Adjustment of Status / Green Card (Form I-485)

Adjustment of Status / Green Card (Form I-485)

USCIS sets the filing fee for Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, at $1,440 for most applicants, biometrics included. Since April 1, 2024 the work permit (I-765) and travel document (I-131) are no longer bundled — they cost $260 and $630 extra even when filed together (full breakdown below). The form lets eligible people already in the U.S. apply for a green card without leaving for consular processing — though since May 2026, USCIS treats granting it as a discretionary exception rather than the routine path (see the update below).

⚠️ Policy update (May 21, 2026): USCIS Policy Memo PM-602-0199 instructs officers to treat adjustment of status as discretionary “administrative grace” granted only in extraordinary circumstances, and points most green-card applicants toward consular processing abroad. The memo has no grandfathering clause, so it is widely read as reaching already-pending I-485 applications — expect more Requests for Evidence and discretion-focused interview questions. Meeting the legal requirements no longer makes approval near-automatic; documented positive ties (long residence, family, employment, tax compliance) matter more than ever. Before considering consular processing instead, understand the unlawful-presence re-entry bars triggered by leaving the US — full explanation on Adjustment of status vs consular processing.

Download the official form

USCIS publishes Form I-485 as a free PDF. Always download the current version directly from USCIS — third-party copies may be outdated.

• Download Form I-485 (PDF) — official USCIS source
• Download Instructions for Form I-485 (PDF) — read before filling out the form
• File Form I-485 online with USCIS (where supported)

What is it for?

Apply for lawful permanent residence (green card) from within the US without leaving for consular processing. Under the May 2026 memo, USCIS now frames this as the exception — consular processing abroad as the regular path — so the discretionary part of the decision carries real weight.

Who needs it?

People in the US with an eligibility basis: approved family petition (I-130), employment petition (I-140), approved asylum, refugee status after one year, U/T visa beneficiaries, and other categories.

Processing time

Typical range (USCIS, as of 2026-05-26): commonly about 6.5 to 14.5 months for employment- and family-based cases, but some family-preference categories with visa backlogs run far longer (up to ~109 months) — see the live table below for your category and office.

⚠️ Times change weekly and vary by service center. For current time and your specific case:

• Check current times at USCIS
• Check YOUR case status at USCIS (you need your receipt number)

Fee

$1,440, biometrics included (children under 14 filing with a parent: $950). The concurrent work permit (I-765, $260) and Advance Parole (I-131, $630) cost extra since April 2024 — see the cost table below. Certain humanitarian categories qualify for exemptions; verify at the USCIS fee schedule (G-1055).

How to file

By mail (lockbox). I-485 does NOT accept online filing for most categories currently.

Required documents

• Completed Form I-485
• Form I-693 (Medical exam + required vaccinations) sealed in envelope by USCIS-approved civil surgeon
• Two recent passport-style photos
• Birth certificate of applicant
• Copy of visa or I-94 (entry record)
• Approved base petition (I-130, I-140, etc.)
• Marriage certificate if applicable
• Criminal record if any history
• Affidavit of Support (I-864) if family petition
• Fee payment or waiver request

Current USCIS processing times

USCIS publishes the time in which 80% of cases complete, per form, category, and office. The table below renders from our automatically maintained copy of the official data — always verify against the live system before relying on a deadline.

Frequently asked questions

Can I work while waiting for the green card?

Yes, if you file I-765 (EAD, $260 when filed with I-485) alongside it. The EAD renews while I-485 is pending. You can also file I-131 (Advance Parole, $630) for travel.

How long does the full process take?

Generally 9-24 months. EB-1/EB-2 employment categories can be faster. Asylum or certain family categories can be slower. Verify current processing times at uscis.gov.

What happens if my green card is denied?

USCIS will notify you of the reason. You can file a motion to reconsider (Form I-290B), appeal, or be referred to immigration court for removal proceedings if you have no alternative status.

Does the May 2026 USCIS memo affect my I-485?

Likely yes. Policy Memo PM-602-0199 (May 21, 2026) tells officers to grant adjustment of status only in extraordinary circumstances as discretionary “administrative grace,” and it has no grandfathering clause — so practitioners read it as reaching pending applications too. Most attorneys advise not withdrawing a pending I-485, but expect more RFEs, delays, and questions about why you chose adjustment over consular processing. Document positive ties (residence, family, employment, taxes) thoroughly. Full breakdown: Adjustment of status vs consular processing.

Do I need legal help?

Highly recommended for I-485. It’s one of the more complex immigration processes. Errors or omissions can result in denial or deportation. Resources: AILA (find an attorney), CLINIC (Catholic organizations), ILRC (trainings).

Can I travel while waiting?

Only with Advance Parole (I-131) approved in advance. Leaving without AP automatically abandons your I-485 application. Some cases allow travel with valid H/L visa — consult an attorney.

The real cost, in numbers

Since April 1, 2024 USCIS unbundled the adjustment package. The green-card application, the work permit, and the travel document each cost separately — even when mailed in the same envelope:

Three notes that save money or grief:

• Children under 14 filing together with a parent’s I-485 pay a reduced $950 (alone: full $1,440).
• Filed before April 1, 2024? Your case follows the old bundled rule: EAD and Advance Parole renewals stay free while that I-485 is pending.
• Renewals during a post-April-2024 case pay the discounted fees again — budget for at least one EAD renewal in slow field offices (see the live table above).

Who can adjust — the four doors

Form I-485 is the last step of four very different paths. What they share: INA § 245(a) generally requires that you were inspected and admitted or paroled into the US.

1. Family. An approved (or concurrently filed) I-130 petition. Immediate relatives of US citizens — spouse, unmarried child under 21, parent of a citizen 21+ — have no visa-number wait and can usually file I-130 + I-485 together. Preference categories (F1–F4) must wait for a current priority date.
2. Employment. An approved I-140 with a current priority date. After the I-485 has been pending 180 days, INA § 204(j) lets you change to a same-or-similar job without restarting (AC21 portability).
3. Humanitarian. Asylees and refugees can apply one year after grant/arrival under INA § 209. U- and T-visa holders have their own adjustment tracks with continuous-presence requirements.
4. Special programs, including INA § 245(i) grandfathering: if a qualifying petition or labor certification was filed for you on or before April 30, 2001, you may be able to adjust despite entry without inspection, paying the $1,000 statutory penalty — details on the 245(i) page.

The traps live in INA § 245(c): unauthorized employment, overstays, and status violations bar adjustment for most categories — but immediate relatives are exempt from several of those bars. This single distinction decides thousands of cases; have a professional map yours before filing.

Is a visa number available for you?

Preference-category filers can only submit I-485 when the Visa Bulletin says their priority date is current. Two realities to internalize:

• The wait is measured in years, not months, for most preference categories — for example, for an F2A spouse of a green-card holder from Mexico, the bulletin currently shows July 2025 — a wait of about 1 year — while the same resident’s unmarried adult child (F2B) faces February 2009 — a wait of about 17 years. The I-130 guide embeds the full current bulletin and the rules (CSPA, 204(l), retrogression) that protect your place in it.
• USCIS decides each month whether you may use the earlier Dates for Filing chart or must use Final Action Dates. Check the USCIS Visa Bulletin page the month you plan to file.

If the bulletin retrogresses after you file, your pending I-485 stays alive — USCIS simply can’t approve it until the date is current again. You keep work and travel benefits while it waits.

Work permit and travel while you wait

File I-765 (category (c)(9)) and I-131 in the same package — approvals typically arrive months before the green card.

The hard rule on travel: leaving the US without an approved Advance Parole abandons your I-485 automatically (narrow exceptions exist for maintained H-1B/L-1 status). Even with Advance Parole in hand, re-entry is never guaranteed — anyone with old removal orders, criminal history, or long unlawful presence should get an attorney’s sign-off before buying tickets.

The medical exam (I-693)

Only a USCIS-designated civil surgeon can complete Form I-693 (find one here); it reaches USCIS in a sealed envelope you must not open. Filing it together with the I-485 avoids the most common RFE in adjustment cases. Validity rules have changed several times since 2024 — confirm the current policy on the USCIS I-693 page before your appointment, and bring your vaccination records to avoid paying for repeat shots.

The interview

Most family-based applicants interview at their local field office (the live table above shows how long that office is taking). Marriage cases should bring the originals plus updates: joint lease or mortgage, joint accounts and taxes, photos across time, children’s birth certificates. Officers can split spouses into separate rooms and compare answers when something feels off. Many employment-based and some asylee interviews are waived — a waiver is not a problem with your case, just triage.

After approval, the physical card typically arrives within weeks; your unrestricted Social Security record updates next. If you move at ANY point while the case pends, file AR-11 within 10 days — missed interview notices are a leading cause of avoidable denials.

If USCIS denies it

There is no direct appeal of an I-485 denial. The real options:

• Motion to reopen / reconsider (Form I-290B) within 30 days — new facts or a legal error, decided by the same office.
• Renew the application in immigration court. If you’re placed in removal proceedings, the immigration judge hears your adjustment case fresh (de novo) — denials get reversed this way regularly.
• Refile if the defect is fixable (missing document, fee error) and your category is still current.

A denial with no underlying status is the moment to already have counsel — start at find an immigration attorney, which lists pro bono and BIA-recognized options.

Related information

• Other USCIS forms
• Federal and state procedures
• Consulates of your country in the USA

Last verified: 2026-06-10. General information — not legal advice. Fees, requirements, and times change frequently. Always verify at USCIS.gov before filing.

Related procedural information

• Consulate of your country in the US — passport renewal, consular ID, document apostille
• ITIN — file federal taxes without SSN — required regardless of immigration status
• USCIS form library — federal immigration forms (I-130, I-485, N-400, etc.)
• Find an immigration attorney — pro bono lists + AILA + BIA-recognized
• Know Your Rights — ICE encounters — constitutional protections
• Marriage to a US citizen + Adjustment of Status — the most common I-485 family path