Complete an Adjustment of Status (Form I-485) Online to get a Green Card

Those who enter the US on an immigration visa and become eligible to get permanent residency status need to file an adjustment of status application (Form I-485) with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to apply for a green card.

Applying for a Green Card from the US

While many immigrants and applicants apply for a green card from outside the US, an application to Adjust Status to Permanent Resident (Form I-485) is for people who can apply for a green card and who are already in the United States. Typically, this happens when someone enters the US on an immigrant visa but receives sponsorship for green card status through a family member, employer, or refugee or asylee status.

Am I Eligible for Form I-485?

If you secure an approved Immigrant Petition and are in the United States legally, you may file form I-485. In general, you will need a current Priority Date to file, unless you are filing in a category where visas are readily available.

If you are filing Form I-485 because you are the immediate family member (that is, the child, spouse, or parent) of a US citizen, you may submit the Immigrant Petition at the same time as you file the Application to Adjust Status to Permanent Resident (form I-485). If you have been a refugee or asylum seeker with recognized status for more than twelve months, you may also file the application to Adjust Status to Permanent Resident.

If you are currently outside the US, however, you may not file form I-485. Instead, you may visit a US consulate in your home country to apply for an immigrant visa.

You can complete and file form I-485 online. An online application is easy to track and quick to submit. If you submit online, you will still need to send filing fees and supporting documents to the correct address at the USCIS. If you file Form I485 by mail, you can include your filing fee and your supporting documents with your form.

In some cases, applicants filing Form I485 do not need to pay a filing fee or additional fee. For example, applicants who are at least 79 years old will not need to pay a biometric fee. Those admitted into the US as refugees do not need to pay filing fees when submitting form I-485 to the USCIS.