I-485 for asylees and refugees
Political asylum green card: file your I-485 after one year
A political asylum green card comes from Form I-485, the same form other applicants use, on a separate set of rules. You answer plain questions about your grant and your time in the United States. We prepare the form, build your document list, and check the timing before you pay.
No account, no card. Money-back guarantee.
- One-year timing checked
- Derivative family covered
- Money-back guarantee
Last updated
- $249All-inclusive price
- 1 yearIn the US after the grant
- INA 209The rule for asylees and refugees
- 100%Money-back guarantee
THE ONE-YEAR RULE
You need at least one year in the United States after your asylum grant before USCIS can approve your green card. USCIS says you may file sooner, but it can ask for more evidence and take longer. Our eligibility check treats the anniversary as the date to file, so you are not waiting on a request for evidence.
Where you stand
Which asylee situation matches yours?
Your status, the date of the grant, and who is applying with you decide how the I-485 works. The free check confirms yours.
- 01
You are the principal asylee
You were granted asylum by USCIS, an immigration judge, the Board of Immigration Appeals, or a federal court. You file Form I-485 once you have one year in the United States after the grant.
PRINCIPAL ASYLEECheck eligibility - 02
You are a derivative asylee
A spouse or child who got asylum through the principal applicant can apply. You need your own year in the United States, and the principal must still meet the refugee definition. You must also still be the spouse or unmarried child of the principal. Once the principal becomes a citizen, you can no longer adjust as a derivative.
DERIVATIVECheck eligibility - 03
You came in as a refugee
Refugees admitted under INA 207 are required to apply after one year in the United States. The rules and the papers differ from the asylee route, including the filing fee and the medical form.
REFUGEECheck eligibility - 04
Your asylum case is still pending
You cannot file Form I-485 until asylum is granted. Keep your case documents together and come back with your grant notice or Form I-94.
NOT YET
What you get
Everything you need to file the application correctly
You answer questions. We handle the form, the Affidavit of Support, the checks, and the document list.
- FLAGSHIP
Up to 37 checks before you file
Your category and entry, the inadmissibility questions, public charge, the sponsor's income on Form I-864, and every blank field. Each check shows pass, review, or fix.
Plain-English questions
Every I-485 question rewritten in everyday words, including the inadmissibility questions people get wrong.
Affidavit of Support prepared
Family cases need Form I-864. We calculate household size, compare income against the 125% guidelines, and tell you if you need a joint sponsor.
Your document list
Medical exam, birth records, sponsor tax documents, and everything else your category actually needs.
How it works
Apply for your asylee green card in four steps
Your answers save as you go.
Confirm the date of your grant
Enter the date on your asylum grant or Form I-94. We count the year and tell you the day you can file.
Answer the I-485 questions
Plain English, including the questions about arrests, past status, and any family member who applies with you.
Gather the papers
Proof of your grant, proof of one year in the United States, photos, ID, and a medical exam on Form I-693 when it is required.
File and attend biometrics
Send the packet. USCIS schedules fingerprints and may call you for an interview.
Pre-filing audit
See every check before you file
Every I-485 runs through up to 37 checks: 26 on the application itself, plus 11 on the Affidavit of Support when your category needs one. You see the full report before you pay.
Eligibility and category
- Category matches your petition status
- Inspected, admitted or paroled, or 245(i)
- Lawful status maintained under 245(c)
- Derivative filing allowed in your category
- J-1 and J-2 two-year home residence under 212(e)
- Prior permanent residence not rescinded
- One-year physical presence for asylees and refugees
Family, marriage and age
- Marital status consistent across the form
- Prior marriages legally ended
- K-1 marriage inside the 90-day window
- Child status and age-out risk under CSPA
- Automatic citizenship heads-up for a child
Admissibility and background
- Criminal history grounds
- Security and terrorism grounds
- Unlawful acts and immigration violations
- Fraud or misrepresentation
- Military and other grounds
- Removal or immigration court history
- Travel while pending and advance parole
- Medical exam on Form I-693 still valid
Public charge and history
- Affidavit of Support required or exempt
- Public charge questions complete or correctly skipped
- Five-year address history with no gaps
- Five-year employment history with no gaps
Affidavit of Support on Form I-864, for family cases
- Sponsor income against the 125% poverty guidelines
- Sponsor meets the age requirement
- Sponsor is domiciled in the United States
- Household size counted correctly
- Joint sponsor income is enough
- Household member income added correctly on I-864A
- Assets cover any income shortfall
- Right tax year and transcripts attached
- Sponsor employment and income source disclosed
- Sponsored relatives match the petition
- Sponsor Social Security number disclosed
Form integrity
- Required fields complete
- Field content validation
Compare your options
Three ways to file your I-485
What you get, what it costs, and where each option leaves you.
Swipe to compare all three
| Feature | Do it yourself | Immiva | Traditional immigration attorney |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you pay to prepare it | Free | $249 | $3,000–$10,000+ |
| The form itself | YesThe blank USCIS form, free to download | YesYour I-485, filled in from your answers | YesFilled in for you |
| Affidavit of Support | NoA separate form and a poverty-guideline table to read | YesPrepared, with the income math done | YesPrepared for you |
| Error checking | NoNone. You find out from the rejection notice | YesUp to 37 checks, shown before you pay | YesA person reads it |
| Inadmissibility questions | NoYou read and interpret them alone | YesChecked against the rest of your answers | YesReviewed with you |
| What it costs you upfront | YesNothing | Yes$249, and only after you see the report | NoA retainer before anything starts |
| How long it takes you | NoWeeks of reading instructions | YesUsually one or two sittings | NoWeeks of back and forth |
Your complete I-485 packet
The application, the Affidavit of Support where it applies, the pre-filing report, your document list, and filing instructions.
$249One price for this application. The USCIS filing fee is separate and paid to the government.
Covered by a money-back guarantee. Read the guarantee terms
Common questions
Asylee green card, answered
The one-year rule, the papers, the fee, and what happens to your green card date.
Once you hold asylum status and have spent a year in the United States after the grant, you file Form I-485 from inside the country. USCIS reviews your admissibility and your record, and may call you for an interview.
The law requires one year of physical presence in the United States after the grant, counted from the date asylum was granted. USCIS lets you file earlier, but then it may ask for more evidence and take longer, so most asylees file on the anniversary.
Asylees file Form I-485 with the USCIS filing fee, or with a fee waiver request on Form I-912. Refugees do not pay the I-485 filing fee or the biometric services fee. Check the current USCIS fee schedule before you file. USCIS fee schedule
USCIS lists proof of your asylum grant, evidence of one year in the United States, two photos, a photo ID, your birth certificate if you have it, passport pages and your Form I-94 if you have them, Form I-693 when it is required, police and court records, and Form I-602 if you need a waiver. Your Immiva checklist is built from your answers.
A spouse or child who was granted asylum as a derivative can apply on their own Form I-485. The principal asylee must still meet the refugee definition, and each family member needs a year in the United States after their own grant.
Refugees send the vaccination part of Form I-693, and repeat the full exam only with a Class A medical condition. Asylees send Form I-693 or a partial one when the instructions say it applies. A missing required form can get the I-485 rejected.
Be careful. Going back to the country you fled can put your status at risk. You can travel with a refugee travel document. Without one you may not be able to return, and a trip to the country you fled can cost you asylum. See the refugee travel document page
For an asylee, the date of residence is rolled back one year from the approval date. For a refugee, it is the date you were first admitted as a refugee. The asylee rollback counts toward the time needed for naturalization. See the citizenship page
Immiva's fee is $249, paid once, after you have seen your report. The USCIS filing fee is separate and goes to the government.
I-485 guides
Read this before you file
Categories, medical exams, sponsors, and what happens while you wait.
- I-485 Complete Guide: Adjustment of Status to Green Card (2026)Who can adjust, the steps, evidence, fees, and timing, in plain English.Complete Guide
- How to File I-485 in 2026: Step-by-Step InstructionsA walk-through of assembling, paying for, and mailing or e-filing your application.How to File
- I-485 Document Checklist 2026Every supporting document USCIS expects, organized by category and situation.Evidence
- I-485 Medical Exam (I-693): Requirements, Vaccines, and TimingWhen to do the exam, which vaccines you need, and how long it stays valid.Medical Exam
- Form I-864 for I-485: Income Requirements and Sponsor RulesWho needs a sponsor, the income thresholds, and how joint sponsors work.Affidavit of Support
- I-485 Processing Time 2026: Wait Times by CategoryRealistic timelines for family, employment, and humanitarian categories.Processing
- Working and Traveling While I-485 Is Pending: EAD and Advance ParoleHow the combo card works and when it’s safe to leave the country.Work & Travel
- I-485 Interview: Questions, Preparation Tips, and WaiversWhat officers ask, how to prepare, and when the interview is waived.Interview
Related applications
Around the asylee green card
The full I-485 page, travel while you wait, and the step after the green card.