We are proud to share that one of our clients has successfully received approval to remove the conditions on her green card—without her spouse’s help. She was able to go from a 2-year green card to a 10-year green card on her own.  

 

In this case, our client’s U.S. citizen husband had subjected her to ongoing emotional and psychological abuse. He had her involuntarily committed to a mental institution and threatened to have her arrested if she returned to the United States after visiting Pakistan with her small child. The serious abuse led her to attempt suicide.   

 

With regard to her immigration status in the U.S., she worried she would not be able to apply for a 10-year green card without the help of her spouse.  Typically, a 2-year conditional green card is issued for spouses of U.S. citizens or green card holders when the marriage is less than 2 years old at the time of the conditional green card approval.  To remove conditions and receive a 10-year permanent green card, a couple is generally required to jointly file (husband and wife) for removal of conditions and prove that the marriage is real.  

 

 

Because she was experiencing abuse in the marriage, our firm confirmed that she qualified for a waiver of the joint filing requirement based on extreme cruelty. We worked with her to prepare a strong I-751 petition, including a detailed personal declaration and supporting documentation.

 

USCIS has now approved her case. She has received her 10-year permanent green card and no longer has to depend on her abusive spouse for her immigration status. This gives her much needed stability and confidence to raise her son in the U.S.

 

If you or someone you know is facing a similar situation, help is available. Call us at 703-348-1663 to schedule a confidential consultation and learn about your options.