I-485 Adjustment of Status
An approved I-140 or I-130 is not a green card. For applicants already in the United States, the last stage is the I-485: a filing that looks routine and turns on decisions that are not—when your priority date allows it, whether to file concurrently with the petition, what travel and job changes do to a pending case, and whether anything in your history should be addressed before an officer finds it.
What we work on
Eligibility and timing
Whether your priority date is current under the final-action or dates-for-filing chart, whether the I-485 can be filed together with the I-140 or I-130, and whether anything in your status history affects eligibility to adjust.
Work permit and travel document
Most applicants file the I-765 and I-131 with the I-485. Leaving the country without advance parole abandons the application for applicants in many categories; we make sure you know the rule for yours before you book a flight.
A complete file the first time
The I-693 medical exam, civil documents, status history, employment evidence and the affidavit of support where required—assembled so the case is complete when it is first reviewed.
Interview, job changes and follow-through
Preparation for the interview if one is scheduled; advice on changing employers after 180 days under AC21 in employment-based cases; and handling of any request for evidence through to approval.
How the case moves forward
Confirm
Check the priority date, the filing window and your eligibility to adjust.
Assemble
Prepare the forms, records and supporting evidence.
File and follow through
File, maintain status and documents, prepare for the interview and respond to requests.
Four elements of our approach; specific service terms are set out in the engagement agreement.
We find the strengths, not just file the materials
We do not write from the folder you send us. We go through your record, ask questions and look for evidence you did not know counted.
Guidance on strengthening your record
Where the record is not yet ready and the plan is realistic, we may advise some clients, at no charge, on how to build it legitimately before filing.
Approve-or-refile option
For eligible clients whose signed engagement agreement includes this option, we will prepare and refile a denied petition without an additional attorney fee, subject to the agreed scope and conditions. Government filing fees and third-party costs are not included unless expressly agreed.
RFE responses included
For full-representation petitions, an RFE response is included when specified in the engagement agreement; stand-alone review services are separate.
Questions we hear often
Practical answers to frequently asked questions. Individual circumstances can affect the best course of action.