News Alert: New Green Card Form I-485, released by USCIS in December, effective on February 10, 2025
Image by Francis MacDonald from Pixabay. On Dec. 10, 2024, USCIS published a new edition of Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Resident or Adjust Status, which must be used starting Feb. 10, 2025. Read our news alert to learn more.
On Dec. 10, 2024, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a new edition of Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Resident or Adjust Status, which includes updates to questions and instructions. Starting Feb. 10, 2025, USCIS will accept only the 10/24/24 edition of Form I-485 and will reject any older editions of Form I-485.
Why does USCIS keep updating the application forms? What is the reason for this change?
According to USCIS, revising the form is part of their agency-wide initiative to reduce the burden on people who apply for immigration benefits and services. Specifically, incorporating Form I-864W into Form I-485 eliminates the need for a separate form.
What has changed?
The new edition of Form I-485 features these major changes:
Requires applicants who need to submit a Form I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, or a partial Form I-693 (such as a vaccination record), to submit the Form I-693 or partial Form I-693 with their Form I-485. If the applicant does not submit the Form I-693 with Form I-485 when it is required, the Form I-485 may be rejected;
Enables applicants who are exempt from the Form I-864, Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the INA, requirement to request the exemption on Form I-485 rather than submitting Form I-864W, Request for Exemption for Intending Immigrant's Affidavit of Support. Form I-864W has been discontinued and removed it from uscis.gov;
A clarification of the form questions about the public charge ground of inadmissibility. The questions now will require an applicant to identify their immigrant category so that USCIS can more easily determine whether or not they are exempt from this ground of inadmissibility and can adjudicate the application accordingly; and
Streamlines the collection of information and consolidates and clarifies instructions and requirements.
What else should I know?
You can still use the 4/1/24 version until February 2025. Starting Feb. 10, 2025, USCIS will accept only the 10/24/24 edition of Form I-485 and will reject any older editions of Form I-485. Stay tuned as we keep you updated on immigration changes and developments. Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Tumblr, for up-to-date immigration news and to keep updated.
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