Form I-485: the green card application itself

Who can adjust status

Adjustment of status is for people who are physically in the United States and were inspected and admitted or paroled when they last entered. If a border officer stamped you in or paroled you in, you likely clear this threshold. You also need an immigrant visa that is available to you, either as an immediate relative of a U.S. citizen or as a preference-category relative whose place in line has come up.

Someone who crossed the border without inspection generally cannot adjust through a family petition. There are narrow exceptions, and some people can pursue a green card through a consulate abroad instead, sometimes with a waiver. If your entry is complicated, start with our pages on unlawful presence and waivers, then talk to a lawyer before filing anything.

Certain other bars can apply too: working without authorization or falling out of status can block adjustment for preference-category applicants, though immediate relatives of U.S. citizens are forgiven those particular problems.

What a complete I-485 package contains

A well-built adjustment package is more than one form. For a typical spouse case it includes the I-130 petition (if not already approved), the I-485 itself with the applicant’s biographic and immigration history, the I-864 Affidavit of Support with the sponsor’s tax evidence, the I-693 medical exam in its sealed envelope, civil documents such as birth and marriage certificates with certified translations, passport photos, and copies of the passport, visa, and I-94 showing a lawful entry.

Most applicants also add the I-765 work permit application and the I-131 advance parole application so they can work, get a Social Security number, and (cautiously, in 2026) travel while the case is pending. In marriage cases, the package should also carry real bona fide marriage evidence: joint finances, shared address, photos across time, and affidavits.

Concurrent filing: doing it all at once

Concurrent filing means submitting the I-130 and I-485 together in one package instead of waiting for the petition to be approved first. Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens (spouses, parents, unmarried children under 21) can always file concurrently, because a visa is always available to them.

Preference-category relatives can only file the I-485 when their priority date is current on the chart USCIS designates for that month, so concurrent filing comes and goes with the Visa Bulletin.

What Form I-485 costs in 2026

Form	Purpose	USCIS fee
I-130	Family petition	$675 paper / $625 online
I-485	Green card application	$1,440 ($950 for a child under 14 filing with a parent); biometrics included
I-765	Work permit	$260 when filed with or based on a pending I-485
I-131	Advance parole	$630
I-693	Medical exam report	No filing fee (the doctor’s exam cost varies)

A full spouse adjustment package with work and travel documents comes to roughly $3,005 in government fees. There is no fee waiver for family-based I-485 filings, and since October 28, 2025 USCIS accepts electronic payment only, so plan for card or bank-account payment rather than checks. Attorney fees are separate; ours are flat and listed on the pricing page. Always confirm current amounts at uscis.gov before filing.

Approval is discretionary: the 2026 standard

Under USCIS policy memorandum PM-602-0199, issued May 21, 2026, approval of an I-485 is expressly discretionary. Meeting the legal requirements is necessary but not automatically enough; officers weigh positive and negative factors before granting permanent residence. Officers may even consider the choice to adjust in the United States rather than pursue consular processing as part of that picture.

In practice, this puts a premium on building positive equities into the record from day one: a genuine, well-documented relationship, filed tax returns, steady work history, community and family ties, a clean record, and a complete, honest application. Interviews are now near-universal in family cases, so the file you submit is the file you will be questioned about.

Biometrics, interview, decision

After filing, USCIS sends a receipt notice, then a biometrics appointment for fingerprints and photo. Months later comes the interview notice, usually at the field office nearest your home. A married couple attends together and answers questions about the relationship and the application; our interview guide walks through what to expect. If the officer is satisfied, approval can come the same day or in the weeks after, followed by the green card in the mail.

As of July 2026, family-based adjustment commonly takes 12 to 24 months from filing to decision, though local offices vary widely; check current processing times before you plan around any date. If USCIS wants more evidence you will get a request in writing, and how you answer matters: see our guides on RFE responses and avoiding RFEs in the first place.

Common questions

Can I file the I-130 and I-485 together?

If you are the spouse, parent, or unmarried under-21 child of a U.S. citizen, yes, always. Preference-category relatives can file together only when their date is current on the chart USCIS designates that month; F2A spouses and minor children of green card holders currently can, per the August 2026 Visa Bulletin.

Can I work while my I-485 is pending?

Not until you have a work permit or another independent basis for work authorization. Most applicants file the I-765 with the I-485 for $260 and receive an 18-month card some months into the case.

I entered without a visa. Can I still adjust?

Usually not through a family petition alone, because adjustment generally requires a lawful entry. Some people have narrow exceptions, and others can pursue consular processing with a provisional waiver. This is a situation for case-specific legal advice, not a form kit.

Will I definitely have an interview?

Plan on it. Interviews in family-based adjustment cases are near-universal under current policy, and the officer will treat the interview as part of a discretionary decision.

Is there a fee waiver for the I-485?

No. USCIS does not offer a fee waiver for family-based adjustment applications, and since October 28, 2025 all filing fees must be paid electronically. Budget for the government fees up front; our pricing page lays out the full picture.

What happens if the I-485 is denied?

It depends on why. Some denials can be fixed by refiling or by motion; others put someone without status at risk of removal proceedings. Because approval is discretionary in 2026, denials deserve prompt legal review. See denials and appeals.