Form I-485 Instructions

Every year, millions of noncitizens become permanent residents of the United States. They get the privilege of staying and working in America for a certain period. Like other immigration processes, this requires filing paperwork with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), in this case, Form I-458. In this article, we’ll explain how to fill out this form to become a permanent resident.

What Is Form I-458?

If you’re an alien who wants to change their visa status to permanent resident, you’re requested to file Form I-458. Officially, this form is known as the Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status.

Besides the principal applicant (the person who is changing their status), other people can apply including derivative applicants (the spouse and children of the principal applicant), as well as other immigrant categories. If you’re unsure if you are eligible, contact the USCIS for guidance.

Form I-458 Instructions

Form I-458 is a 20-page form that’s divided into 14 parts. So, you’ll need 1-2 hours to complete this form. Here’s a brief overview of each part:

Part 1. Information About You

In the first part, you need to provide information about yourself, the applicant. There are 25 questions asked within this section. The subsections are:

• Your current legal name
• Other names used since birth (including nicknames and aliases)
• Date of birth
• Gender (male or female)
• City or town of birth
• Country of birth
• Country of citizenship or nationality
• Alien Registration Number or A-number
• USCIS Online account number
• US Social Security Number (if received at the time of filing this form)
• Current U.S. mailing address
• Alternate and/or safe mailing address
• Passport number as per your last arrival records
• Travel document number as per your last arrival records
• Expiration date of the passport or travel document
• Country that issued your passport or travel document
• Nonimmigrant visa number printed on the passport (if any)
• Place of your last arrival in the U.S.
• Date of your last arrival
• When I last arrived in the United States, I: (there are four options)
• Current immigration status
• Your name exactly as it appears on your Form I-94 if any

Part 2. Application Type or Filing Category

In this section, you need to describe your case and why you’re filing this form. As already mentioned, this form is used for change of status. The options are:

• I am filing this form I-485 as a Principal applicant or Derivative applicant
• Family-based (if you’re an immediate relative, another relative, fiancé(e), widow or widower, VAWA self-petitioner, spouse/child/parent of a deceased active U.S. duty service member)
• Employment-based (if you’re an alien worker or entrepreneur)
• Special immigrant
• Asylee or Refugee
• Human trafficking victim

Similarly, there are other options to choose from; read them carefully and select the one matching your case.

Part 3. Additional Information About You

This is where the USCIS demands more information to make its decision. This section asks 22 questions, such as if you’ve applied for an immigration visa before, the location of the U.S. embassy or consulate applied at, your address history (the places you’ve lived), and so on. You’ll also be asked about your employment history.

Part 4. Information About Your Parents

Here, you need to provide information about your parents, like legal names, names at birth, DOB, gender, and locations of birth.

Part 5. Information About Your Marital History

You need to provide information on your marital status and history. There are 16 questions in total. First, if you’re currently married, then provide your current spouse’s legal name, DOB, A-number (if any), and date of marriage, as listed in your marriage certificate.

If you’ve been previously married, provide the same information for each spouse.

Part 6. Information About Your Children

If you have children from your current or previous marriages, provide information about them in this section. You’ll have to provide details like name, DOB, A-number, country of birth, and if he/she is applying with you.

Part 7. Biographic Information

This section will ask you six questions about your biographic information, like ethnicity, race, height, weight, eye color, and hair color.

Part 8. General Eligibility and Inadmissibility Grounds

This section is to access your eligibility for U.S. permanent residence status. The USCIS will check if you’re inadmissible on any grounds. There are 80 questions in total. In short, they want to know what type of organizations you have been associated with, including any foundation, political party, club, society, or military group, in the United States or anywhere in the world.

Part 9. Accommodations for Individual With Disabilities and/or Impairments

If you’re disabled physically in any way and want special accommodation, you need to provide information. The disability can be visual, hearing, or any other type of relevant disability.

Part 10. Applicant’s Statement, Contact Information, Certification, and Signature

In this section, you’ll provide your statement, most recent contact information, and signature. If you’ve filled out any section in this form that demands certificates, submit copies of the original documents. By signing, you also affirm the U.S. government may enroll you with the Selective Service System if required.

Part 11. Interpreter’s Contact Information, Certification, and Signature

If you’ve used an interpreter to translate while filling out the document, ask him/her to fill out this section.

Part 12. Contact Information, Declaration, and Signature of the Person Preparing This Application, if Other Than the Applicant

If someone else prepared the form for you, ask him/her to fill out this section.

Part 13. Signature at Interview

Take this form with you to your interview with the USCIS. In this section, you’ll have to provide your signature.

Part 14: Additional Information

When providing answers to the above questions, you can use this section if you need extra space. Just indicate the page number, part number, and item number before answering.

As you can see, it’s a long form that requires a considerable amount of time to fill. After you’ve finished the form, you need to send it to the USCIS. Call 1-800-375-5283 to get the updated address, if necessary.

Along with your application, send a check of $985. If your case requires a biometric verification appointment, you’ll have to pay an additional $85 biometric fee.

When filing this form, you need to consider the following things:

• Use black ink throughout your application. You can also type.
• If you need extra space, do not write in an adjacent area. Use the Part 14 Additional Information section instead.
• Do not leave omit any section if it applies to you. Incomplete forms are rejected.
• Sign in all the appropriate places. Forms without signatures are rejected.
• If you change your address before your application is processed, you’re required to notify the USCIS about your new address.
• Supplement Form I-458 with relevant documents for faster processing.

Conclusion

Completing this form can be confusing, but providing correct details is of utmost importance. If you have additional questions, consult an immigration attorney.

Frank Gogol

I’m a firm believer that information is the key to financial freedom. On the Stilt Blog, I write about the complex topics — like finance, immigration, and technology — to help immigrants make the most of their lives in the U.S. Our content and brand have been featured in Forbes, TechCrunch, VentureBeat, and more.

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