Our office has been seeing long delays in USCIS issuing receipt notices for Form I-751, the petition to remove conditions on residence.
The receipt notice matters more than it sounds. A conditional green card is valid for two years, and the receipt notice is what extends your status and your proof of it while the petition is pending. Without it in hand, people struggle to renew a driver's licence, complete an I-9 with an employer, or travel.
Oddly, many applicants are receiving biometrics appointments before the receipt notice arrives, which tells you the case is in the system even though the paperwork has not caught up.
We spoke directly with a USCIS officer in Washington, D.C., who confirmed the agency is aware of the problem and that it is affecting applicants nationwide.
The temporary fix: an ADIT stamp
An ADIT stamp, sometimes called an I-551 stamp, is placed in your passport at a USCIS field office and serves as temporary evidence of lawful permanent resident status. It is the same thing USCIS uses when a card is lost or delayed.
We have been requesting these for clients successfully, and they have generally been issued within about 14 days.
How to request one
Call the USCIS Contact Center and explain that you need an ADIT stamp because your I-751 receipt notice has not arrived. Have your A-number and the details of the pending filing ready, including the date you mailed or filed it and any delivery confirmation you have.
USCIS will tell you how your local field office handles it. Practice varies between offices, and some will schedule an InfoPass-style appointment while others handle it differently.
Bring your passport, your expired or expiring conditional green card, and whatever evidence you have that the petition was filed.
What the stamp does and does not do
It is evidence of status, valid for a limited period, and it is enough for employment verification and for travel in most circumstances. It does not decide your I-751 and it does not speed up the underlying case.
If your conditional card is close to expiring and the receipt notice has not arrived, do not wait for the mail. Ask us and we will request the stamp and keep the underlying case moving.