What to Submit with I-485: Forms, Evidence, and Fees

The documents required for an I-485 filing fall into a predictable set: identity records, proof that you were lawfully admitted to the United States, evidence of the immigrant category you qualify under, a sealed medical exam, financial support paperwork when it applies, criminal records if you have any history, and category-specific supplements. Everything travels with a signed Form I-485 and the correct filing fee — $1,440 for most applicants age 14 and older, $950 for children under 14 filing with a parent.¹ Missing any required item can trigger a rejection, so work through the full list before you mail anything.

Identity and Personal Documents

Two identical color passport-style photographs go in the package. They must be 2 inches by 2 inches, taken in full-face view against a white or off-white background, and printed on thin, glossy paper.² USCIS will take a new photograph at your biometrics appointment and uses that image on any immigration document it issues, but the form instructions still require the two photos in your initial submission.³

Include a legible photocopy of a government-issued identity document such as a valid passport or national identity card, plus a photocopy of your birth certificate issued by the civil authority in your country of birth.² Refugees and asylees are not required to submit a birth certificate, though they should include one if available.

Any document not in English needs a certified English translation. The translator has to include a signed statement certifying competence in both languages and confirming that the translation is complete and accurate, along with their name, signature, address, and date.

If Your Birth Certificate Is Unavailable

When a birth certificate does not exist or cannot be obtained, you can submit secondary evidence such as church or school records. Before doing so, you have to show the primary document is unavailable, typically with a letter from the civil authority in your country of birth confirming the record does not exist or cannot be located. If no secondary records exist either, submit at least two sworn affidavits from people with direct personal knowledge of the relevant facts, such as your date and place of birth, who are not parties to your petition.⁴

Proof of Lawful Entry

You need to show you were lawfully admitted or paroled into the United States. Submit a copy of your Form I-94, the Arrival/Departure Record, which documents your arrival date and the visa classification you entered under.⁵ Electronic I-94s can be retrieved from the CBP website.⁶ Include a copy of the passport page showing your admission or parole stamp as well.

Evidence of Your Immigrant Category

You have to document the immigrant category that qualifies you for a Green Card. For most applicants, that means a copy of the approval notice (Form I-797, Notice of Action) for the underlying immigrant petition, usually a Form I-130 for family-based cases or a Form I-140 for employment-based cases.⁷ If you are filing the I-485 concurrently with the immigrant petition, submit the receipt notice instead of an approval notice.²

Family preference and employment-based applicants can only file when a visa number is available. USCIS publishes monthly guidance based on the Department of State’s Visa Bulletin, and your priority date must be current under the chart USCIS designates for that month.⁸ Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens do not have to wait for a visa number.

Form I-864, Affidavit of Support

Most family-based applicants must include Form I-864 to show that a financial sponsor will support them and they are not likely to rely on government benefits.⁹ The sponsor, typically the petitioner who filed the I-130, must demonstrate household income at or above 125 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines for their household size. Attach the sponsor’s most recent federal tax return transcripts and recent pay stubs.

When the sponsor’s income falls short, assets can make up the gap. The net value of qualifying assets, after subtracting debts, must equal at least five times the difference between the sponsor’s actual income and the 125-percent threshold.¹⁰ A joint sponsor with sufficient income can file a separate I-864 if the primary sponsor cannot meet the requirement alone.

Employment-based applicants generally do not need an I-864. The form is required, though, when the petitioning employer is a relative of the applicant or an entity in which a relative holds a significant ownership interest.¹¹

Form I-693, Immigration Medical Examination

Every I-485 applicant must complete a medical exam performed by a USCIS-designated civil surgeon and documented on Form I-693.¹² The exam covers communicable diseases, required vaccinations, and other health-related grounds of inadmissibility. USCIS offers an online tool to locate an authorized civil surgeon.

After the exam, the civil surgeon seals the completed I-693 in an envelope marked “DO NOT OPEN. FOR USCIS USE ONLY.” Submit the sealed, unopened envelope. USCIS will return the form if the envelope has been opened or tampered with.¹³

Timing matters. Since December 2, 2024, the I-693 must be filed at the same time as the I-485. USCIS may reject the I-485 if the medical form is not included.¹² Schedule the civil surgeon appointment well in advance so the completed, sealed form is ready when you file.

An I-693 signed by a civil surgeon on or after November 1, 2023 is valid only while the application it was submitted with remains pending. If the I-485 is denied or withdrawn, the I-693 is no longer valid and a new exam is required for any future filing.¹⁴ Civil surgeons set their own fees; the exam and form completion typically run $150 to $500, with vaccinations billed separately and often adding $100 to $600 depending on which shots you need.

Evidence for Marriage-Based Applications

If you are adjusting status based on marriage to a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, include evidence that the marriage is genuine. USCIS looks for documentation showing a shared financial and domestic life, such as:

Joint property ownership records: deeds, titles, or mortgage statements listing both spouses
A shared lease showing both names
Combined finances: joint bank account statements, shared credit cards, or joint tax returns
Joint utility bills in both names for electric, gas, internet, or phone service

The more documents showing an intertwined life, the stronger the case.¹⁵ Photographs together, shared insurance policies, and evidence of joint travel help as well.

The spouse beneficiary must also complete and sign Form I-130A, Supplemental Information for Spouse Beneficiary, submitted with the Form I-130 petition. Leaving it out can result in denial of the underlying petition.¹⁶

Arrest and Court Records

If you have ever been arrested anywhere in the world, submit original or court-certified copies of the arrest records and the official court disposition showing how each case was resolved. This applies whether the charges were dropped, dismissed, or resulted in a conviction.⁴

One narrow exception exists: records are not required for minor traffic violations that were not drug- or alcohol-related, did not result in an arrest, and where the only penalty was a fine under $500 or points on your license.⁴ Everything else, including old or expunged records, should be disclosed and documented. Failing to disclose an arrest can lead to a finding of misrepresentation, which is a separate ground of inadmissibility.

Category-Specific Supplements

Supplement A for Section 245(i)

Applicants adjusting under Section 245(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act must file Supplement A to Form I-485. This provision covers certain applicants who would otherwise be ineligible due to status violations. To qualify, you must be the beneficiary of an immigrant petition or labor certification application filed on or before April 30, 2001.¹⁷ Filing under this section carries an additional $1,000 fee on top of the standard I-485 filing fee.

Supplement J for Employment-Based Cases

Employment-based applicants who are the principal beneficiary of an approved Form I-140 in a category requiring a job offer must file Supplement J to confirm the job is still valid and available. If your I-140 is already approved when you file the I-485, Supplement J goes with the initial filing. If the I-485 is being filed concurrently with a still-pending I-140, Supplement J is not required at that time. Applicants seeking a National Interest Waiver or classified as individuals of extraordinary ability do not need to file Supplement J.¹⁸

Optional Forms for Work and Travel

Filing the I-485 does not by itself authorize you to work or travel internationally. If you want either while the case is pending, add these forms to the package:

Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, gets you a work permit (EAD) while the I-485 is pending. Filed with the I-485, the fee drops to $260.¹⁹
Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, requests advance parole so you can travel outside the United States and return without abandoning the pending I-485. Filed concurrently, the fee is $630.¹⁹

Leaving the country while the I-485 is pending without an approved advance parole document generally causes USCIS to treat the application as abandoned.²⁰ Limited exceptions exist for applicants in H-1, H-4, L-1, L-2, K-3, K-4, and V nonimmigrant classifications, who may travel on their valid nonimmigrant visas without losing the pending I-485. Everyone else should secure advance parole before any international trip.

Fees and Fee Waivers

The I-485 filing fee is $1,440 for applicants age 14 and older. For children under 14 filing concurrently with at least one parent’s I-485, the fee is $950.¹ Confirm the current amount on the G-1055 Fee Schedule before sending your package. USCIS rejects filings submitted with the wrong fee.

Fee waivers for the I-485 are available only to applicants exempt from the public charge ground of inadmissibility or falling into certain humanitarian categories, including refugees, asylees, VAWA self-petitioners, T and U nonimmigrants, and special immigrant juveniles.²¹ To request one, submit Form I-912 with evidence that household income is at or below 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.²² Standard family-based and employment-based applicants generally are not eligible.

Before You Mail the Package

Form I-485 must currently be filed on paper. Online filing is not available.²³ Download the most current version from the USCIS website and use black ink for any handwritten portions. Many applicants type directly into the fillable PDF for clarity.

Do not leave fields blank. Write “N/A” for questions that do not apply and “None” for numerical fields where the answer is zero. The biographical sections require a five-year history of residential addresses and employment with no gaps, so include exact street addresses, zip codes, and dates for every location.² The admissibility section covers criminal history, prior immigration violations, and security-related matters. Answer every question accurately with your court records, prior immigration documents, and travel history at hand so dates match. Any inconsistency can support an allegation of misrepresentation. Sign the form in original ink before assembling the package, and keep a full copy of everything you send. USCIS does not return submitted documents.

1
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-1055 Fee Schedule
2
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-485, Instructions for Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status
3
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Policy on Photograph Reuse for Identity Documents
4
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual Volume 7, Part A, Chapter 4 – Documentation
5
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record, Information for Completing USCIS Forms
6
Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection. I-94 Official Website for Travelers Visiting the United States
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Checklist of Required Initial Evidence for Form I-485
8
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. When to File Your Adjustment of Status Application for Family-Sponsored or Employment-Based Preference Visas
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U.S. Department of State. Affidavit of Support
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U.S. Department of State. I-864 Affidavit of Support FAQs
11
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual Volume 8, Part G, Chapter 6 – Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the INA
12
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record
13
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-693, Instructions for Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record
14
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Changes Validity Period for Any Form I-693 Signed on or After Nov. 1, 2023
15
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual Volume 6, Part B, Chapter 6 – Spouses
16
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-130A, Supplemental Information for Spouse Beneficiary
17
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Green Card Through INA 245(i) Adjustment
18
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-485, Instructions for Supplement J, Confirmation of Bona Fide Job Offer
19
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Frequently Asked Questions on the USCIS Fee Rule
20
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Form I-131, Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records
21
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual Volume 1, Part B, Chapter 4 – Fee Waivers and Fee Exemptions
22
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver
23
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Forms Available to File Online