Green Card / The process
Step 5: adjustment of status (I-485)
When your date is current you file the I-485, usually with a work permit (EAD) and travel document (advance parole). Fees, the medical exam, and job changes with Supplement J.
When your priority date is current (on the chart USCIS accepts that month) and your I-140 is filed or approved, you and your family can file Form I-485 to become permanent residents without leaving the US.
What you file
| Form | Purpose | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| I-485 | The green card application | $1,440 per adult ($950 for a child under 14 filing with a parent) |
| I-765 | Work permit (EAD) while pending | $260 when filed with the I-485 |
| I-131 | Advance parole travel document | $630 when filed with the I-485 |
| I-693 | Medical exam by a USCIS civil surgeon | Doctor’s fee, set by the clinic |
Each family member files their own set.
Work and travel while you wait
- The EAD lets you and your spouse work for any employer. Many people keep their H-1B and H-4 status alive anyway, as a backup.
- Since October 30, 2025, pending-adjustment EAD renewals (category C09) no longer extend automatically. Renew up to 180 days early.
- Travel on advance parole, or on a valid H-1B/L-1 visa if you are maintaining that status. Leaving without either can abandon the I-485.
Changing jobs: AC21 and Supplement J
If your I-485 has been pending 180 days or more and your I-140 is approved (or approvable), you can move to a same or similar job with a new employer and keep the case. You tell USCIS with Supplement J. This is one of the most valuable protections in the whole process.
The interview and approval
USCIS may schedule an interview or approve without one. Approval can only happen when your priority date is current on the Final Action chart. If dates retrogress while you’re pending, the case waits, but your EAD and AP stay available.
Next: after the green card.
The good
- The EAD lets you and your spouse work for any employer
- After 180 days you can often change jobs and keep the case (AC21)
- Many employment cases are approved without an interview
The hard
- Fees add up quickly for a whole family
- EAD renewals no longer extend automatically while pending
- Travelling without advance parole can abandon the application
Recent from immigration lawyers
From independent law firms, newest first. Not reviewed by h1b-life, not legal advice and not an endorsement.
- Can an Approved I-140 Still Help After the Employer Withdraws It?Murthy Law Firm · Nov 11, 2026
- My Child Aged Out of Our Employment-Based Green Card Case: What Now?Reddy Neumann Brown · Nov 11, 2026
- MurthyAudio: Tips for Proactive I-485 FilingsMurthy Law Firm · Nov 6, 2026
Sources
- USCIS: Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status
- Fragomen: New USCIS fees (I-485 $1,440, I-765 $260, I-131 $630)
- Federal Register: Removal of the Automatic Extension of EADs (Oct 30, 2025)
- USCIS Policy Manual: Job portability under INA 204(j)
Rules change often. If something here looks out of date, it probably is; check the official source and talk to an immigration attorney about your own case.