I-485 for EB-1, EB-2 and EB-3 applicants
Employment based I-485: the next step after I-140 approval
An employment based I-485 is the form that turns an approved or pending I-140 into a green card, once your priority date is current. You answer plain questions about your status and your job offer. We prepare the I-485 and check the timing before you pay. Your employer or its attorney files the I-140, not Immiva.
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- Priority date checked
- Supplement J guidance
- Money-back guarantee
Last updated
- $249All-inclusive price
- I-140Filed by your employer, first or with the I-485
- 180 daysBefore a job change under AC21
- 100%Money-back guarantee
THE I-140 COMES FIRST
Immiva prepares the I-485. We do not prepare the I-140. Your employer, or you as a self-petitioner (EB-1A or national interest waiver), files the I-140. Immiva does not prepare it. Once it is approved, or filed together with your I-485 when a visa is available, you can use Immiva for the I-485 itself.
Where you stand
Which employment situation matches yours?
The state of your I-140 and your priority date decide when you can file. The free eligibility check confirms yours.
- 01
Your I-140 is approved and your date is current
This is the standard route. You file Form I-485 with a copy of the I-140 approval notice and, in most cases, Supplement J.
MAIN ROUTECheck eligibility - 02
Your I-140 is pending and your date is current
When a visa is available, USCIS lets you file the I-485 while the I-140 is pending, or at the same time. The I-140 must still be approved for the I-485 to succeed.
PENDING I-140Check eligibility - 03
Your priority date is not current yet
You cannot file until your date is current on the chart USCIS uses that month. Watch the Visa Bulletin and gather your papers while you wait.
WAITOpen the Visa Bulletin tool - 04
You had a gap in status or work
Status problems can bar adjustment. INA 245(k) may forgive some time for employment-based applicants, but the limits are narrow. Talk to an immigration attorney before you file.
ATTORNEY FIRST
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
File your employment based I-485 in four steps
Your answers save as you go.
Confirm the I-140 and the date
Tell us your category and where your I-140 stands. Before you file, compare your priority date with the chart USCIS designates for the month in our Visa Bulletin tool.
Answer the I-485 questions
Plain English, including your entry, your status history, and any Affidavit of Support when a relative sponsors the job.
Gather the employment papers
The I-140 notice, Supplement J from your employer, once your I-140 is approved (not needed for EB-1A or a national interest waiver), your I-94, passport pages, 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.
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Common questions
Employment based I-485, answered
The I-140, the priority date, Supplement J, and what Immiva does and does not file.
If you are in the United States and your priority date is current, you file Form I-485 to apply for the green card. If your date is not current yet, you wait. If you are abroad, you use consular processing instead.
USCIS announces each month which of the two charts applicants must use for employment-based filings. A visa must be available when you file and when USCIS decides. Check the USCIS adjustment of status filing charts page for the month you plan to file. USCIS filing charts
Yes, when a visa is available in your category. You can file the I-485 together with the I-140 or while it is pending. Immiva prepares the I-485 only. Your employer or its attorney files the I-140.
It depends on your field office and your category, and USCIS publishes it. We do not quote a number. Check the current USCIS processing times before you plan around a date. USCIS processing times
Supplement J confirms that the job in your I-140 is still a valid offer you will accept. If your I-485 has been pending 180 days or more, INA 204(j) lets the I-140 stay valid for a new job in the same or a similar occupation. Talk to an attorney before you change jobs.
The form is the same. The category sets which chart and priority date apply to you, and NIW and EB-1A self-petitioners skip Supplement J. The wait for an EB-3 date is often longer, so check the chart before you plan.
Yes, both are separate applications you can file with it. The work permit is Form I-765 and the travel document is Form I-131. Leaving the country without advance parole can be treated as abandoning your I-485. See the work permit page
It can. INA 245(k) may excuse up to 180 days in total for employment-based applicants, with limits. Anything beyond that is a question for an immigration attorney before you file.
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 employment green card
The full I-485 page, the work permit, the travel document, and the Visa Bulletin.