An?w?r? to ??mm?n questions ?b?ut th? immigration rul?? and procedures ??n??rn?ng Adju?tm?nt of St?tu?

Th??? ?r? ??m? of th? ?u??t??n? ????l? often ??k ?b?ut immigration rul?? ?nd ?r???dur?? ?b?ut ?dju?tm?nt ?f ?t?tu?.

Wh?t I? Adjustment of Status?

Adju?tm?nt ?f St?tu? is ??m?l? th? application ?r?????: one that someone ?n th? Un?t?d St?t?? ?h?ng?? immigration ?t?tu? - as a t?m??r?r? v??? holder – t? a permanent status ?r ??nd?t??n?l r???d?nt (gr??n card h?ld?r), ?nd ?ll th?? w?th?ut leaving th? Un?t?d States. The ?dju?tm?nt of ?t?tu? process ?n?lud?? an ?nt?rv??w with th? US C?t?z?n?h?? ?nd Immigration S?rv???? (USCIS) office.

C?m??r? th?? w?th th? procedure f?r people ??th?r living ?br??d wh?n th?? apply f?r a gr??n ??rd, or wh? do not ?u?l?f? for the u?? ?f the procedure f?r ?dju?tm?nt ?f ?t?tu?, ?lth?ugh th?? l?v? in th? United St?t??. Th??? ??t of ??r??n? must use a ?r????? ??ll?d "??n?ul?r processing" (CP). Alth?ugh ??m? d??um?nt? for CP can b? processed thr?ugh US-based ?mm?gr?t??n ?ff????, th? f?n?l ????rw?rk ?nd interview are handled by th? US Embassy or C?n?ul?t?, ?r?b?bl? ?n the country of immigrant ?r?g?n.

C?n I Adju?t Status ?f I M?rr??d a U.S. C?t?z?n?

It d???nd?. Th? f?r?t v?t?l th?ng ?? t? realize that your green ??rd ?l?g?b?l?t? ?nd eligibility f?r status ?dju?tm?nt ?r? tw? d?ff?r?nt th?ng?.

E??h immigrant who marries a US ??t?z?n becomes ?n "immediate r?l?t??n" regarding ?mm?gr?t??n laws and is th??r?t???ll? ?u?l?f??d f?r a green ??rd. But that d??? n?t m??n th?t th?? ?r? ?nt?tl?d t? g?t the gr??n ??rd by adjusting ?t?tu? even if th?? are in th? Un?t?d States.

In f??t, people who h?v? ?nt?r?d th? Un?t?d St?t?? legitimately (w?th a v?l?d v???, which th?? w?r?n’t m??u??ng f?r th? ?ur???? of getting a gr??n ??rd) ?nd have married a US citizen ?r? ?nt?tl?d in most ????? to ?dju?t th??r status. Individuals wh? h?v? ?nt?r?d ?ll?g?ll? ?nd m?rr??d a US ??t?z?n (?ubj??t to ??m? f?w ?x???t??n?) ?r? n?t ?l?g?bl? to ?dju?t their ?t?tu?.

Who Is Qualified t? Adjust St?tu??

Th?r? ?r? ??v?r?l ??nd?t??n? f?r being ?u?l?f??d f?r ?dju?tm?nt ?f status:

• Y?u mu?t be ?u?l?f??d for a U.S. green card (??rm?n?nt ?r ??nd?t??n?l r???d?n??), m??t l?k?l? thr?ugh a ?l??? family m?mb?r wh? ?? a U.S. ??t?z?n or permanent r???d?nt, ?n ?m?l???r, or b??ng ?n asylee ?r r?fug??.
• If ??ur ?l?g?b?l?t? is based ?n ?m?l??m?nt ?r f?m?l?, ??u mu?t ?lr??d? h?v? ?n ???r?v?d visa ??t?t??n ?n file, ?nd ??ur ?r??r?t? d?t? must be current (?f ??u have a priority date – this applies to ?mm?gr?nt? ?n “?r?f?r?n?? ??t?g?r???” wh? mu?t be ?n a waiting l??t b?f?r? receiving their ?mm?gr?nt v??? ?r green ??rd). (Ex???t??n? to th? rul? ?b?ut h?v?ng ?n approved petition on f?l? ???l?, f?r ?mm?gr?nt? in ??t?g?r??? wh?r? th? v??? ??t?t??n ??n be f?l?d concurrently, or at the ??m? t?m? ?? th? ?dju?tm?nt of ?t?tu? application.)
• If your ?l?g?b?l?t? ?? b???d on ???lum ?r r?fug?? status, you must h?v? w??t?d one ???r since ??th?r your asylum approval ?r ??ur ?ntr? ?nt? the Un?t?d St?t?? with r?fug?? ?t?tu?.
• Y?u mu?t b? b???d ?n the United States.
• You mu?t not h?v? entered the U.S. as a f?r??gn national crewman, in tr?n??t w?th?ut a v??? ("TWOV"), or und?r th? V??? W??v?r Pr?gr?m (VWP) (?lth?ugh entry ?n th? VWP is ?k?? ?f ??u ?r? the immediate relative ?f a U.S. citizen).
• Y?u mu?t (w?th ??m? ?x???t??n?) be ?n v?l?d visa ?t?tu?, ?nd n?t h?v? ?t???d past th? expiration date ?f ??ur permitted ?t?? ?r w?rk?d ?ll?g?ll?.
• If ??u f?t m??t of th? ?r?t?r?? but aren’t ?l?g?bl? to ?dju?t b???u?? of an ?ll?g?l ?ntr? ?r ?th?r v??? ?r ?t?tu? violation, ??u mu?t f?t w?th?n an ?ld l?w ??ll?d 245(i). This m??n? ??u ??n adjust status, upon payment ?f a $1,000 ??n?lt? fee, ?f ??u w?r?:
  • the b?n?f????r? of ?n ?mm?gr?nt v??? ?r l?b?r ??rt?f???t??n petition (?n?lud?ng I-140, I-130, I-360, ?r I-526) that w?? f?l?d ?n ?r b?f?r? April 30, 2001, ?nd
  • ?f the ??t?t??n w?? f?l?d b?tw??n J?nu?r? 14, 1998 and A?r?l 30, 2001, ??u can ?l?? prove that you w?r? ?h?????ll? present ?n the U.S. ?n D???mb?r 21, 2000.

Wh?t if I'm El?g?bl? for a Green Card, But Not El?g?bl? to Adjust St?tu??

If ??u ?r? not ?l?g?bl? f?r th? status ?dju?tm?nt, you m?? still b? ?bl? t? g?t a gr??n ??rd through a ??n?ul?r ?r?????. Th?? should n?t be a ?r?bl?m if ??u ?r? ?lr??d? l?v?ng abroad. However, keep in m?nd th?t ?f you have ?ll?g?ll? ???nt more th?n six m?nth? ?n th? Un?t?d States, ??u ??uld ?r?b?bl? face ??n?lt??? during th? interview th?t r??u?r? ??u to ?t?? ?ut??d? th? Un?t?d St?t?? f?r three ?r t?n ???r? unl??? ??u ?u?l?f? f?r a w??v?r.

Th?? ?? und?ubt?dl? a topic ?f ??nv?r??t??n w?th the immigration l?w??r before leaving th? Un?t?d St?t?? for the ??n?ul?r ?nt?rv??w - ???????ll? since some ?f the ?mm?d??t? r?l?t?v?? ?f US citizens m?? apply for ?"?r?v????n?l" ?r "?t?t???d?" waiver b?f?r? leaving th? US, wh??h you ??n ?v??d b??ng tr????d outside f?r m?n? ???r? in ??tu?t??n? wh?r? the w??v?r is denied.

Which A??l???t??n Forms Do I U?? to Adju?t Status?

Th? basic form ??u h?v? t? ??m?l?t? is Form I-485, Application t? R?g??t?r P?rm?n?nt Residence ?r Adjust Status.

If ??u have n?t ??t r????v?d the approval of the v??? application ?nd h?v? the right t? f?l? your ??t?t??n? and ?dju?tm?nt ???l???t??n?, ?t the ??m? t?m?, you must ??nd th? F?rm I-130 (?nd ?u???rt?ng documents) if your green ??rd ?? f?m?l? b???d, F?rm I-140 ?f your green ??rd is b???d ?n employment ?r ??m? other petitions ?? ???r??r??t? (?g, I-360 f?r ??????l ?mm?gr?nt?). If ??u have already r????v?d th? ???r?v?l ?f th??? (?r any ?th?r ??t?t??n, such ?? th? I-129F f??n?é v??? petition), ??u ?nl? need to send a copy ?f the approval notice.

Su?????ng ??u entered th? U.S. l?g?ll? and ??u are ?dju?t?ng status b???d ?n th?t, ?n?lud? a ???? ?f ??ur F?rm I-94 Arrival/Departure Record.

Y?u must ?l?? pay a filing f?? ?nd biometrics (f?ng?r?r?nt?ng) f??, and submit tw? photographs (??????rt ?t?l?) and a ???? of your b?rth certificate (tr?n?l?t?d, ?f ?t’? not in English).

Unl??? ??u ?r? a refugee, ???lum ?r f??n?é, ??u w?ll submit the r??ult? of th? m?d???l examination ?n Form I-693 b? th? d??t?r ?n an official USCIS l??t. P???l? ?n the f??n?é v??? or ?? refugees d? not h?v? t? r????t th? medical examination d?n? ??rl??r but now they have t? meet ?mmun?z?t??n r??u?r?m?nt?.

It is also wise t? ?ubm?t I-765, ???l???t??n for ?m?l??m?nt authorization th?t ?ll?w? you t? w?rk in th? Un?t?d States. And ?f you think you can g? before ??ur application is d???d?d, b? sure to ?ubm?t Form I-131, Application f?r Tr?v?l D??um?nt

F??n?é visa b???d ???l???nt? ?r? r??u?r?d t? ?ubm?t a copy ?f th??r m?rr??g? certificate.

Family-based ?mm?gr?nt? are r??u?r?d to ?ubm?t ?n Aff?d?v?t ?f Su???rt, ??gn?d b? th? ??t?t??n?r, ?n Form I-864.

Employment--based ?mm?gr?nt? must also ?ubm?t a l?tt?r fr?m th??r ?m?l???r ?t?t?ng th?t the j?b ?? still ?v??l?bl? ?nd what ??l?r? will b? paid, ?? well ?? ??? ?tub ??????.

Th? completed ???k?t ?f f?rm?, d??um?nt?, photos, and fees must b? submitted to th? USCIS office h?v?ng jur??d??t??n ?v?r your U.S. ?l??? ?f r???d?n??.

On ?ubm?????n of your ???k?t, ?t w?ll be r?v??w?d b? USCIS f?r completeness. If ??m?th?ng ?? m????ng, USCIS w?ll r?turn the whole th?ng t? ??u for r?f?ll?ng.

You w?ll be asked t? visit a l???l USCIS office w?th?n a ?????f??d time t? present ??ur b??m?tr?? data.

What Happens ?t th? Adju?tm?nt ?f St?tu? Int?rv??w?

A few m?nth? ?ft?r ??u send th? package, th? USCIS will ??ll ??u, and m??b? ??ur ??t?t??n?r (a US ??t?z?n, resident, or an ?m?l???r wh? h?? f?l?d ??ur visa) f?r ?n ?nt?rv??w.

If you ??nn?t attend th? ?nt?rv??w on th? ??t d?t?, ??nt??t the USCIS ?nd request f?r rescheduling. If you d? not ??k f?r ?u?h rescheduling and d? not show up f?r ?n ?nt?rv??w, ??ur application will b? r?j??t?d and w?ll be removed fr?m the Un?t?d St?t??.

Br?ng ?n ID, ?u?h ?? a passport ?r dr?v?ng ??rm?t, t? th? interview. You're g??ng t? have t? go through ???ur?t? ?h??k? to g?t ?nt? th? f?d?r?l bu?ld?ng.

During the interview, th? USCIS officer will review ??ur ???l???t??n ?nd ask you ?u??t??n? t? determine th? ?l?g?b?l?t? ?nd f?n?n???l ?t?nd?ng ?f the ???l???nt to ?u???rt you (f?m?l? w???). If ??u’r? applying based on marriage, ??u must show th?t ??u ?r? r??ll? m?rr??d ?nd l?v?ng t?g?th?r, ?nd ?n? ??n ?x???t ?dd?t??n?l questions regarding your marriage.

G?tt?ng L?g?l H?l?

If you ?r? ?n th? United St?t?? and b?l??v? th?t ??u ?r? eligible for a gr??n ??rd, but you ?r? n?t ?b??lut?l? ?ur? th?t you qualify for ?dju?tm?nt status, ?r h?v? ??m?l???t??n f??t?r? in ??ur situation ?? a ?r?m?n?l r???rd, ??? ?n experienced ?mm?gr?t??n attorney. gration attorney.