US Military Spouse N400

My spouse and I are stationed overseas, on military orders. Spouse is listed by name as accompanying on my orders. We were married in 2023, she received her green card Nov 2023.

After being stationed overseas in 2025 we applied for Naturalization under 319(b) of the INA. We applied outside the 90 day window for filing removal of conditions.

We received her I-797 promptly, which very plainly states that the receipt serves as an automatic 2 year extension to her green card. Perfect.

In October (60 days before original green card expiry) we contacted USCIS to confirm her green card was extended by 2 years from expiry with that notice. We were told yes.

The USCIS website says that for our overseas military situation we can complete naturalization without filing for removal of conditions and will have to provide marriage bona fides at the interview, but there is a footnote that the naturalization must be complete before we enter the 90 day window to remove conditions or else I-751 is required and the N400 cannot be approved without it. It is now clear that when we tipped into that 90 day window we should have filed I-751.

With that being the case, I do not understand why the N400 extension was provided to us...we were told that because we did not file I-751 my spouse "could" lose her permanent residency, but the N400 receipt they sent us says her residency is extended for 2 years (so through Nov 2027). I would have thought that would mean her new 90 day window for removal of conditions would be ~Sep 2027 based off the extension they gave her and her new expiry. Note: the N400 receipt does not distinguish between conditonal or 10 year green card.

Was it just a mistake they sent us the extension because they assumed she was not a conditional resident? Does the extension carry any weight in protecting her status? We are actively working to compile the I-751 and submit ASAP, but wondering if anyone else has submitted the I-751 late and had it all work out.

Fun fact, the Military Help Line just gets you to the front of the line, it does not connect you with agents who have special knowledge on military filing intricacies.

I appreciate any insight.