Adjustment of Status (Green Card)


Adjustment Status

If you are present in the United States, you may be eligible to apply for a U.S. green card through the adjustment of status process. Adjustment of status refers to the application that a foreign national who is present in the U.S. files to adjust his or her status from a temporary status (non-immigrant) to a permanent resident status (U.S. green card holder) without leaving the country.

If you are the beneficiary of an immigrant petition through family or employment, a derivative, or if you have been granted asylum in the U.S., this article addresses the criteria for adjusting your status in the U.S.

Requirements to Adjust Status

To adjust your status to a green card holder, you must meet the eligibility, application, and documentation requirements found at 8 C.F.R. § 245. These requirements state the following: (i) you must be physically present in the U.S.; (ii) your immigrant petition must be approved (unless an exception applies, see Practice Pointer below) and your priority date must be current; (iii) you must have been inspected, admitted, or paroled into the United States; and (iv) your circumstances must not have changed to make you ineligible for adjustment of status. You are not eligible for adjustment of status if you are within one of the 12 categories listed in the instructions to Form I-485.

Assisting International Corporations with Securing L1 Visas

Obtaining Green Cards through Adjustment of Status

Practice Pointer: The official H-1B approval notice is required for re-entry after travel outside the U.S. and is needed for applying for an H-1B visa stamp at a consulate abroad.

If you are present in the United States, the most common ways to apply for adjustment of status are through employment based immigration or family based immigration. If, however, you are outside of the United States, you cannot apply for adjustment of status to obtain your U.S. green card. If you are otherwise eligible for a U.S. green card, and you live outside the U.S., you must go through consular processing and obtain an immigrant visa to enter the U.S. as a lawful permanent resident.

Immigration Representation

Contact an Experienced Ohio Immigration Lawyer

The experienced immigration lawyer at Porter Law Office, LLC is dedicated to assisting you navigate the complex adjustment of status process to obtain your green card. By hiring Porter Law Office, LLC, you be working with an experienced immigration lawyer who understands what it takes establish the best possible plan to obtain you or your family member’s green card through the adjustment of status process. Porter Law Office, LLC is conveniently located outside of Columbus, Ohio in the suburb of Gahanna.

If you need help with the adjustment of status process, or any other immigration issue, contact Columbus, Ohio immigration lawyer Matthew R. Porter today for free consultation to discuss your options.

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