jan/2019. The reason I’d like the appointment is to get the I-551 stamp on my passport since I want to visit family abroad. Is the stamp a requirement or necessary in this particular case? Thanks in advance for your help.

    1. Unfortunately, some field offices have closed all InfoPass appointment slots. If you travel past the expiration of the one-year letter you will almost certainly experience problems at the border. With that being said, you are still a returning resident so long as your I-751 is still pending, so they should ultimately let you in. We have seen clients detained for 5+ hours in cases like that.

      1. Hi. We’ve also encountered that from the site. I think you should just keep checking daily until they open another slot. We checked daily until we got an opening in one of the locations here in california. I checked again in other locations close to us and they eventually opened new slots but it’s for later dates. The one we got is not the closest to us but it’s needed asap so we drove about 2 hrs to get there. They extended it for another year. Good luck!

  65. what can i do my extension expire next month June 16 when i check status this is the first result; On march 9, 2018, we received your Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence, Receipt Number 457577877888, at your local office. If you move, go to http://www.uscis.gov/addresschange to give us your new mailing addres

    and just 2weeks ago the status change again ; On April 26, 2018, we received your Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence, Receipt Number EAC1717400106, at your local office. If you move, go to http://www.uscis.gov/addresschange to give us your new mailing addres

  66. so this new policy for ”all i-175 applicants will get an interview” where is the source for this? This would be very stressful and prolong the caseload for uscis no?

    1. Hi, Eva. Some of USCIS’s formal policies are promulgated in the code of Federal Regulations (CFR). But far more are contained in guidance memoranda, the USCIS Policy Manual and – as here – simply in announcements made by the agency. That’s one reason it’s particularly tricky to keep track of immigration procedure.

  67. How accurate is the following statement? : My GC and extension both expired recently, as long as I don’t have to travel overseas or start new employment that requires proof of status I don’t have to do anything, but wait for my 10 YR GC to arrive in the mail.

    1. Hi, Benjamin. That’s a pretty fair statement. The biggest caveat centers around the aggressive enforcement environment in the US. If you were stopped by an immigration officer (or law enforcement officer generally), you’d have a slightly uphill battle to explain how you are still in status. You are, as a matter of law, still in status. But that could be a long conversation to have on the side of the road at 10:00 at night. If you want a clean, easy way to document present status, the extension stamp would be the means.

  68. Thank you for replying
    My pre-hire date is may 8th and I expire at May 21th.
    Does It affect my employment since you said that.

    1. You are definitely authorized to work. But the HR department is likely going to want to have an updated stamp on file. You could start by explaining the situation to them and seeing what they want. In the past some of our clients have been alright with a copy of the 1-year extension notice, plus a letter explaining that the I-751 is still pending.

  69. Hi,
    Thank you for all these responses and I do understand your advice.
    I do understand that I need get a stamp since my NOA is expiring in 3 weeks.
    March 3rd, 2018, it’s been transferred in to local office, which is Chicago (my first interview was there)
    My situation is that I have to move out to Jacksonville, FL next week.
    The earliest appointment is May 10th means I am in FL by that time.
    1. I assume that I only can make a appointment in chicago office (Jacksonville office does’t accept info pass right now…), is it worth to fly there and do the extension or should I wait?
    2. Do you advise me to update my address at last minute, because I heard if I update, it takes few months again to transfer to Jacksonville.

    Thank you!!

    1. Part of this depends on whether you will actually have an urgent need for the extension stamp. (Status as a lawful permanent resident doesn’t depend on getting a new stamp – it remains by operation of law). But if you are relocating and accepting new employment, you will likely need the extension. We confirm that the Jacksonville office is not accepting InfoPass appointments. If it is financially feasible to do so, you may want to simply keep your May 10 appointment and file your AR-11 thereafter.

  70. My extension expires on June 8th but I am currently out of the country and don’t get back on June 22nd. Could I go to the USCIS office in Rome to get an extension stamp on my passport or can it only be done within the US?

    Also, I noticed you wrote that all i-751’s will have interviews, is this new?

    1. Hi, Justyna. Yes, the “everyone gets interviewed” policy is quite recent. With that being said, we have seen cases get approved without interview since the policy was rolled out, which was surprising. Still, you should expect that you will be set for interview regardless of the strength of your case.

      In terms of reentry, check out our response above to Eden.

  71. What happens if my extension stamp expired while I am out of the country? Can I go to a local consulate to get the stamp or do I have to actually go to one of the three USCIS offices in Mexico? Current situation.*

    1. We have had clients successfully reenter with expired conditional residency stamps. So long as the I-751 has not been denied, and the person has not lost residency status, the residency status remains in effect by operation of law. CBP will usually give the person a hard time – our clients faced hours of detention at the port of entry. But ultimately the person as to be let back in as a returning resident, unless there is another problem that bars entry. You would have to check directly with the Mexican USCIS office, but they typically offer very limited services.

      1. Just a follow up on my situation regarding being out of the country for 3 months with an expired I-551 stamp.
        I called U.S. consulate days before i was to arrange travels to USCIS office in Ciudad Juarez, MX. They advised I go to my closest port of entry and present my expired stamp and all other current documentation pertaining to my case status. However, for some reason or another, the immigration officer handled my entry just as they would when my stamp was still valid and let me through without any questions. I am now back in the states and just two days after my re-entry, my 10-year Residency card was approved and is now being shipped to me (May 21, 2018).

        Here is a bit of background and timeline of my case:
        Married spouse August 29, 2013. (Already had DACA status on my own)
        Filed for I-130 September 14, 2013 through immigration lawyer.
        Filed for I-131 September, 2014 on my own to leave the country to then re-enter Legally as I was in the US since the age of 4 illegally.
        November 7, 2014 left country to Mexico, spent few days with family.
        November 11, 2014 Re-entered the country and of course was pulled in to the port of entry offices to obtain my I-91 stamp on my passport for lawful re-entry.
        February, 2015 decision was made and was granted my Conditional Residency status for 2 years (after 1st interview)
        September 24, 2016 applied for conditions to be removed on my own.
        December 2016, received letter of one year extension.
        February 24, 2016 received I-551 stamp on passport and they kept my conditional residency card.
        March 24, 2018 received request for more evidence.
        April 05, 2018 submitted evidence.
        April 25, 2018 USCIS updated that they received evidence.
        May 20, 2018 Case was approved and new card is in production.

  72. Question: If my husband’s extension has expired and I-751 is still pending, then he goes to local office to have his passport/gc stamped and travels, what happens if his I-751 is “approved” when he’s still out of the country? Can he still enter even without the new 10 yr GC on his hand?

    1. USCIS’s current policy is to schedule all I-751s for interview, so it is unlikely it will be approved while he is gone. Were that to happen, a valid extension stamp can still be used for foreign travel.

  73. My petition to remove conditions on my GC based on marriage has been processing since September 2016. I have received letter of extension for one year January 2017, and got my extended stay stamp on my Mexican passport February 24, 2017. Unfortunately I came to Mexico endings of February and without checking felt sure my stamp was good past February for some reason. Now my stamp has expired and I am in Mexico. I am in dire need of getting my stamp to return to U.S. What can I do now? Can I cross with my stamp being expired or will they revoke my residency status?

    Thanks!

  74. my extension letter will be expired in June this year. Do i need to get the another extension now? or wait until end of May to get another extension.?

    Also, this August will be my 3rd year for having GC, can i still apply the Citizenship with this extension letter?

    Thanks, 🙂

    1. The offices and individual officers seem to vary in terms of how early they will stamp an extension. It’s probably safer to wait until closer to within 30 days of your card’s expiration, but be careful because InfoPass appointments fill up very quickly at some offices.

      In terms of naturalization, yes – this can be filed even before the I-751 is approved (assuming the person is within 90 days of the three-year anniversary and meets all other requirements for naturalization). There is even some school of thought that doing so may speed up your I-751, though we do not have strong data to support that.

  75. My green card is expired and i have recived a notice of extrntion for one more year,can i travell on this notice of extention and expired green card or do i need to get my passport stamped i55,my 1751 is still pending.

  76. I filed to remove condition on my GC last year, (March 2017). My NOA expired last month. I originally got my conditional GC via marriage but applied for removal alone because the marriage is dissolved. Will I be invited for an interview before my case is adjudicated?

    1. Currently the USCIS policy is supposed to be that all I-751s are set for in-person interview. (In reality we have seen some approved without interview). But if you are no longer married to your original I-130 petitioner then you will need to revise your I-751 as a waiver. You need to move on that immediately. A jointly filed I-751 is not going to be approved if the U.S. spouse is not participating.

    1. We may not be understanding, but it sounds like your one-year extension letter (for the I-751) has expired. If so you must apply for an extension stamp, as described in this post, before traveling.

      1. my 1 yr extension would be expiring in 2 weeks, i am about to apply for a renewal stamp but would like to know if i most apply before my initial stamp expire or after and how many month would i be given when renewed.

        1. They will usually stamp a six-month extension. The safest approach is to stamp an extension before your current one expires. As a technical matter of law, however, you remain in status as a lawful permanent resident even if the one-year letter has already expired. Your status as resident continues until the I-751 is approved (or if you do something to lose it or have it revoked).

  77. My Noa is already 17 months. Why does it take so long? I need to travel to Brazil and I’m afraid to go without everything completely right.

    1. Processing times for the I-751 are just really long right now. Just because processing is taking a long time doesn’t – by itself – mean that it’s more dangerous to travel. But you should certainly ensure that you didn’t miss a notification in your case (check your status online).

  78. On the article you say “You can set up an appointment at the local USCIS field office with jurisdiction over your case”, to stamp an extension either on your I-551 (green) card, or in your passport.

    How do I know which one has jurisdiction over my case? Because I always went to Atlanta (for Biometrics and everything), and using my postal code the infopass, seems it is Nashville.

    Thanks in advance.

  79. I came in the US April 2015, with a conditional status. My green card has expired. My NOC extension is expired with a receipt date of feb 03, 2017. My I-751 is still pending. I got an I-551 stamp on my passport which is extended for another year. Am I safe to travel out of the US? Especially traveling back to US?

    1. A Conditional Lawful Permanent Resident whose I-751 is pending, with an extension stamp if needed, is treated as a resident for travel purposes. The person is treated as a “returning resident” so long as the I-751 is still pending. With I-751s taking about 2 years, it seems your interview is potentially coming up very soon.

  80. I filed I-751 and got my one year extension and it seems like it will take more than that. My DL expiration date is same as the one year expiration date. Can I take infopass before my One year extension expires so that I can have my passport stamped and use it to renew my DL. Or do I need to wait until my One year extension is expired?

    Any suggestions will be be greatly appreciated.

    1. Hi, Croz. ACS/biometrics appointments are different from InfoPass appointments. The former are used for your photo and fingerprints for the I-751; the second can be scheduled for additional work authorization stamp requests. If you need a stamp extension you need to schedule an InfoPass appointment, and usually they will grant extensions shortly before expiration of a 1-year letter to avoid lapse in authorization documentation.

      1. My NOA is expiring at the end of April and I am finding it hard to get a Info Pass appointment. What happens if I can’t get an appointment before my NOA expired?

        1. With a pending I-751 your LPR status (and work authorization) is automatically extended by operation of law until the I-751 is adjudicated. Depending on your employer, they may or may not be pro active in asking for updated employment authorization. All you can do is get in there for an InfoPass as soon as possible.

          1. Thank you. I am having difficulty getting an appointment in NY nothing is ever available can I go to am office in NJ? Does it matter which government office I visit for a info pass appointment?

  81. Hi,
    I was reading your article “Filed I751 extension expiring” and I have a question. Is the one year extension letter one year from the NOA date on the letter itself, or one year from the expiration date noted on the green card itself? Thanks.

      1. so my GC expired last august and the NOA with the extension was sent and dated last may. so the year started from may not august? so my year is expiring in may? i just want to be clear as possible.
        thanks 🙂

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