How to file Form I-485 (Adjustment of Status)
Form I-485 is the green card application itself — the form an immigrant already in the United States files to become a permanent resident when an immigration basis is available. It anchors the biggest package in family immigration. This page walks the filing: the fee, the contents, the medical exam, and what follows. Every claim is cited; general process description, not advice about any individual case.
Where the I-485 fits
The I-485 adjusts status from inside the United States. For immediate relatives of U.S. citizens — spouses, unmarried children under 21, parents — it is often filed together with the I-130 as one package. Preference-category applicants also wait on visa availability under the monthly Visa Bulletin before the I-485 stage.
The fee — and the paper-only rule
Under the current G-1055 schedule the I-485 costs $1,440 for applicants 14 and older, or $950 for a child under 14 filing concurrently with a parent. Family-based I-485s cannot be filed online — the application goes on paper to a USCIS lockbox. USCIS fees change periodically — before filing, verify current amounts on the official USCIS fee schedule (Form G-1055) at uscis.gov/g-1055.
Free. About 4 minutes. See your forms and your total cost before you pay anything.
What goes in the package
The applicant's civil documents and photos per the instructions; the sponsor's Form I-864, Affidavit of Support, with its financial documents; and the medical examination — Form I-693, completed and sealed by a USCIS-designated civil surgeon. USCIS's I-485 page states when the I-693 must be submitted; because that timing rule has changed over time, the current statement on that page is the authority.
Two optional companions are no longer free: the work permit (I-765, $260 with the pending I-485) and advance parole for travel (I-131, $630).
After the envelope ships
The receipt arrives as Form I-797C; biometrics follow as scheduled; marriage-based applicants are generally interviewed; and status is trackable online with USCIS's published processing-time estimates. This page claims no timeframe — the estimates tool is the reference.
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How much does Form I-485 cost?
$1,440 on paper for applicants 14+, $950 for an under-14 child filing with a parent, under the current G-1055 schedule. Family-based I-485s are paper-only. Fees change — verify at uscis.gov/g-1055.
Can the I-485 be filed with the I-130?
For immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, the two are often filed together as one package. Preference categories also wait on Visa Bulletin availability.
Is the medical exam required at filing?
The I-693 is completed by a USCIS-designated civil surgeon and submitted per the current rule stated on USCIS's I-485 page — that timing rule has changed over time, so the page itself is the authority.
Is a work permit included?
Not for post-April-2024 filings — the I-765 with a pending I-485 is $260, and advance parole (I-131) is $630.
Is there an interview?
Marriage-based applicants are generally interviewed; the related interview-prep guide covers what it tests.