You may be issued a two-year green card when you first receive a marriage-based visa. However, you may have heard of other foreigners who have married United States citizens getting a ten-year green card. With this, you may wonder why you got the more limited one, and how you can change that for yourself. Well, please read on to discover the differences between a two- and 10-year one and how a seasoned green card lawyer in Milwaukee, WI, at Sesini Law Group, S.C., can help you get the latter.
What is the difference between a two- and ten-year green card?
Simply put, a two-year green card is a type of conditional visa that, as the name suggests, only lasts for two years’ time. This type is typically issued when you have residency status in the United States by marrying a citizen, but your marriage to your spouse is less than two years old.
Rest assured, on your second wedding anniversary, you may make efforts toward applying for a ten-year green card. This is essentially a permanent resident card. Again, as it is in the name, this visa is valid for up to 10 years. After a decade has passed, you may reapply if you wish to continue living in this country.
Lastly, it is worth mentioning that there are ways of obtaining a 10-year green card other than marriage. That is, you may be issued one for employment-based purposes, or if you have an immediate relative who was recently issued one themself. On top of this, this option is achievable if you self-petition through the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).
How do I know if I qualify to get conditions removed from my green card?
Unlike a ten-year green card, you cannot petition to renew a two-year one. Rather, your only path forward may be to petition to remove your conditions and get a 10-year one in its place. For this, you must fill out and file Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence, with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) at least 90 days prior to your two-year green card’s expiration date.
In this application, you may have to prove for certain that your marriage has been legitimate for the past two years. This may require supplemental evidence such as the birth certificates of your shared children; family photos of you two and your shared children; a lease or mortgage agreement with your two names on it; a bank account jointly owned by the two of you; income taxes jointly filed by the two of you; and much more.
If you have gotten this far, we now ask you to reach out to a competent green card lawyer in Milwaukee, WI to schedule an initial consultation. Overall, we strongly encourage you to retain legal representation from Sesini Law Group, S.C. for your upcoming immigration petition.