In the paper [13] we proved that the only stable C(2) minimal surfaces in the first Heisenberg group HI which are graphs over some plane and have empty characteristic locus must be vertical planes. This result represents a sub-Riemannian version of the celebrated theorem of Bernstein. In this paper we extend the result in [13] to C(2) complete embedded minimal surfaces in HI with empty characteristic locus. We prove that every such a surface without boundary must be a vertical plane. This result represents a sub-Riemannian counterpart of the classical theorems of Fischer-Colbrie and Schoen, [16], and do Carmo and Peng, [15], and answers a question posed by Lei Ni.