An approved I-360 confirms you qualify for an immigrant category, but the green card itself comes from a second application you still have to file. What to do after I-360 approval depends on where you live: if you are inside the United States, you file Form I-485 to adjust status; if you are abroad, your case moves to the National Visa Center and you complete Form DS-260 for an interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate.1USCIS. Adjustment of Status2U.S. Department of State. Complete Online Visa Application Before you file anything, though, check whether a visa number is actually available for your category.
Check Visa Availability Before You File
Not every I-360 approval lets you move straight to the green card stage. VAWA self-petitioners and widows or widowers of U.S. citizens are generally treated like immediate relatives, so a visa is always available and there is no waiting line. Religious workers and certain other special immigrants fall under the EB-4 preference category, which has an annual cap and can back up for years.
If your category is subject to the cap, look at the Department of State’s monthly Visa Bulletin. Your priority date (usually the date your I-360 was filed) must be earlier than the cutoff listed for your category and country of birth. A “C” means current and you can file; a “U” means unavailable and you have to wait. USCIS also posts a monthly page telling adjustment applicants whether to use the “Dates for Filing” chart or the stricter “Final Action Dates” chart. When more visas are available than applicants, USCIS lets you use the more favorable Dates for Filing chart.3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Adjustment of Status Filing Charts From the Visa Bulletin
Filing From Inside the United States
If you are in the U.S., you file Form I-485 with USCIS. The correct mailing address depends on your underlying I-360 category, so pull the Direct Filing Addresses page for I-485 before sending anything.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-485 – Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status
Fees vary by age and category, so use the USCIS fee calculator to confirm the exact amount for your filing. USCIS no longer accepts personal checks or money orders for paper filings; pay by credit card, debit card, or direct bank transfer using Form G-1450 or Form G-1650.5USCIS. Filing Fees If you cannot afford the fee, file Form I-912 for a waiver at the same time as the I-485. Requests submitted afterward do not count.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-912 Request for Fee Waiver
Filing From Outside the United States
If you are abroad, your approved I-360 is sent to the National Visa Center, which acts as the middleman between USCIS and the consulate. You pay the Department of State fees, complete the DS-260 online in the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC), and upload your civil and financial documents there.2U.S. Department of State. Complete Online Visa Application
For I-360-based cases, the immigrant visa application processing fee is $205 per person. If an Affidavit of Support is reviewed domestically by the NVC, add $120.7U.S. Department of State. Fees for Visa Services Once your CEAC status shows “PAID,” you can submit the DS-260 and upload the rest.
Documents to Start Gathering Now
Both paths need the same core civil documents: a copy of your passport, birth certificate, passport-style photographs, marriage certificate if applicable, proof that any prior marriages ended, and police clearances from every country where you have lived for a significant period. Anything not in English needs a certified English translation. Missing one item can push your case back by months, so start early.
The Medical Exam and Form I-693
If you are adjusting status inside the U.S., a USCIS-designated civil surgeon has to complete Form I-693. If you are consular processing, a Department of State-authorized panel physician handles the exam in your country.8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Designated Civil Surgeons Civil surgeon fees are set by each doctor and vary widely, so call ahead.
Two timing rules matter. First, as of December 2024, USCIS requires the I-693 to be filed together with the I-485; leaving it out can get the whole application rejected.9U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-693 – Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record Second, any I-693 signed on or after November 1, 2023, is only valid while the application it was filed with stays pending. If your I-485 is denied or withdrawn, the exam is gone and you need a new one to refile.10U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Changes Validity Period for Any Form I-693 Signed on or After Nov 1 2023
Whether You Need an Affidavit of Support
Form I-864 is a binding contract in which a sponsor promises to maintain the immigrant at 125% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.11U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-864P HHS Poverty Guidelines for Affidavit of Support For many green card applicants it is mandatory. Several I-360 categories are fully exempt, and this is where applicants often waste weeks chasing paperwork they never needed. File Form I-864W to claim the exemption if you fall into one of these groups:12U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-864W Request for Exemption for Intending Immigrants Affidavit of Support
- VAWA self-petitioners. If your I-360 was based on abuse by a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident spouse or parent, you do not need a financial sponsor. You are also exempt from the public charge ground of inadmissibility.
- Special Immigrant Juveniles. SIJ applicants are exempt from both the Affidavit of Support and the public charge ground.13eCFR. 8 CFR 212.23 – Exemptions and Waivers for Public Charge Ground of Inadmissibility
- Widows and widowers of U.S. citizens. Your approved I-360 itself is sufficient proof of the exemption.
If your category does require an I-864, the sponsor provides tax returns, pay stubs, and an employment verification letter. If the primary sponsor’s income falls short, a joint sponsor can step in. For consular cases, the petitioner uploads the I-864 and the financial documents to CEAC for NVC review.14U.S. Department of State. Uploading to Consular Electronic Application Center Instructions
Working and Traveling While You Wait
Filing the I-485 does not, by itself, let you work or leave the country. You need separate authorization for each.
To work, file Form I-765 for an Employment Authorization Document. You can submit it at the same time as the I-485.15U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-765 Application for Employment Authorization As of December 2025, the maximum EAD validity period for pending adjustment applicants is 18 months, so plan for a renewal if your case runs long.
Travel is where cases get destroyed. If you leave the United States while your I-485 is pending without an approved advance parole document (Form I-131) in hand, USCIS will generally treat your application as abandoned.16U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. While Your Green Card Application Is Pending With USCIS You lose your filing fees, your place in line, and possibly your ability to re-enter. File the I-131 with your I-485 and wait for approval before booking anything.
Biometrics, Interview, and Decision
After USCIS receives your I-485, you will usually be scheduled for a biometrics appointment at a local Application Support Center, where they collect fingerprints, a photograph, and a signature for background checks.17U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Preparing for Your Biometric Services Appointment Do not skip it without rescheduling.
All adjustment applicants are subject to an interview, though USCIS has discretion to waive it case by case.18U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Policy Manual Volume 7 Part A Chapter 5 – Interview Guidelines Strong documentation up front improves your odds of a waiver, but plan to attend. For consular processing, the interview happens at the embassy or consulate. In either setting, bring originals of everything you submitted and re-read your own application first; officers are watching for discrepancies between what you wrote and what you say.
If you are approved through adjustment, your green card comes in the mail. If you are approved at a consulate, you receive an immigrant visa, use it to enter the U.S., and your physical card is mailed after admission. If you get a Request for Evidence instead, that is not a denial; USCIS just needs more documentation, and the notice lists what and when. The deadline is typically 84 days for I-485 cases and it is firm.19U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Policy Memorandum – Change Timeframes for RFE A denial can be challenged with a motion to reopen or a motion to reconsider filed within 33 days of the decision date, with all supporting evidence attached to the motion.20U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Questions and Answers Appeals and Motions If you are in removal proceedings, different rules apply and you should be working with an immigration attorney.
How Long It Takes
As of early 2026, median processing times for I-485 applications ran from roughly 5.5 months for family-based adjustments to over 13 months for applicants adjusting based on a prior asylum grant.21U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Historic Processing Times Those are medians; your case can land well outside them. Consular processing depends on both the NVC’s workload and the individual embassy’s interview backlog, which can add months on top of the USCIS portion.
Check your case status online using the receipt number from your I-797C receipt notice, or through CEAC for consular cases. If your case has been pending significantly longer than the posted processing time for your category, you may be eligible to submit a case inquiry to USCIS.
Protecting Children From Aging Out
If children are listed as derivative beneficiaries on your I-360, the Child Status Protection Act can keep them eligible when they turn 21. For VAWA self-petitioners and immediate-relative categories, the child’s age is frozen on the date the I-360 was filed. If the child was under 21 then, they stay classified as a child for immigration purposes as long as they remain unmarried.22U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) For preference categories like EB-4 religious workers, the calculation is different: the child’s age when a visa becomes available, minus the number of days the petition was pending, equals their CSPA age. If that number is under 21, the child qualifies. Getting the arithmetic wrong here means the child loses their place in line permanently, so run the numbers carefully or have an attorney check them before you file.