Updated Nov. 9, 2026, for the 09/18/26 edition of Form I-485, the new public charge rule, USCIS’s electronic-only fee payments and the October 2026 change in filing addresses.
As priority dates move, many applicants are preparing to file Form I-485. Accuracy at the time of filing is critical. Small mistakes, such as a wrong fee, an outdated form edition or a missing payment form, can get a package rejected, and if dates retrogress before you can refile, you may lose the chance to file at all.
Online tools and AI-generated checklists are not always reliable and often miss recent changes. This checklist is a practical reference for employment-based adjustment filings. It is written for cases where the I-140 has already been approved, and a section below covers filing while the I-140 is still pending. It covers principal applicants, derivative spouses and children, Forms I-765 (work permit) and I-131 (advance parole), and the public charge documents we now ask clients to gather. Family-based filings need different documents, including in most cases Form I-864, Affidavit of Support, from the petitioner. Whatever your category, compare your package against USCIS’s official Checklist of Required Initial Evidence for Form I-485, which USCIS revises when requirements change.
What changed in 2026
- New form edition, no grace period. USCIS accepts only the 09/18/26 edition of Form I-485. If you file Supplement J, its edition must match. Check the edition date at the bottom of every page.
- Stricter public charge review. Every I-485 filed on or after Sept. 18, 2026 is judged under the revived public charge standard, and Part 9 of the form now asks much more about household income, assets, debts, education and benefits. See the public charge section below.
- No checks or money orders. USCIS requires electronic payment for paper filings. Attach a signed Form G-1450 (card) or G-1650 (U.S. bank account) to each application, one per form, for that form’s exact fee.
- New filing addresses. USCIS changed I-485 mailing addresses on Oct. 7, 2026, and the grace period for old addresses has ended. Copy the address from USCIS’s Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-485 page on the day you mail.
- The medical exam goes in with the application. Form I-693 must be filed together with the I-485, so the exam has to be done before you file. Build in time for it.
Principal applicant
- Form I-485, 09/18/26 edition (fee: $1,440 paper filing)
- Form I-485 Supplement J, matching edition (signed by both the employer that filed the I-140 and the applicant; not required for self-petitioned EB-1A or EB-2 NIW cases)
- Form I-765 (fee: $260 when filed with a fee-paid I-485)
- Form I-131 (fee: $630 paper filing)
- One signed Form G-1450 or G-1650 for each form above
- 6 passport-style photos (2 each for the I-485, I-765 and I-131)
- Form I-693 medical exam from a USCIS civil surgeon, in the civil surgeon’s sealed envelope (find a civil surgeon)
- Copy of the I-140 approval notice (or the I-140 receipt notice if the I-140 is still pending; see below)
- Employment verification letter from the sponsoring employer, on company letterhead and dated recently, confirming your job title, duties, salary, start date and that the job offer is still open (for self-petitioned EB-1A or EB-2 NIW cases, evidence that you will continue working in your field instead)
- Your last two pay stubs
- Copies of degrees, diplomas, transcripts and any professional licenses or certifications (these also support your answers to the education questions on the new I-485)
- Copy of birth certificate (or alternate documents if unavailable; discuss with your attorney)
- Copies of current and old passports (biographic pages and all pages with visas or stamps; blank pages not needed)
- Copy of current I-94 and all prior I-94s
- Copies of prior H-1B, H-4, L-1 or L-2 approvals (any gaps in status must be discussed with your attorney)
- Copies of any current or past EADs
- Public charge documents (see below)
Derivative spouse
- Form I-485, 09/18/26 edition ($1,440), Form I-765 ($260) and Form I-131 ($630), each with its own G-1450 or G-1650
- 6 passport-style photos
- Form I-693 medical exam in a sealed envelope
- Copy of the principal applicant’s I-140 approval notice
- Copy of marriage certificate (or alternate documents if unavailable)
- Copy of birth certificate, current and old passports, current and prior I-94s, prior H-4 or L-2 approvals and any EADs
- Last two pay stubs if currently employed on H-1B, L-1, H-4 or L-2 work authorization
Derivative child
- Form I-485, 09/18/26 edition ($1,440, or $950 if under 14 and filing with a parent)
- Form I-765 ($260; recommended even under 16 if you need a Social Security number for your child) and Form I-131 ($630), each with its own G-1450 or G-1650
- 6 passport-style photos and a sealed Form I-693
- Copy of the parent’s I-140 approval notice, birth certificate, passports, current and prior I-94s, and prior H-4 or L-2 approvals
- If the child is close to 21, have CSPA eligibility reviewed before filing
For every applicant in the package
- Certified English translations of every document that is not in English. Each translation must be complete and come with the translator’s signed statement that they are competent to translate from that language and that the translation is accurate. Submit the translation together with a copy of the original.
- Court records for any arrest, citation, charge or conviction, in the U.S. or abroad, even if the case was dismissed, sealed or expunged. Get certified copies of the final court disposition. Minor traffic tickets that ended with only a fine may not need records, but ask your attorney about anything you are unsure of.
- Form G-28 for each applicant, if an attorney or accredited representative is representing you, signed by both you and your representative.
- Form G-1145 (optional) if you want a text or email alert when USCIS accepts each application.
If your I-140 is still pending
You can file the I-485 together with the I-140, or while the I-140 is still pending, if your priority date is current under the chart USCIS designates for that month. In that case, include a copy of the I-140 receipt notice (Form I-797C) instead of the approval notice, or file both forms in the same package. Keep in mind that the I-485 depends on the I-140: if the I-140 is denied, the I-485 (and your family members’ I-485s) will be denied too, and the fees are not refunded. Because USCIS can now deny a filing for missing initial evidence without first asking for it, we recommend including Supplement J (when it applies) and the employment verification letter at filing rather than waiting to be asked.
Public charge documents to gather
The new I-485 asks detailed questions about your household’s finances, and officers can ask for proof. We now ask clients to gather the following before filing. Start early: some of these take weeks to obtain.
- Federal income tax returns for recent years, usually the last three. Your attorney may recommend a different period (see below). Download your tax transcripts from your IRS online account, or use copies of the returns you filed. Ordering copies from the IRS can take weeks, so do this first.
- W-2s for the same years.
- Recent pay stubs.
- A current credit report. If it shows problems, talk to your attorney before you file.
- Your last three bank statements.
- Your most recent mortgage statement, if you own a home.
Review taxes and W-2s with your attorney before you file. These documents can raise issues that are easier to address before filing than at an interview. A tax return may list income from work your status did not allow. A W-2 may show less than the wage stated in your H-1B petition. Your attorney may also decide that some earlier years do not need to be included, for example years before your most recent entry to the United States. These are judgment calls for your attorney to make with you, not decisions to make on your own.
For the full background on what the revived standard covers, who is exempt and how benefits are treated, see our guide, Public Charge Rule Will Impact 485 Applicants.
Two questions to settle with your attorney before filing
Have you ever voted, or been registered to vote? Think back carefully, including any time you may have been registered by mistake, for example when getting a driver’s license. Unlawful voting and false claims to U.S. citizenship can make a person permanently ineligible for a green card, and noncitizen voting is being prosecuted. If there is any chance this happened, tell your attorney before you file. For a recent example, see a green card holder indicted over a city election vote.
Are you filing from F-1, B-2 or another single-intent status? USCIS’s May 22, 2026 policy memo gives officers more room to deny adjustment as a matter of discretion, and attorneys report that officers are already asking applicants at interviews why they could not leave and get an immigrant visa abroad instead. If you are in one of these statuses, discuss with your attorney whether filing an I-485 is the right move. Our posts The I-485 Memo Explained and Understanding Adjustment of Status Risks Under New USCIS Memo cover the details.
Book the medical exam early
Because Form I-693 must be filed with the I-485, the medical exam is often what holds a filing up. Civil surgeon appointments can take weeks, and you may need vaccinations or follow-up tests before the doctor can complete the form. Gather your vaccination records, book early, and do not open the sealed envelope the civil surgeon gives you; an opened envelope will not be accepted. A Form I-693 is generally valid only for the application it is filed with, so a denied or withdrawn I-485 means a new exam next time.
Final notes
Make sure every form is signed, every fee is correct for the current fee schedule (Form G-1055), and your documents are consistent across all filings. USCIS rejects filings for wrong fees, missing signatures and outdated editions, and a rejection can be serious if visa numbers are no longer available when you refile.
This checklist is a general guide. Case-specific issues such as status violations, prior denials or a complex immigration history should be reviewed carefully with an attorney before filing.
This article is for general information and is not legal advice.
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