Who Can File Form I-485?
- You are physically present in the United States
- You were inspected and admitted or paroled (or you qualify under INA 245(i))
- A visa is immediately available for your category
- You are admissible, with no unresolved bars to a green card
Our eligibility check covers:
- Whether you can adjust status here or need consular processing
- Your eligibility category, from immediate relative to employment to asylum
- How you entered the country, and the INA 245(i) exception
- Visa availability for preference categories, with a Visa Bulletin link
- Status gaps and unauthorized work, including the 245(k) allowance
- Inadmissibility red flags worth an attorney review before you file
Frequently Asked Questions
Form I-485 is the application to register permanent residence or adjust status. It lets a person who is already in the United States become a lawful permanent resident (green card holder) without returning to their home country for an immigrant visa.
People who are physically in the U.S., were inspected and admitted or paroled, have a visa immediately available for their category, and are admissible. Common categories include immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, family-preference and employment-based applicants, and asylees or refugees.
Entering without inspection usually blocks adjustment of status. The main exception is INA 245(i), which can apply if a petition or labor certification was filed for you on or before April 30, 2001. Otherwise you would typically pursue consular processing, often with a waiver, which is worth reviewing with an attorney.
No. Spouses, parents, and unmarried children under 21 of U.S. citizens are immediate relatives, so a visa is always available to them. They can file Form I-130 and Form I-485 together, and they are forgiven for past overstays and unauthorized work.
Most applicants also file a medical exam (Form I-693). Family-based applicants file an Affidavit of Support (Form I-864) from their sponsor. Preference-category applicants must have a current priority date on the Visa Bulletin when they file.