OtterFillHow to fill out Form I-485
Form I-485, “Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status”, is the form you file with USCIS to get a green card without leaving the United States. You fill it in yourself if you are in the United States and qualify in an immigrant category, usually through a family member, an employer, asylum or refugee status.
Last checked against the official form:
- Form
- I-485
- Edition
- Edition 09/18/26
- Issued by
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
- Form language
- English
- Who receives it
- USCIS: by mail to the address for your category on the Direct Filing Addresses page, or online for some categories; in removal proceedings, the immigration court
- Who fills it in
- You, in the United States; every family member applying, including each child, files a separate Form I-485
- When
- In general, only once an immigrant visa is immediately available to you; some categories may file together with the petition
- Length
- 24 pages in 14 parts, with 41 pages of instructions. Since September 18, 2026 USCIS accepts only the edition dated 09/18/26, which this guide follows
- Cost
- Changes over time: check the fee schedule (Form G-1055) linked from the official page. Forms I-765 and I-131 filed with it have their own fees
What this form is
Form I-485 is the application for lawful permanent resident status, the green card, made from inside the United States; this is called adjustment of status. Most people first need an immigrant petition, such as Form I-130 from a relative or Form I-140 from an employer, and file Form I-485 when an immigrant visa is immediately available: check the Visa Bulletin and USCIS’s Adjustment of Status Filing Charts. Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens and some other categories may file it together with the petition; this is called concurrent filing.
The form has 24 pages in 14 parts: Part 1, information about you and your arrival; Part 2, your filing category; Part 3, whether you are exempt from the affidavit of support; Part 4, earlier applications and your work and schools for the last 5 years; Parts 5 to 7, your parents, marriages and children; Part 8, biographic information; Part 9, 84 numbered questions about your background, including public charge; Part 10, your signature; Parts 11 and 12, for an interpreter or a preparer; Part 13, signed only at the interview; Part 14, extra space.
You send it with evidence: two 2 by 2 inch passport-style photos, a copy of a photo ID, your birth certificate, proof of how you entered (such as your Form I-94), the notice for your petition, and usually Form I-693, the medical exam signed by a civil surgeon, and Form I-864, the affidavit of support. After you file, USCIS takes your biometrics, may interview you, and sends a written decision.
Who has to fill it in
You file Form I-485 if you are physically present in the United States and one of these applies:
- You are an immediate relative of a U.S. citizen: a spouse, an unmarried child under 21, or a parent of a citizen who is at least 21, including K-1 fiancé(e)s who married within 90 days.
- You are in a family or employment preference category with a petition filed or approved, and your priority date is current in the Visa Bulletin.
- You were granted asylum, or admitted as a refugee, and have been physically present in the United States for 1 year since.
- You qualify as a special immigrant, a VAWA self-petitioner, a T or U nonimmigrant, a Diversity Visa selectee, or under a program such as the Cuban Adjustment Act.
- You are the spouse or child of a principal applicant and file as a derivative applicant in a category that allows it.
Do not use Form I-485 if:
- You live outside the United States: you apply for an immigrant visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate (consular processing).
- You are already a permanent resident and need to replace or renew your card: that is Form I-90.
- You are a conditional resident removing conditions: that is Form I-751, or Form I-829 for investors.
- You want to sponsor a relative: the relative petition is Form I-130, filed by the U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
Field-by-field instructions
Part 1: Information about you (Items 1 to 9)
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1, 1.Your Current Legal Name (Do not provide a nickname) | Your full name as it is today, the name your green card will show. | Write family name, given name and middle name; no nickname. If your name changed, send the document that changed it, such as a marriage certificate. |
| Part 1, 2.Other Names You Have Used Since Birth (if applicable) | Every other name you have used: your family name at birth, other legal names, nicknames, aliases and assumed names. | Write family, given and middle name for each; continue in Part 14 if you need more room. Write “N/A” if you have used no other name. |
| Part 1, 3.Date of Birth (mm/dd/yyyy) / Have you ever used any other date of birth? | The day you were born, and any other date of birth you have ever used. | Write it as mm/dd/yyyy. If you have used another date of birth, for example on an old visa, answer “Yes” and list every one. |
| Part 1, 4.–5.Do you have an Alien Registration Number (A-Number)? / Have you ever used, or been assigned, any other A-Number? | Your Alien Registration Number, if DHS has given you one, and any other A-Number you have had. | Find it on earlier notices from USCIS. If you have none, answer “No”; USCIS assigns one after you file and, for filings at a lockbox, may send it in a second notice. Then write it at the top of every page. |
| Part 1, 6.Sex: Male / Female | Male or female. | Choose the sex shown on your birth certificate issued at or closest to the time of birth, or in secondary evidence you gave USCIS. |
| Part 1, 7.–8.Place of Birth: City or Town of Birth / Country of Birth / Country of Citizenship or Nationality | The city and country where you were born, and the country of which you are a citizen or national. | Write them as on your birth certificate and passport. |
| Part 1, 9.USCIS Online Account Number (if any) | The USCIS Online Account Number (OAN), which you have only if you filed a form whose receipt number begins with IOE. | Find it in your online account profile, or at the top of the Account Access Notice if you filed by mail. It is not your A-Number. Leave it blank if you have none. |
Part 1: Your last arrival and current status (Items 10 to 17)
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1, 10.Recent Immigration History: Passport or Travel Document Number Used at Last Arrival / Nonimmigrant Visa Number Used During Most Recent Arrival (if any) / Place and Date of Last Arrival into the United States | The passport or travel document and the visa you used when you last entered the United States, and where and when you entered. | Copy the numbers and dates from that passport and visa; give the visa number only if you had one. Make sure they match your Form I-94 and the stamp in your passport. |
| Part 1, 11.When I last arrived in the United States: I was inspected at a Port of Entry and admitted as … / I was inspected at a Port of Entry and paroled as … / I came into the United States without admission or parole. / Other: | How you last came in: inspected and admitted with a status, inspected and paroled, without admission or parole, or another way. | Tick one box and write the status or parole type, for example “B-2 visitor” or “F-1 student”. Answer truthfully even if you entered without inspection: some categories, and INA section 245(i), allow adjustment anyway. |
| Part 1, 12.If you were issued a Form I-94 Arrival/Departure Record, provide the information from your most recent Form I-94 below | The details of your most recent Form I-94, the record of your admission. | Copy the name, the record number, the expiration date of your authorized stay (or “D/S”) and the class of admission. If you lost your I-94, you can print it from the CBP website. |
| Part 1, 13.–15.Was your last arrival the first time you were physically present in the United States? / What is your current immigration status (if it has changed since your last arrival)? / Expiration Date of Current Immigration Status (mm/dd/yyyy) or Type or Print “D/S” for Duration of Status | Whether your last arrival was your first time in the United States, and your status today if it changed after you arrived. | If you changed or extended status, for example from F-1 to H-1B, write the current status and its expiration date, or “D/S”. |
| Part 1, 16.–17.Have you ever been issued an “alien crewman” visa? / Did you last arrive in the United States to join a vessel as a seaman or crewman, or while serving in any capacity aboard a vessel or aircraft? | Whether you have ever had a crewman visa, or last arrived to join or serve on a ship or aircraft. | Most people answer “No”. The instructions define an alien crewman as someone serving in good faith on a vessel or aircraft who means to leave with it or another one. |
Part 1: Addresses and Social Security (Items 18 and 19)
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1, 18.Current U.S. Physical Address / Date You First Resided at This Address / Is this your current mailing address? / Current Mailing Address (Safe or Alternate Mailing Address, if applicable) | Where you live now in the United States, since when, and where USCIS should send your mail. | Give a valid U.S. mailing address: a residence, an APO, a commercial address or a P.O. box, with an “In Care Of” name if mail goes to someone else. VAWA, T and U applicants who do not feel safe may give a safe address, and special immigrant juveniles an alternate one. |
| Part 1, 18.Have you resided at your current address for at least 5 years? / Prior Address / Most Recent Address Outside the United States | Every address you had during the last 5 years if you have not lived at the current one that long, and your last address abroad where you lived more than 1 year. | Give dates from and to, with no gaps, and continue in Part 14. List the address abroad even if it is older than 5 years. |
| Part 1, 19.Social Security Card: Has the Social Security Administration (SSA) ever officially issued a Social Security card to you? / Do you want the SSA to issue you a Social Security card? / Consent for Disclosure | Whether you have a U.S. Social Security number, and whether you want the Social Security Administration to issue you a card when you get your green card. | If the SSA ever issued you a card, in your name or a previous one, write that number. To get a new or replacement card, answer “Yes” to the question and to the Consent for Disclosure; this part is optional. |
Part 2: Application type or filing category
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| Part 2, 1.Are you filing for adjustment of status with the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) while in removal, exclusion, rescission, or deportation proceedings? | Whether you are filing with the immigration court because you are in removal, exclusion, rescission or deportation proceedings. | Most people answer “No”. If you are in proceedings, you generally file with the immigration court, not USCIS, and follow the instructions the DHS attorney gives you. |
| Part 2, 2.Receipt Number of Underlying Petition (if any) / Priority Date from Underlying Petition (if any) | The petition your application is based on, such as Form I-130, I-140 or I-360, and its priority date. | Copy the receipt number and priority date from the petition’s Form I-797 notice. Write “N/A” if you file the petition together with this form or your category has no petition. |
| Part 2, 2.I am filing this Form I-485 as a (select only one box): Principal Applicant / Derivative Applicant | Whether you qualify yourself (principal applicant) or as the spouse or child of someone who qualifies (derivative applicant). | Tick one. A derivative applicant gives the principal applicant’s name, A-Number and date of birth, and ticks in 3.a to 3.g the category under which the principal applies. |
| Part 2, 3.a.Family-based | Categories based on a relative: immediate relatives of a U.S. citizen, family preference relatives, NDAA, and VAWA self-petitioners. | Tick the one box that matches the petition, for example “Spouse of a U.S. Citizen” or “Person admitted to the United States as a fiancé(e)”. K-1s send the marriage certificate showing the marriage within 90 days. |
| Part 2, 3.b.Employment-based: Alien Investor, Form I-526 or Form I-526E / Alien Workers, Form I-140 / Did a relative file the associated Form I-140 for you …? | Categories based on work or investment: Form I-140 workers in the first, second and third preference, and investors with Form I-526 or I-526E. | Tick your classification, then answer whether a relative filed the I-140 or owns 5 percent or more of the business that did; tick “N/A” for a self-petition. If your I-140 is already approved and needs a job offer, you also send Supplement J. |
| Part 2, 3.c.Special Immigrant | Special immigrant categories, such as special immigrant juveniles, certain Afghan or Iraqi nationals, international broadcasters, G-4 and NATO-6 family members, physicians and religious workers. | Tick the one box that matches your Form I-360, DS-157 or DS-1884. Religious workers send a letter from the employer about the job. |
| Part 2, 3.d.–3.e.Asylee or Refugee / Human Trafficking Victim or Crime Victim | Asylees and refugees (3.d), and victims of human trafficking or certain crimes with T or U status (3.e). | Asylees write the date asylum was granted, refugees the date of their first admission as a refugee. Both need 1 year of physical presence in the United States after that date. |
| Part 2, 3.f.–3.g.Special Programs Based on Certain Public Laws / Additional Options | Categories created by specific laws (Cuban Adjustment Act, Lautenberg parolees and others) and other options: the Diversity Visa, registry, children born to foreign government employees, S nonimmigrants and other eligibility. | Tick one box. Diversity Visa selectees write their rank number and must be approved by September 30 of their fiscal year. Write your basis next to “Other Eligibility” if no box fits. |
| Part 2, 4.… are you applying for adjustment based on INA section 245(i)? | Whether you rely on INA section 245(i), which lets some people adjust even if they entered without inspection or fell out of status. | Answer “Yes” only if you qualify and send Form I-485 Supplement A, which has its own fee. It is not a category: you still tick one in 3.a to 3.g. |
| Part 2, 5.Are you 21 years of age or older and applying for adjustment based on classification as a child, under the provisions of the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA)? | Whether you are 21 or older but still apply as a “child” under the Child Status Protection Act. | Answer “Yes” only if the CSPA keeps your age under 21 for immigration purposes; read the CSPA page linked from the instructions first. |
Part 3: Exemption from the affidavit of support
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| Part 3, 1.a.–1.f.I am requesting an exemption from submitting an Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the INA (Form I-864 or Form I-864EZ) because (select only one) | Whether you must send Form I-864, the affidavit of support, or are exempt from it. This part replaces the old Form I-864W. | Tick 1.a to 1.d for an exemption: 40 quarters of work, a child who becomes a citizen automatically, widow(er), or VAWA. Tick 1.e if your category needs no affidavit at all, and 1.f if you must send one, as most family-based applicants do. A missing required I-864 leads to denial. |
Part 4: Additional information about you
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| Part 4, 1.–4.Have you ever applied for an immigrant visa to obtain permanent resident status at a U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate abroad? / Location of U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate / Decision / Date of Decision | Whether you have ever applied for an immigrant visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad. | If “Yes”, give the city and country, the decision (approved, refused, denied or withdrawn) and its date. Visitor and student visas are not immigrant visas. |
| Part 4, 5.–6.Have you previously applied for permanent residence while in the United States? / Have you EVER held lawful permanent resident status which was later rescinded under INA section 246? | Whether you have applied for permanent residence from inside the United States before, and whether you ever had permanent residence that was rescinded. | An earlier Form I-485 counts even if it was denied or withdrawn. Use Part 14 if you need to explain. |
| Part 4, 7.–8.Employment and Educational History / Provide your most recent employer or school outside of the United States (if not already listed above). | All your jobs and schools for the last 5 years, and your last job or school outside the United States. | Start with the current one and leave no gaps: include self-employment, unemployment and retirement, and for those periods write how you supported yourself. Continue in Part 14. |
Parts 5 to 7: Parents, marital history and children
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| Part 5, 1.–8.Information About Your Parent 1: Parent 1's Legal Name / Parent 1's Name at Birth (if different than above) / Date of Birth / Country of Birth / Information About Your Parent 2 | Each parent’s legal name, name at birth if different, date of birth and country of birth. | Fill in both parents; give the name at birth only if it differs from the legal name. |
| Part 6, 1.–3.What is your current marital status? / If you are married, is your spouse a current member of the U.S. armed forces or U.S. Coast Guard? / How many times have you been married …? | Your marital status today, whether your spouse serves in the U.S. armed forces or Coast Guard, and how many times you have been married. | Count your current marriage, marriages abroad, annulled marriages, and marriages to the same person. If you have never married, go to Part 7. |
| Part 6, 4.–10.Information About Your Current Marriage (including if you are legally separated) / Is your current spouse applying with you? | Your current spouse’s name, A-Number, date and country of birth, address, and where and when you married; also if you are legally separated. | Answer Item 10 “Yes” if your spouse is applying with you: they file their own Form I-485. Send your marriage certificate if your case depends on the marriage. |
| Part 6, 11.–18.Information About Prior Marriages (if any) / How Marriage Ended with Prior Spouse | Each earlier marriage: the spouse’s name, birth and citizenship, and when, where and how the marriage ended. | Give the prior spouse’s family name before marriage. Send the divorce decree, annulment or death certificate for every earlier marriage of you and your spouse. |
| Part 7, 1.–3.Indicate the total number of ALL living children anywhere in the world (including adult sons and daughters) that you have. / Is this child also applying now on a separate Form I-485? | All your living children anywhere in the world, of any age. | Count biological, adopted and current stepchildren, married or not, living with you or elsewhere, missing, and born outside marriage. List 2 here and the rest in Part 14, and say whether each is applying now on a separate Form I-485. |
Part 8: Biographic information
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| Part 8, 1.–2.Ethnicity (Select only one box) / Race (Select all applicable boxes) | Your ethnicity and race. | Tick one box for ethnicity (Hispanic or Latino, or not) and every box that applies for race. |
| Part 8, 3.–4.Height (Feet, Inches) / Weight (Pounds) | Your height and weight in U.S. units. | Height in feet and inches, weight in pounds. Do not use centimeters or kilograms. |
| Part 8, 5.–6.Eye Color (Select only one box) / Hair Color (Select only one box) | The color of your eyes and of your hair. | Tick the one box that fits best for each; “Bald (No hair)” and “Unknown/Other” are options. |
Part 9: Organizations and immigration history (Items 1 to 21)
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| Part 9, 1.–9.Have you EVER been a member of, involved in, or in any way associated with any organization, association, fund, foundation, party, club, society, or similar group in the United States or in any other location in the world? | Whether you have ever been a member of or connected with any group anywhere: a party, club, union, association, religious or military group. | Count every kind of group, in the United States or abroad. For each, give its name, city, country, purpose, your role and dates; list the third and more in Part 14. |
| Part 9, 10.–13.Have you EVER been denied admission to the United States? / … denied a visa … / … worked in the United States without authorization? / … violated the terms or conditions of your nonimmigrant status? | Whether you have ever been refused entry or a visa, worked without authorization, or broken the terms of a nonimmigrant status. | A refused tourist visa counts as a denied visa. Explain every “Yes” in Part 14 with dates; if you answer “No” but are unsure, explain too. |
| Part 9, 14.–18.Are you presently or have you EVER been in removal, exclusion, rescission, or deportation proceedings …? / … final order … / … reinstated? / … voluntary departure … / … relief or protection from removal …? | Whether you have ever been in removal or similar proceedings, received an order, overstayed voluntary departure, or asked for protection from removal. | Explain each “Yes” in Part 14 with dates and places. |
| Part 9, 19.–21.Have you EVER been a J nonimmigrant exchange visitor who was subject to the two-year foreign residence requirement? / … complied … / … waiver …? | Whether you were ever a J-1 or J-2 exchange visitor subject to the 2-year home residence rule, and whether you complied or got a waiver. | If you ever held J-1 or J-2 status, send copies of all your DS-2019 forms, J visas and I-94s. If you are subject to the rule, also send proof that you lived 2 years in your home country, a waiver, or a favorable Department of State waiver recommendation. |
Part 9: Criminal acts and violations (Items 22 to 41)
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| Part 9, 22.–25.Have you EVER been arrested, cited, charged, or permitted to participate in a diversion program … or detained …? / … committed a crime of any kind …? / … pled guilty to or been convicted …? / … ordered punished by a judge …? | Arrests, citations, charges, diversion programs and detentions, crimes never charged, convictions, and sentences such as probation or community service. | Answer “Yes” even if the record was sealed or expunged, happened abroad or when you were a minor, or someone said it no longer counts. Explain each in Part 14 and send certified police and court records; traffic fines under $500 with no arrest, charge, alcohol, drugs or injury need no records. |
| Part 9, 26.–29.Have you EVER violated (or attempted or conspired to violate) any controlled substance law …? / … trafficked … / Are you the spouse, son, or daughter of an alien who illicitly trafficked …? | Drug offenses and drug trafficking, and benefits you received in the last 5 years from a spouse’s or parent’s drug trafficking. | This covers the law of any U.S. state, the United States or any country. Explain any “Yes” in Part 14. |
| Part 9, 30.–35.b.… prostitution … / … illegal gambling or any other form of commercialized vice … / … exercised immunity (diplomatic or otherwise) …? / Have you EVER served as a foreign government official? / … violations of religious freedoms? | Prostitution, illegal gambling and other vice, diplomatic immunity used to avoid prosecution, and service as a foreign government official. | If you have served as a foreign government official, answer 35.a “Yes”, then answer 35.b about religious freedom violations. Explain any “Yes” in Part 14. |
| Part 9, 36.–41.… trafficking of another person for commercial sex acts (sex trafficking)? / … involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery? / … money laundering …? | Sex trafficking, forced labor, helping traffickers, benefits from a family member’s trafficking, and money laundering. | Read the definitions printed on the form. Explain any “Yes” in Part 14. |
Part 9: Security and related (Items 42 to 55)
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| Part 9, 42.a.–46.Security and Related: Do you intend to: … espionage … sabotage … export … overthrowing the U.S. Government … / Have you EVER: Received any weapons training, paramilitary training, or other military-type training? / … kidnapping, assassination, or hijacking … | Espionage, sabotage, illegal exports, overthrowing the government, weapons or military-type training, terrorist acts and support for them, and whether your spouse or parent did any of these. | Weapons or military-type training during military service, including compulsory service, counts for 43.a. Explain every “Yes” in Part 14 with dates and places. |
| Part 9, 47.–55.… sold, provided, or transported weapons …? / … prison, jail, prison camp, detention facility …? / … any military or police unit? / … any armed group …? / … the Communist Party or any totalitarian party …? / Torture? Genocide? … / … any person under 15 years of age … | Weapons, work in prisons or detention, military, police or armed groups, Communist or totalitarian parties, torture, genocide, killing or injuring people, and using children under 15 in hostilities. | Compulsory military service counts for Item 50. For 50 or 51, give in Part 14 the country, unit, your rank and the dates; explain any other “Yes” there too. |
Part 9: Public charge (Items 56 to 64)
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| Part 9, 56.I am exempt from the public charge ground of inadmissibility because I am a/an (select only one box) / I do not fall under any of the exempt categories listed above and will complete Item Numbers 57. - 64. | Whether your category is exempt from the public charge ground, which asks if you are likely to depend on government support. | If your category is listed, such as asylee, refugee or VAWA self-petitioner, tick it and skip to Item 65. Otherwise, as most family-based and employment-based applicants, tick the last box and answer Items 57 to 64. |
| Part 9, 57.–60.Describe your family status (for example, your household size). / Indicate your annual household income. / Identify the total value of your household assets. / Identify the total value of your household liabilities … | Your family status in your own words, and ranges for your household’s yearly income, total assets and total debts. | Include in the household everyone whose money you count. Income may include alimony or child support, but not means-tested benefits or illegal income; assets include bank accounts, retirement accounts and real estate; debts include mortgages, car loans, unpaid taxes and card balances. |
| Part 9, 61.–62.What is the highest level of education you have completed? / List your skills (for example, certifications, licenses, skills obtained through work experience, and educational certificates). | Your highest education and your skills. | Tick the nearest equivalent if your degree is not listed. List skills, licenses, languages and certificates, including ones from work or apprenticeships. |
| Part 9, 63.–64.Have you ever received any means-tested public benefit? / Means-Tested Public Benefit Received / Start Date / End Date / Dollar Amount (if applicable) / Reason | Whether you have ever received a means-tested public benefit, now or in the past. | Answer “Yes” only if you received one. Then list each benefit with start and end dates, the dollar amount if it applies and the reason, such as job loss or illness. |
Part 9: Immigration violations and other conduct (Items 65 to 84)
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| Part 9, 65.–71.Illegal Entries and Other Immigration Violations: … failed or refused to attend … any removal proceeding …? / … altered, fraudulent, or counterfeit documentation …? / … lied about, concealed, or misrepresented …? / … falsely claimed to be a U.S. citizen …? / … stowaway …? / … alien smuggling …? / … INA section 274C …? | Missing a removal hearing, false documents, lies on immigration applications, false claims to U.S. citizenship, stowing away, smuggling people, and civil penalties for document fraud. | If you answer 65 “Yes”, attach a written statement explaining why you missed the hearing. Explain any other “Yes” in Part 14. |
| Part 9, 72.–76.b.Removal, Unlawful Presence, or Illegal Reentry After Previous Immigration Violations: … excluded, deported, or removed …? / … entered the United States without being inspected and admitted or paroled? / Since April 1, 1997, have you been unlawfully present in the United States? / … reentered … | Earlier removals, entry without inspection, time in the United States without status since April 1, 1997, and reentry after either. | Staying past the date on your I-94 counts as unlawful presence. If you answer 74 “Yes”, give the dates in Part 14. Some of these may need a waiver, such as Form I-601 or I-212. |
| Part 9, 77.–81.Miscellaneous Conduct: … polygamy …? / … accompanying an alien who is inadmissible …? / … withholding custody of a U.S. citizen child …? / … voted in violation of any … law …? / … renounced U.S. citizenship to avoid being taxed …? | Polygamy, accompanying a helpless inadmissible person, keeping a U.S. citizen child from a custodian abroad, unlawful voting, and renouncing citizenship to avoid tax. | Most people answer “No”. Explain any “Yes” in Part 14. |
| Part 9, 82.a.–84.Have you EVER: Applied for exemption or discharge from training or service in the U.S. armed forces … on the ground that you are an alien? / … convicted of desertion …? / … left or remained outside the United States to avoid or evade training or service in the U.S. armed forces …? | Whether you asked to be exempted from or left U.S. military service because you are not a citizen, deserted, or stayed abroad to avoid the draft. | If you answer 83 “Yes”, write in Item 84 your nationality or status just before you left. |
Parts 10 to 12 and 14: Contact, signature, interpreter, preparer and extra space
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| Part 10, 1.–3.Applicant's Daytime Telephone Number / Applicant's Mobile Telephone Number (if any) / Applicant's Email Address (if any) | How USCIS can reach you. | Give a daytime phone number; a mobile number and email address are optional. |
| Part 10, 4.Applicant's Signature / Date of Signature (mm/dd/yyyy) | Your signature, certifying under penalty of perjury that your answers are complete, true and correct. | Sign by hand: a typed or stamped name is not accepted, and USCIS rejects an unsigned form. A parent or legal guardian may sign for a child under 14. At biometrics you confirm the answers again, so review a copy first. |
| Part 11Interpreter's Contact Information, Certification, and Signature | The details of anyone who read the form and instructions to you in a language you speak fluently. | The interpreter fills in Part 11, names the language and signs. Leave it blank if nobody interpreted. |
| Part 12Contact Information, Certification, and Signature of the Person Preparing this Application, if Other Than the Applicant | The details of anyone other than you who filled in the form, paid or not. | The preparer completes and signs Part 12. If the same person interpreted and prepared, they complete both Parts 11 and 12. |
| Part 14Additional Information | Extra space for answers that do not fit and for the explanations Part 9 asks for. | Write your name and A-Number at the top, the page, part and item number of each answer, and sign and date each sheet. Copy the page if you need more. |
Part 13: Completed at the interview
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| Part 13Signature at Interview | Your signature in front of the officer, confirming the form and any changes made at the interview. | Leave it blank: complete Part 13 only when the USCIS officer tells you to. |
Key terms
| Term on the form | What it means |
|---|---|
| Adjustment of Status | Getting a green card from inside the United States, instead of an immigrant visa from a consulate abroad. |
| Lawful Permanent Resident (Green Card) | A person allowed to live and work in the United States permanently; the green card (Form I-551) is the proof. |
| Alien Registration Number (A-Number) | The number DHS gives a noncitizen, printed on notices and cards. If you have none yet, USCIS assigns one. |
| USCIS Online Account Number | A number you have only if you filed a form whose receipt number begins with IOE. It is not the A-Number. |
| Principal Applicant / Derivative Applicant | The principal applicant qualifies directly for the category; a derivative applicant is that person’s spouse or child. Each files their own Form I-485. |
| Underlying Petition | The immigrant petition, such as Form I-130 or I-140, on which your Form I-485 is based. |
| Priority Date | Your place in the line for a visa, printed on the petition’s Form I-797. When it is current in the Visa Bulletin you may file. |
| Form I-94 Arrival/Departure Record | The record of your admission or parole, with your class of admission and how long you may stay. You can get it from the CBP website. |
| D/S (Duration of Status) | Written instead of a date when your stay has no end date and lasts as long as you keep your status, as is common for students and exchange visitors. |
| Inspected and admitted / Paroled | Admitted or paroled after showing yourself to an immigration officer at a port of entry; most categories require it to adjust. |
| Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) | A law that can let some applicants still count as a “child” after turning 21. |
| INA section 245(i) | A provision that lets some people adjust despite entering without inspection or certain other bars; it needs Supplement A. |
| Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the INA (Form I-864) | A sponsor’s promise to support you financially, required for most family-based and some employment-based applicants. |
| Public Charge Ground of Inadmissibility | The rule that USCIS may refuse a green card to a person likely to depend on government support. Some categories are exempt. |
| Means-Tested Public Benefit | A government benefit that depends on your income or resources. Part 9 asks if you have ever received one. |
| Unlawfully present | Being in the United States after your authorized stay ended, or without admission or parole. Part 9 asks about it since April 1, 1997. |
| EVER | Printed in capitals in Part 9: the question covers your whole life, anywhere in the world. |
| Safe or Alternate Mailing Address | An address where you can safely and promptly get mail, for VAWA, T and U applicants, or an alternate address for special immigrant juveniles. |
| Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) | The Department of Justice office that runs the immigration courts; you file there if you are in removal proceedings. |
Common mistakes
- 1
Using an old edition
Since September 18, 2026 USCIS rejects the 01/20/25 and 09/04/26 editions. Download the form from the official page on the day you print, and send all pages from the same edition.
- 2
Filing before a visa is available
File only when your priority date is current in the Visa Bulletin chart USCIS says to use that month, or when your category lets you file together with the petition.
- 3
Leaving answers blank
Write “N/A” when a question does not apply and “None” when the answer to a number question is zero. Answer every question in Part 9.
- 4
Sending it without Form I-693
If you need the medical exam, send the I-693 with the I-485 or USCIS may reject it. By mail, keep it in the civil surgeon’s sealed envelope; online, upload it and keep the original.
- 5
Hiding an old or sealed arrest
Part 9 asks about arrests and charges anywhere and at any age, even if expunged. Answer “Yes”, explain in Part 14 and send certified court records.
- 6
Gaps in addresses or jobs
Cover 5 years of addresses and of jobs or schools, with “unemployed” and your means of support where you had no job. Make them match your earlier visa applications.
- 7
Ticking the wrong box in Part 3
Most family-based applicants tick 1.f and send Form I-864. Ticking an exemption you do not qualify for, or leaving out a required I-864, leads to denial.
- 8
Traveling without advance parole
If you leave the United States while the I-485 is pending, USCIS treats it as abandoned unless you have advance parole (Form I-131) or a valid H-1B, H-4, L, V, K-3 or K-4 status and visa.
- 9
Signing with a typed name, or not at all
Sign Part 10 by hand. USCIS rejects an unsigned form; a photocopy or scan of a hand-signed form is accepted.
- 10
Sending documents without translations
Every document in another language needs a full English translation and a certification with the translator’s signature, printed name, date and contact details.
Questions and answers
Can I file Form I-485 together with Form I-130?
Yes, if you are an immediate relative of a U.S. citizen: a spouse, an unmarried child under 21, or a parent of a citizen who is at least 21. In preference categories, only if an immigrant visa is immediately available; otherwise wait until the I-130 is approved and your date is current.
How much does Form I-485 cost?
Fees change: check the fee schedule (Form G-1055) linked from the I-485 page on the day you file. Since April 1, 2024, Forms I-765 and I-131 filed with it have their own fees. Supplement A has its own fee too.
Can I file Form I-485 online?
Some applicants can: by yourself, a family-based, employment-based or VAWA I-485 when the petition was already filed. Filing together with the petition online needs an attorney or accredited representative, unless you self-petition with Form I-140.
Can I travel while my I-485 is pending?
Only with an advance parole document (Form I-131) obtained before you leave, unless you keep a valid H-1B, H-4, L, V, K-3 or K-4 status and visa. Otherwise USCIS treats the application as abandoned, even after a short trip to Canada or Mexico. Refugees and asylees use a refugee travel document.
Can I work while my I-485 is pending?
You may ask for an employment authorization document with Form I-765, filed with your I-485 or later while it is pending; it has its own fee.
What documents do I send with Form I-485?
In general: 2 passport-style photos, a photo ID, your birth certificate, proof of admission or parole, the petition notice, Form I-693 and Form I-864 if required, plus marriage, court or J-1 papers where they apply. USCIS’s checklist of required initial evidence lists them by category.
What happens after I file?
USCIS sends a receipt, then a biometrics appointment. It may ask for more evidence or interview you; bring the originals of what you sent. Report any change of address within 10 days.
Do I have to answer the public charge questions?
Only if your category is not exempt. In Item 56, asylees, refugees, VAWA self-petitioners and other listed categories tick their exemption and skip to Item 65; everyone else answers Items 57 to 64.
Does my child need a separate Form I-485?
Yes. Every applicant, principal or derivative, files their own Form I-485. A parent or legal guardian may sign for a child under 14.
Which edition of Form I-485 should I use?
The edition dated 09/18/26, printed at the bottom of each page. USCIS rejects the 01/20/25 and 09/04/26 editions postmarked or submitted on or after September 18, 2026.
Fill in this form in your language
Upload the form to OtterFill. It explains every question in your language, prefills answers from your documents and checks the form before you submit it.
This guide explains a form. It is not legal, tax or immigration advice, and forms change: check the official instructions before you submit. How we write and check our guides