Stay Ahead of the Game: Understanding USCIS’s 48-Month Extension Policy

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has recently announced an extension of the validity of Permanent Resident Cards (PRCs) for those who file either a Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence, or a Form I-829, Petition by Investor to Remove Conditions on Permanent Resident Status. The extension is valid for 48 months beyond the card’s expiration date, providing conditional permanent residents with much-needed relief.

For employees who had previously provided their employer with a receipt notice for their Form I-751 or I-829 application, they may present their expired PRC along with a new Form I-797 Notice of Action receipt notice indicating the new extension date. The Form I-797 Notice of Action may be related to either a Form I-751 or a Form I-829 application. Employers are advised to update the employee’s Form I-9 if they provide this updated documentation.

To update the Form I-9, employers should follow these steps:

– In Section 2, update the ‘List C, Expiration Date’ by drawing a line through the original expiration date and entering the updated date.

– Initial and date the update.

It is important to note that employers must reverify the employee’s employment authorization before the extension ends. For more information on reverification, please see ‘Reverifying Employment Authorization for Current Employees’.

In conclusion, the USCIS’s extension of the validity of PRCs for 48 months is great news for conditional permanent residents who may have faced difficulties renewing their cards due to the ongoing pandemic or other reasons. If you are an employee who has received a new Form I-797 Notice of Action receipt notice, or an employer who has an employee with an expired PRC, make sure to follow the steps outlined above to keep your records up-to-date.

If you have any questions about how the immigration and nationality laws in the United States may impact you or your family members or if you want to access additional information about the United States or Canadian immigration and nationality laws, please feel free to get in touch with the immigration and nationality lawyers at NPZ Law Group. You can send us an email at info@visaserve.com or call us at 201-670-0006 extension 104. In addition, we invite you to find more information on our website at www.visaserve.com