As of September 4, 2021, USCIS has extended the time that receipt notifications can be used to show evidence of status from 18 months to 24 months for petitioners who properly submit the Form. I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions of Residence, or  Form I-829, Investor Petition to Remove Conditions on Permanent Resident Status. We have made the change from 18 to 24 months to accommodate current Form I-751 and Form I-829 processing times, which have increased over the last year.

Conditional permanent residents who correctly file Form I-751 or Form I-829 will receive a receipt notification that they can submit with their Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card (also known as a Green Card or Green Card), as evidence extension of your status for up to 24 months after the expiration date of your permanent resident card, as long as your case remains pending with USCIS.

In addition, we will issue new receipt notifications to eligible conditional permanent residents who correctly submitted their Form I-751 or Form I-829 before September 4 and whose cases are still pending. Those receipt notifications will also serve as evidence of the extension of status for 24 months after the expiration date of your permanent resident card.

As a reminder, conditional permanent residents who plan to be outside the United States for a year or more must apply for a reentry permit by submitting the Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, before leaving the country. For more information on International Travel as a Permanent Resident, see our page on Permanent Resident Card.