If you received your green card through a marriage that was less than two years old, your residence is conditional. The card lasts two years, and you must ask USCIS to remove the conditions before it expires.
The request is Form I-751. Most couples file it together.
When to file
You file during the 90 days before the second anniversary of the date you became a conditional resident. That date is printed on the card as “Resident since”.
Count back 90 days from the expiration date and put that day on a calendar. A petition filed earlier than the window is usually returned.
What evidence to include
The petition asks USCIS to see that the marriage was real when it began. Evidence from the two years since usually carries the most weight.
- A joint lease or deed, and joint bills at the same address.
- Joint bank accounts, credit cards and tax returns.
- Insurance policies naming each other.
- Birth certificates of children born to the marriage.
- Photographs over time, and sworn statements from people who know you as a couple.
When the petition is received, the receipt notice extends your status for the period stated on it. Carry it with your card when you travel or start a new job.
If you file late, or are no longer married
A petition filed after the card expires must explain why it is late and show good cause. Without a petition, conditional residence ends and removal proceedings can begin.
If the marriage has ended, or you were abused, you may file alone and ask for a waiver of the joint filing requirement. You still must show the marriage was entered in good faith.
Talk to us before you file. See Removing conditions on residence for the investor version of the same step.
Sources
Published July 7, 2026.