Green Card Approval and Benefits

If you have a conditional marriage-based green card, you’ll need to stay married for at least two years to remove the conditions and get a permanent 10-year green card. This involves jointly filing Form I-751 with your spouse during the 90-day window before your conditional green card expires. USCIS will evaluate whether your marriage is still genuine before granting you a permanent green card.

If you divorce before the two-year mark, you may still be able to remove the conditions by filing a waiver, but you’ll need to provide evidence that your marriage was entered in good faith. If you have already received your 10-year green card, a divorce will not impact your green card status, though it may affect your timeline to apply for U.S. citizenship.

Yes, you can apply for U.S. citizenship after getting your marriage-based green card, but the timeline depends on how long you’ve been a green card holder. If you received your green card through marriage to a U.S. citizen and you remain married to that citizen, you are eligible to apply for naturalization after three years of continuous residence as a green card holder. During this time, you must also meet other requirements, such as living in the U.S. for at least half of that three-year period and demonstrating good moral character. If your marriage ends or if your spouse is a green card holder (not a U.S. citizen), you must wait five years before applying for citizenship. Becoming a U.S. citizen provides additional benefits, like the ability to vote and greater ease in sponsoring family members.

Once you receive your marriage-based green card, you become a lawful permanent resident of the United States. This means you can live and work in the U.S. without restrictions.

If you’ve been married for less than two years when your green card is approved, you’ll receive a conditional green card, which is valid for two years. Before it expires, you and your spouse will need to jointly file Form I-751 to remove the conditions and obtain a 10-year permanent green card.

After getting your green card, you also gain access to benefits such as applying for a Social Security number, opening bank accounts, and obtaining a driver’s license. Additionally, you can travel abroad, though it’s important not to spend too much time outside the U.S. without maintaining your residency ties.