Form I-751: removing conditions on your green card
If you got your green card through a marriage that was less than two years old, it is conditional and expires after two years. Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence, is how you ask USCIS to make your permanent residence permanent. Usually you file it with your spouse in the 90 days before the card expires.
Checked against USCIS guidance on September 21, 2026. The sources are listed at the end of this page.
Who files Form I-751
USCIS says your permanent resident status is conditional if it is based on marriage and you had been married less than two years on the day you became a resident. It stays conditional until USCIS approves your I-751.
Most people file jointly with the U.S. citizen or permanent resident spouse they are still married to. You can file without your spouse by asking for a waiver of the joint filing requirement if your spouse died, the marriage ended in divorce or annulment, you or your child were abused, or losing your status would cause extreme hardship. See Filing Form I-751 without your spouse.
A conditional resident cannot use Form I-90 to renew an expiring card. That is only for a lost, stolen, damaged or incorrect card. To keep your status, you need the I-751.
When to file: the 90-day window
- Filing jointly: you must file during the 90 days immediately before your conditional green card expires. USCIS says a petition filed before that window may be rejected. Its filing calculator, linked from the Removing Conditions page, gives your first day.
- Filing with a waiver: you can file at any time before your conditional status expires, and even after it, until a final removal order is issued.
- Missed the window: your conditional status ends automatically, and USCIS starts removal proceedings. You can still file late with a written explanation, and USCIS decides whether you had good cause. See How to file Form I-751.
What it costs
USCIS’s fee schedule lists $700 online and $750 on paper. The fee is $0 if you are filing a waiver based on battery or extreme cruelty. Details, including the fee waiver, are in Form I-751 fee.
What you send
- Copies of the front and back of your green card (and of any conditional resident children you are including)
- Evidence that you married in good faith, covering your relationship from the wedding to today: a joint lease or mortgage, joint bank accounts, joint tax returns, insurance naming your spouse, children’s birth certificates and more
- If you choose, affidavits from at least two people who have known you both since you got conditional residence, to support the other evidence
- Anything specific to your situation: a death certificate, a final divorce decree, evidence of abuse or of hardship, an explanation if you file late, and court dispositions for any arrests or charges
The full list, with what makes evidence strong and how affidavits must be written, is in I-751 evidence checklist.
While your I-751 is pending
Your receipt notice extends your green card, your status and your work authorization for 48 months past the date on the card. USCIS’s January 2023 announcement says that with the expired card you “remain authorized to work and travel” during that time. If the case is still pending after 48 months, USCIS says to call its Contact Center at 800-375-5283.
USCIS may ask you to attend biometrics or an interview, and mails a notice if so. After approval, the next statuses are usually New Card Is Being Produced and Card Was Mailed To Me. More in I-751 processing time.
Frequently asked questions
What is Form I-751?
Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence, is how a conditional permanent resident who got a green card through marriage asks USCIS to remove the conditions, so the 2-year card is replaced with a permanent one.
When should I file Form I-751?
If you are filing jointly with your spouse, during the 90 days immediately before your conditional green card expires. Filing earlier may be rejected. If you are filing with a waiver, you can file any time before your status expires.
What happens if I don’t file Form I-751 on time?
Your conditional status ends automatically when the card expires, and USCIS sends a notice and starts removal proceedings. You can still file late with a written explanation of why, and USCIS decides whether there was good cause.
How much is the I-751 filing fee?
$700 online or $750 on paper, according to USCIS’s fee schedule. It is $0 for a waiver based on battery or extreme cruelty, and some petitioners can ask for a fee waiver with Form I-912.
Can I file Form I-751 online?
Yes. USCIS accepts Form I-751 online through a USCIS account, as well as by mail.
What is a conditional green card?
A 2-year green card given to someone whose permanent residence is based on a marriage that was less than two years old when they became a resident. The conditions must be removed with Form I-751 before it expires.
Can I renew a conditional green card with Form I-90?
No. An expiring conditional card is handled with Form I-751, not Form I-90. A conditional resident only uses Form I-90 for a card that is lost, stolen, damaged, incorrect or never delivered.
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Sources
General information from USCIS guidance, not legal advice. MyCheck is not affiliated with USCIS or any government agency, and doesn’t file forms or judge whether a marriage qualifies. Fees and addresses change: check USCIS.gov before you file. If you missed your deadline or are filing a waiver, talk to an immigration attorney.
