(a) General—

(1) Conditional residence based on family relationship. An alien seeking admission to the United States with an immigrant visa as the spouse or son or daughter of a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident shall be examined to determine whether the conditions of section 216 of the Act apply. If so, the alien shall be admitted conditionally for a period of 2 years. At the time of admission, the alien shall be notified that the alien and his or her petitioning spouse must file a Form I-751, Petition to Remove the Conditions on Residence, within the 90-day period immediately preceding the second anniversary of the alien's admission for permanent residence.

(2) Conditional residence based on entrepreneurship. An alien seeking admission to the United States with an immigrant visa as an alien entrepreneur (as defined in section 216A(f)(1) of the Act) or the spouse or unmarried minor child of an alien entrepreneur shall be admitted conditionally for a period of 2 years. At the time of admission, the alien shall be notified that the principal alien (entrepreneur) must file a Form I-829, Petition by Entrepreneur to Remove Conditions, within the 90-day period immediately preceding the second anniversary of the alien's admission for permanent residence.

(b) Correction of endorsement on immigrant visa. If the alien is subject to the provisions of section 216 of the Act, but the classification endorsed on the immigrant visa does not so indicate, the endorsement shall be corrected and the alien shall be admitted as a lawful permanent resident on a conditional basis, if otherwise admissible. Conversely, if the alien is not subject to the provisions of section 216 of the Act, but the visa classification endorsed on the immigrant visa indicates that the alien is subject thereto (e.g., if the second anniversary of the marriage upon which the immigrant visa is based occurred after the issuance of the visa and prior to the alien's application for admission) the endorsement on the visa shall be corrected and the alien shall be admitted as a lawful permanent resident without conditions, if otherwise admissible.

(c) Expired conditional permanent resident status. The lawful permanent resident alien status of a conditional resident automatically terminates if the conditional basis of such status is not removed by the Service through approval of a Form I-751, Petition to Remove the Conditions on Residence or, in the case of an alien entrepreneur (as defined in section 216A(f)(1) of the Act), Form I-829, Petition by Entrepreneur to Remove Conditions. Therefore, an alien who is seeking admission as a returning resident subsequent to the second anniversary of the date on which conditional residence was obtained (except as provided in §1211.1(b)(1) of this chapter) and whose conditional basis of such residence has not been removed pursuant to section 216(c) or 216A(c) of the Act, whichever is applicable, shall be placed under removal proceedings. However, in a case where conditional residence was based on a marriage, removal proceedings may be terminated and the alien may be admitted as a returning resident if the required Form I-751 is filed jointly, or by the alien alone (if appropriate), and approved by the Service. In the case of an alien entrepreneur, removal proceedings may be terminated and the alien admitted as a returning resident if the required Form I-829 is filed by the alien entrepreneur and approved by the Service.

[62 FR 10360, Mar. 6, 1997]