KAPAG ang green card ay nakuha sa pamamagitan ng kasal sa isang U.S. citizen (USC) at ang kasal ay wala pang 2 taon noong naaprubahan ng USCIS ang green card application, ang green card na makukuha ng dayuhan ay conditional green card na may bisa na 2 taon.
Ang layunin ng conditional green card ay upang maiwasan ang sham marriages o mga pekeng kasal kung saan ang mag-asawa ay magpapakasal lamang para makakuha ng green card ang dayuhan, at pagkatapos nito sila ay maghihiwalay na. Kaya para matanggal ang conditions ng green card, ang dayuhan o conditional permanent resident (CPR) ay kailiangang magpakita na ang kanyang kasal ay totoo at siya ay may intensyon na maging kasal sa asawang USC nang matagalan.
Upang magtanggal ang conditions sa green card, ang CPR ay kailangang mag-file ng I-751 Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence sa loob ng 90 araw bago ang ikalawang anibersaryo niya bilang conditional resident. Kapag ang CPR ay nag-file ng I-751 Petition, kailangan niyang magbigay ng mga ebidensya na magpapatunay na ang kanyang kasal sa USC ay totoong kasal, at ang kasal ay hindi naganap upang lumabag sa US immigration laws.
Ayon sa dating policy ng USCIS, karamihan sa mga CPR ay hindi kinakailangang pumunta pa sa USCIS para sa personal na interbyu. Hangga’t sapat ang ebidensyang ibinigay kasama ng I-751 Petition para patunayan na ang kasal ay totoo, hindi na kailangan ang interbyu sa USCIS. Subalit, sa Revised Interview Waiver Guidance for Form I-751 Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence na naging epektibo noong Disyembre 10, 2018, ang interbyu ng CPR ay bahagi na ngayon ng I-751 adjudication. Sa bagong policy na ito, ang mga interbyu ay kinakailangan dahil ito ay magbibigay sa USCIS ng pagkakataon upang i-verify ang mga impormasyon na nakalagay sa I-751 Petition. Maaari ring matuklasan ng USCIS ang mga bagong impormasyon na mahalaga sa pagdesisyon ng I-751 Petition o para madetermina ang kredibilidad ng CPR.
Maaaring magkaroon ng waiver ng interview sa mga sumusunod na sitwasyon: (1) Ang edidensyang naibigay kasama ng I-751 Petition ay sapat na para masabing ang kasal ay totoo at hindi naganap upang lumabag sa US immigration laws; (2) Para sa mga I-751 Petition na natanggap mula Disyembre 10, 2018, ang USCIS ay nakapag-interbyu na ng dayuhan at asawang USC sa I-130 Petition/I-485 Application; (3) Walang indikasyon ng fraud, misrepresentation o panloloko sa I-751 Petition at sa mga dokumentong ipinasa kasabay nito; at (4) Walang mga kumplikadong mga isyu na kinakailangang maresolba sa pamamagitan ng interbyu.
When a green card is obtained through marriage to a U.S. citizen (USC) spouse and the couple is married less than 2 years during the adjudication of the green card, the green card that the alien will receive will be a conditional green card, valid for 2 years. The conditional green card is issued due to concerns that some aliens may get married solely to obtain a green card, which the US federal government considers to be an attempt to evade U.S. Immigration Laws. The purpose of the conditional green card is to weed out sham marriages where couples get married only to get a green card, and after getting the green card, the couple separate and get a divorce. Hence, in order to have the conditions on the green card removed, the alien or conditional permanent resident (CPR) must be able to prove that he got married in good faith and with the intent to remain in the marriage.
To remove the conditions on the green card, the CPR must file an I-751 Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence during the 90 days before his 2nd anniversary as a conditional resident. When submitting the I-751 Petition, the CPR must submit the required initial evidence that establishes the bona fides of the marriage and that the marriage was not entered into for the purpose of evading US immigration laws.
Under a previous policy of the USCIS, most CPRs were not required to attend an in-person interview in order to obtain a permanent resident card. As long as enough evidence was submitted with the I-751 Petition to show that the marriage was bona fide, no interview is necessary. However, in the Revised Interview Waiver Guidance for Form I-751 Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence effective December 10, 2018, the interview of the CPR is now part of the I-751 adjudication. Per this new policy, interviews provide USCIS with the opportunity to verify information contained in the petition, as well as to discover new information that may be relevant to the adjudication or to determine the credibility of the CPR seeking to remove the conditions of his lawful permanent resident status.
USCIS may consider waiving the interview if they are satisfied that: (1) They can make a decision based on the record because it contains sufficient evidence about the bona fides of the marriage and that the marriage was not entered into for the purpose of evading the immigration laws of the US; (2) For I-751 cases received on/after December 10, 2018, USCIS has previously interviewed the principal petitioner for I-130/I-485; (3) There is no indication of fraud or misrepresentation in the Form I-751 or the supporting documentation; and (4) There are no complex facts or issues that require an interview to resolve questions or concerns.
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ATTY. RHEA SAMSON is the principal of SAMSON LAW FIRM, P.C. She has been a member of the State Bar of California for over 15 years and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines for over 20 years. Atty. Samson received her Legal Management degree from the Ateneo de Manila University and her Juris Doctor degree from the Ateneo Law School. She was a Professor for over 10 years, teaching Obligations and Contracts, Labor Laws and Social Legislation and Taxation Law. Atty Samson is the author of The Law on Obligations and Contracts (2016), Working with Labor Laws-Revised Edition (2014) and Working with Labor Laws (2005).
SAMSON LAW FIRM, P.C., 3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1710, Los Angeles, CA 90010; Phone: (213) 274-4561; Email:[email protected].
