What Evidence Must You Provide With Form I-485?

Last Updated: February 5, 2020.

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Along with a fully completed and signed Form I-485, there is evidence that you must include to be considered for lawful permanent residency or to adjust your status.

You can upload all required documentation within your SimpleCitizen account:

Criminal History

What you must submit will vary depending upon your previous offense:

• Arrested and Detained With No Filed Charges – Include an original, official statement by the arresting agency or a court order confirming that no charges were filed.
• Arrested or Detained and Charges Were Filed or Were Filed Without an Arrest – Include an original or court-certified copy of the entire arrest record and/or disposition (i.e. the record of the court’s final decision of the criminal charge).
• Convicted or Placed in an Alternative Sentencing or Rehabilitative Program (i.e. Drug Treatment, Community Service, etc.) – Include an original or court-certified copy of the sentencing record for each incident and evidence that you completed your sentence. This evidence may include:
  • An original or certified copy of your probation or parole record; or
  • Evidence that you completed your alternative program.
• Vacated, Sealed, Expunged, Removed, or Set Aside Arrests/Convictions – Include an original or court-certified copy of the court order used to vacate, seal, expunge, remove, or set aside the arrest or conviction or an original statement from the court that there is no record of the arrest or conviction.

There is no need to submit evidence for traffic fines or incidents that didn’t involve an arrest as long as the fine was less than $500 and/or points on your driver’s license. However, you must submit evidence if the traffic incident was related to alcohol or drugs.

Birth Certificate

You must include a copy of your foreign birth certificate or other birth record with Form I-485.

Copy of Passport Page With Nonimmigrant Visa

If you have a nonimmigrant visa(s) from a U.S. Embassy or consulate that you received outside the United States within the past year, you must include photocopy(ies) of the page(s) with your Form.

Photos

You must include two identical color photographs of yourself taken within 30 days of your application with the Form.

Each photo must:

• Have a white to off-white background
• Be printed on thin, glossy paper
• Be unmounted and unretouched

You may also use passport photos that follow the three bullet points above and meet these additional criteria:

• Measure 2 inches by 2 inches
• Be a full face, frontal view where your head height measures 1 inch to 1 3/8 inches from the top of your hair to the bottom of your chin
• Bare head, unless headwear is required by your religious order

Biometrics

If you are between the ages of 14 and 79, fingerprints are required by USCIS biometrics services. You will submit your fingerprints once you have filed your application.

To do so, USCIS will contact you in writing to let you know where and when you must go to be fingerprinted. If you do not follow these instructions, your Form may not be approved.

Police Clearances

Police clearances are sometimes required for individuals seeking an adjustment of status as a member of a special class outlined in an I-485 supplementary form. You must read the instructions on the form to see if you need police clearances with your application.

Medical Examination

Some individuals must submit a medical examination via Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record:

• General – You must include Form I-693 with Form I-485, unless you are a refugee.
• Refugees – If you are applying for adjustment 1 year after being admitted to the U.S. as a refugee, you must only submit the vaccination portion of Form I-693 (pages 1, 4, and 6) with your application. You must submit the entire report only if you had a Class A condition included on your overseas medical exam.
• Fiancés – If you are a K-1 fiancé or K-2 dependent who received a medical examination when obtaining your nonimmigrant visa, you only need to submit the vaccination portion of Form I-693 with your application.
• Exempt – If you are applying to create a record as a lawful permanent resident under section 249 of the INA as someone who has resided in the U.S. since January 1, 1972, you do not need to submit a medical examination with your application.

Form G-325A (Biographic Information Sheet)

If you are between 14 and 79 years old, you must include Form G-325A with your application.

Affidavit of Support/Employment Letter

You must submit an Affidavit of Support (Form I-864) if you’re filing Form I-485 as the fiancé of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, through Form I-130 (relative petition), or Form I-140 (an employed-based visa petition).

You must include an employment letter with Form I-485 if you are using an employment-based visa petition to enter the U.S. This letter must be sent on your employer’s letterhead and confirm that the job is available and the salary you will be paid.

Eligibility

Depending on how you enter the United States, your eligibility evidence will differ:

• Immigrant Petition – Include a copy of the approval notice of your immigrant petition that shows a visa number is available to you. If you do not have this, you may include a complete relative, special immigrant juvenile, or special immigrant military petition that will make a visa number available to you.
• K-1 Fiancé – Include a copy of the fiancé petition approval notice, a copy of your marriage certificate, and Form I-94, the Arrival/Departure Document.
• Asylum – Include a copy of the letter or of Form I-94 showing the date you were granted asylum.
• Continuous Residence Since Before January 1, 1972 – Include copies of evidence showing you have been residing in the U.S. since before January 1, 1972.

Cuban Citizenship or Nationality

You must include evidence of your citizenship or nationality. Examples of acceptable evidence include copies of your passport, birth certificate, or other travel documents.

As a Spouse or Child of Another Adjustment Applicant or Permanent Resident Through Immigrant Visa Issuance

You should file your application with the other applicant and with:

• Evidence that the applicant’s application is currently pending or has been approved; or
• Evidence that your spouse or parent was granted permanent residence based on an immigrant visa.

If you are applying as a spouse, you must include a copy of your marriage certificate and documents showing that all previous marriages have been legally ended.

If you are applying as a child, you must attach a copy of your birth certificate. If the applicant isn’t your parent, you must submit evidence (including marriage certificates, legal endings to all existing marriages, and the adoption decree) to prove that you are the applicant’s legal child.

Indochinese Parolee

Along with all other evidence indicated above, you must include:

• Evidence that you are a citizen or native of Vietnam, Kampuchea (Cambodia), or Laos;
• Evidence that you’ve been paroled into the U.S. from Vietnam under the Orderly Departure Program (ODP), from a refugee camp in East Asia, or from a displaced persons camp administered by the United Nationals High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Thailand before October 1, 1997; and
• Evidence that you have physically been in the U.S. prior to and on October 1, 1997.

Evidence of parole may include:

• Parole authorization letter
• Transportation letter
• Arrival/Departure Record (Form I-94)

If you don’t have any of these records, you may need to request this information through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). If you still cannot find your records, you may include an affidavit (sworn oath) with Form I-485 requesting that DHS search its files to locate any existing proof that you were paroled as part of the programs listed above.

Evidence of physical presence in the U.S. during the time period indicated above may include documents issued by a federal, state, or local authority, such as:

• Immigration records
• School records
• Military records
• State driver’s license or other identification card
• Utility bills
• Medical records
• Deeds
• Mortgages
• Contracts
• Insurance policies
• Receipts
• Any other evidence you believe proves your physical presence

Any evidence must be in your name and bear the signature, seal, or other official marks of an issuing authority (if from an official agency) and be dated no later than the required date.

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