I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status

Form I-485 is the primary application used by immigrants adjusting status (applying for lawful permanent residence—a green card) in the United States. It collects basic information about the applicant's identity and checks for grounds of inadmissibility. The form is primarily used by would-be immigrants who are:

• eligible to apply for a U.S. green card (lawful permanent residence), and

• also eligible to do so while living in the U.S., without leaving for an overseas consular interview.

Only a limited group of people fit both criteria, most often those who came to the United States on a temporary visa, but married a U.S. citizen; those who received asylum in the U.S; those who came on a temporary work visa such as an H-1B and had their employer sponsor them for a green card; and those who came to the U.S. as the fiancé of a U.S. citizen and got married before their fiance visa expired.

By contrast, people who entered the U.S. without inspection, or those who overstayed a visa and are not the immediate relatives of a U.S. citizen, are usually not eligible to adjust status, even if they are otherwise eligible for a green card. They will need to use a procedure called Consular Processing.

Over the years, the Law Office of Spojmie Nasiri PC has filed hundreds of Form I-485 petitions on behalf of our clients. Whether seeking status for parents, spouses, or children under the age of 21, our dedicated team has worked diligently to help bring families together. Contact us with any questions you have about adjusting immigration status or to begin the process of seeking permanent resident status for your loved one.