Glossary · USCIS forms
I-485 (Adjustment of Status)
Files inside the US to convert from nonimmigrant to lawful permanent resident, when your priority date becomes current.
I-485 is the adjustment-of-status filing. You can only file when your priority date (from the I-140) is current per the USCIS Visa Bulletin. For India-born EB-2/EB-3 filers, this can be a multi-decade wait. Once filed, the I-485 itself usually unlocks an EAD (work authorization on Form I-765) and Advance Parole (international travel without abandoning the application) — the so-called 'EAD-AP combo' is what most pending GC applicants live on.
Related terms
I-140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker)
Employer-sponsored green-card petition. Once approved, it locks your priority date and unlocks 3-year H-1B extensions past the 6-year cap.
I-765 (Application for Employment Authorization)
Files for an EAD card. Used for H-4 spouses, Compelling Circumstances EAD, and AOS-pending workers.
Priority date
The date your green card application 'started' — determines your wait under USCIS Visa Bulletin.
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