Find Legal Topics > Immigration Laws > Form I-485 Application to Register Permanent Residence

Form I-485 Application to Register Permanent Residence

Form I-485 Application to Register Permanent Residence Permanent residency

Form I-485, the Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, is administered to non-citizens/legal residents of the U.S. to allow them to obtain the rights inherent in permanent residency in the country. Permanent residency pertains to privileges beyond those specified in the document’s name; as such, people who receive Form I-485 in the U.S. can accordingly find and legitimately maintain employment in the country, as well as living within it. 

Administering authorities and required processes

Form I-485 is provided and administered by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), an agency placed within the larger administrative framework of the Department of Homeland Security which replaced the formerly empowered, now defunct Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) in 2003. People who have submitted Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence, to the USCIS and have the agency approve their request will accordingly be granted the document commonly known as the Green Card, and more officially as Form I-551.  

Description of document

Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, consists of 6 pages which must be filled out by the applicant, as well as 11 pages’ worth of instructions on how to do this and correctly submit the document. 


Filing fees

In order for the USCIS to process and potentially approve a completed copy of Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, the document must be submitted along with the base required filing fee of $985, along with a potential additional $85 as a biometric filing fee. In such cases, filing fees for Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, must be paid as a lump sum of $1070. A check submitted for this reason must be made out either to the USCIS or to the Department of Homeland Security. 

Filing fee exceptions

An applicant who is younger than 14 and files through the Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status made out by one or both of his or her parents will have to pay a filing fee of $635. Otherwise, applicants under the age of 14 will have to pay a total $985.  

Where to submit Form I-485

The correct filing address for the Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status is determined in accordance with the eligibility category allowing for the application’s potential success.

Applicants should accordingly seek out the “Direct Filing Address” which will be required for the particular copy of Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status. A completing listing of direct filing address and the related eligibility categories can be found at the “Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status” page on the USCIS website.

Some of these destinations for completed copies of Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status include the USCIS Chicago lockbox, the USCIS Vermont Service Center, the USCIS Phoenix Lockbox, the USCIS Dallas Lockbox, and the USCIS Nebraska Service Center.

Related Topics