Adjustment of Status in Plain Language

Adjustment of status is the process USCIS describes for applying for lawful permanent resident status, a Green Card, while the person is in the United States. The application is Form I-485. Not everyone can use it: the person must be physically in the country and fit an immigrant category that allows adjustment.

What adjustment of status means

The USCIS glossary defines adjustment of status as the process a person can use to apply for lawful permanent resident status, also called applying for a Green Card, when the person is present in the United States. The USCIS page adds the practical point: a person who adjusts does not have to return to the home country to complete consular processing. The word “adjust” refers to a change of legal status on paper. The person stays where they are while USCIS reviews the case.

Who can apply

USCIS says the person must be physically in the United States and must fit an immigrant category that allows adjustment. Categories are explained in Green Card eligibility categories. The person generally also needs a visa number to be available in the category, which USCIS tracks through the Visa Bulletin and priority dates.

The USCIS adjustment page does not list the requirements of each category. It sends the reader to the eligibility categories page, to identify the category first and then read the requirements for that category. It also does not cover bars to adjustment, travel while an application is pending, or work permits. Those topics are on other USCIS pages, and a licensed immigration attorney can speak to a personal case.

The steps in order

The USCIS page lays out the process as a sequence. The order matters, because an early step that is skipped can stop the later ones.

1. Determine the immigrant category and read its requirements.
2. Have an immigrant petition filed, if the category requires one. Someone usually files it for the applicant, though in some cases a person can file for themselves. Forms named by USCIS include I-130 (family), I-140 (employment), I-730 (refugee or asylee relative), and I-589 (asylum), along with I-360, I-526, I-918, and I-929.
3. Check visa availability. USCIS says a person generally cannot file Form I-485 until a visa is available in the category. The sources it names are the Visa Availability and Priority Dates page, the Adjustment of Status Filing Charts, and the Department of State Visa Bulletin. Exceptions vary by category.
4. File Form I-485. The mailing addresses are on the USCIS Direct Filing Addresses page, and USCIS says some applicants can file online.
5. Attend the biometrics appointment, if scheduled.
6. Attend an interview, if USCIS schedules one.
7. Respond to any request for evidence by the stated deadline.
8. Receive the decision.

Petition first, or at the same time

Most categories need an approved petition before Form I-485 is filed. USCIS describes two exceptions. Some categories allow concurrent filing, which means the petition and the I-485 go in together. Some categories, such as cases under the Cuban Adjustment Act, need no petition at all. The USCIS adjustment page says concurrent filing details are on a separate page, so the rules for a given category should be read there.

Form I-485 and what follows

After the application is filed, USCIS says the applicant attends a biometrics appointment at an Application Support Center. USCIS collects fingerprints, a photograph, or a signature there to verify identity and run background and security checks. The applicant signs an acknowledgment that the application was complete, true, and correct when filed. USCIS warns that missing the appointment without properly rescheduling, or not signing, may lead to denial.

A person applying under section 245(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act also needs Form I-485 Supplement A. USCIS adds that someone with a pending I-485 whose receipt number begins with IOE may file Supplement A online as a standalone form.

Interview, evidence requests, and decisions

USCIS decides whether an interview is needed. When one is scheduled, the applicant answers questions under oath or affirmation and brings the originals of all documents submitted with the I-485, including passports, travel documents, and Form I-94, even if they have expired. If the family member who filed the petition is involved in the case, USCIS says that person should attend as well.

A request for evidence may be issued if documents are missing, evidence is no longer valid, or more information is needed. USCIS says failure to respond by the deadline may lead to denial. The status of a pending case can be checked online or by calling the USCIS Contact Center, with the receipt number, A-Number, name, and date of birth at hand. The difference between those numbers is explained in A-Number, USCIS number, and receipt number.

On approval, USCIS says the applicant generally receives an approval notice first, and the Green Card follows later. On denial, the notice states the reasons and whether an appeal is possible. USCIS says denials of adjustment applications generally cannot be appealed, though a motion to reopen or reconsider on Form I-290B may still be available. Anyone who moves must notify USCIS within 10 days.

Consular processing as the alternative

A person who is outside the United States cannot adjust status and must obtain the immigrant visa abroad through the U.S. embassy or consulate. Diversity Visa selectees follow the same split, according to the Department of State’s instructions: those who are outside the United States use consular processing, while selectees already in the United States may apply to USCIS to adjust status if otherwise eligible. See how the Diversity Visa lottery works.

Deadlines for lottery selectees

The Department of State’s DV-2026 instructions say a selectee who adjusts status must make sure USCIS can complete action on the case, including any overseas applications for a spouse or children under 21, before September 30 of the program year, because eligibility for that program year expires on that date. The DV-2026 program year ended on September 30, 2026, and each program year has its own deadline. No adjustment can be approved after midnight on that day. The same instructions note that applications to USCIS for adjustment of status do require a fee.

What to keep in mind

• Eligibility depends on the category, and the requirements differ for each.
• Fees, forms, and processing steps change, so the USCIS page for each form is the source of record.
• This guide describes the process in general terms and does not tell anyone whether they qualify.

Frequently asked questions

Can someone adjust status if they are outside the United States?

No. USCIS says a person abroad uses consular processing.

Is an approved petition always needed first?

Most categories require one. Some allow concurrent filing, and some need none.

What is the form number?

Form I-485.

Does adjustment guarantee approval?

No. USCIS reviews each application and issues a decision.

Can a denial be appealed?

USCIS says denials of adjustment applications generally cannot be appealed, but a motion to reopen or reconsider on Form I-290B may still be possible. Whether it applies in a personal case is a question for USCIS or a licensed immigration attorney.

Related reading

• Ways to get a Green Card: USCIS eligibility categories
• How permanent resident status can be lost
• Conditional Green Card: two-year validity and removing conditions
• All Green Card basics guides

About this guide

This website is for information only. It is not affiliated with the U.S. government, does not give legal advice or consultations, and does not offer application services. A personal case belongs with USCIS or a licensed immigration attorney, and the current official pages control.

Last verified: October 2026. Sources: USCIS page on adjustment of status; USCIS glossary.