Adjustment of Status
Adjustment of Status is an immigration application filed for an immigrant who is within the United States. Usually, this occurs when there is a successful and current petition for "alien relative". However, adjustment of status can occur in other immigration scenarios, such as those granted asylum or an I-140.
Once the adjustment of status application is filed, the immigrant is temporarily in legal status until the application is adjudicated. Adjustment of status is not the same as a change of visa status.
Most adjustment of status occur in the following ways:
- Through marriage
- A current family-based petition
- A current employer petition
- One year after asylum is granted.
The most common method of adjusting status results in what people refer to as "green card through marriage."
The USCIS allows an immigrant to change his or her status (with some exceptions) to that of a lawful permanent resident if he or she entered the country on a valid visa and was properly inspected prior to entry into the United States. In other words, a successful adjustment of status will lead to a "green card" also known as lawful permanent residence.
Adjustment of Status applications are usually concurrently filed with other applications, such as a work authorization application. Once the application for adjustment of status is approved, the applicant is interviewed. Upon successful completion of the interview, a green card will be issued.
If you are currently outside of the United States, you cannot apply for adjustment of status. Rather, you must go through consular processing at your nearest US Embassy.
Contact Yekrangi & Associates
Yekrangi & Associates will carefully evaluate your case to determine if you are eligible to adjust your status, or recommend steps you need to take before applying for adjustment of status.
To schedule an initial consultation with us today, don't hesitate to contact us at (949) 478-4963.