Business Immigration · Employment-based I-485
Employment-based adjustment of status for you and your family
Once your I-140 is approved, or filed alongside it, and your priority date is current, you can apply for permanent residence from inside the U.S. on Form I-485. The same filing usually covers a work permit and advance parole for you, your spouse and your children. We prepare the whole family's package, track the Visa Bulletin each month, and move to federal court if the case stalls.
What our I-485 service covers
- Eligibility and status-history review, including any gaps.
- Form I-485 for the principal, plus I-765 and I-131.
- Supplement J job confirmation where the category requires it.
- Medical exam (I-693) coordination.
- Derivative filings for your spouse and children.
- RFE and interview preparation within scope.
Who can file
- An approved or concurrently filed I-140 in EB-1, EB-2 or EB-3.
- A priority date that is current on the chart USCIS designates for that month in the Visa Bulletin (Final Action Dates or Dates for Filing).
- Inspection and admission or parole, and in most cases maintained status. Employment-based applicants may have certain short status violations forgiven under INA 245(k).
- Admissibility, including the medical exam and any criminal or immigration history.
Government fees
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Form I-485, age 14 or older | $1,440 (paper) / $1,390 (online) |
| Form I-485, under 14 filing with a parent | $950 (paper) / $900 (online) |
| Form I-765 with a pending I-485 | $260 |
| Form I-131 advance parole | $630 (paper) / $580 (online) |
Government fees as of Oct. 24, 2026, from USCIS Form G-1055, edition 10/16/26. Confirm before filing.
Confirm current amounts on the G-1055 before filing. For regular processing, see the USCIS processing-times tool.
Step by step
- Confirm the chart and your priority date for the month.
- Collect civil documents, status history and the medical exam.
- File the I-485, I-765 and I-131 for each family member.
- Attend biometrics.
- Answer any RFE and prepare for an interview if one is scheduled.
- Receive approval and the green card.
Changing jobs while the I-485 is pending
Once your I-485 has been pending 180 days and your I-140 is approved, you may be able to move to a new job in the same or a similar occupational classification under INA 204(j), using Supplement J. We review the new role before you accept it.
If you are abroad: consular processing
Applicants outside the U.S. complete an immigrant visa through the National Visa Center and a U.S. consulate. They pay the State Department immigrant visa fee ($325), and after the visa is issued, the USCIS Immigrant Fee ($235). For stalled consular cases, see immigrant visa delays.
If USCIS is slow or denies the I-485
When an adjustment case sits well beyond published processing times with no action, a mandamus and APA lawsuit can ask a federal court to order USCIS to decide it. See I-485 adjustment delay lawsuits and work-permit delays. Denials cannot be appealed to the AAO, so options are a motion, refiling, or federal review where available.
Who handles your case
Immigration filings are prepared and signed by a licensed U.S. immigration attorney who works with DC Federal Litigation PLLC. Consultations are available in English, Spanish, French and Arabic. If an agency delays or denies your case and federal court is the right next step, DC Federal Litigation PLLC handles the litigation.
DC Federal Litigation PLLC works from its Washington, DC office on the strategy and on any federal-court action. If the agency sits on your case or denies it on grounds the regulation does not support, the litigation stays with the firm. You are told in writing, before any work begins, who does what on your matter and how the fee is shared.
Frequently asked questions
When can I file my employment-based I-485?
When your priority date is current on the Visa Bulletin chart USCIS designates for that month, and you have an approved or concurrently filed I-140. USCIS announces each month whether it is accepting filings under Final Action Dates or Dates for Filing.
Can my spouse work while the I-485 is pending?
Yes. Your spouse can file Form I-765 with their own I-485 and work once the card is issued. Children may file as well if they need work authorization.
Can I travel while my I-485 is pending?
Get advance parole (Form I-131) first, unless you hold and maintain H-1B or L-1 status, which generally allows travel. Leaving without either can abandon the application.
What if my child is about to turn 21?
The Child Status Protection Act may preserve a child's eligibility. The calculation depends on the priority date and how long the I-140 was pending, so we run it at intake.
Will there be an interview?
USCIS may schedule one, especially for employment-based cases. We prepare you on the job offer, your qualifications and your status history.
What can I do if my I-485 is stuck?
First, check the case against the USCIS processing-times tool and make an inquiry. If it remains stalled well past the published times, a federal mandamus lawsuit may be appropriate. See our I-485 delay guide on the federal site.
Get your family's package ready before the date is current
Book a paid consultation. We check the Visa Bulletin, your status history and each family member's eligibility. If you engage the firm within 30 days, your consultation fee is credited in full toward your initial retainer.