Instructions For Application To Register Permanent Residence Or Adjust Status (Form I-485) (Page 9 of 42) in pdf

1. Photographs

You must submit two recent identical color passport-style photographs of yourself. The photos must have a white to

off-white background, be printed on thin paper with a glossy finish, and be unmounted and unretouched.

The two recent identical color passport-style photos must be 2 by 2 inches. The photos must be in color with full face,

frontal view on a white to off-white background. Head height should measure 1 to 1 3/8 inches from top of hair to

bottom of chin, and eye height is between 1 1/8 to 1 3/8 inches from bottom of photo. Your head must be bare unless

you are wearing headwear as required by a religious denomination of which you are a member. Using a pencil or

felt pen, lightly print your name and A-Number (if any) on the back of the photo. Visit the following DOS website at

travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/photos/photo-examples.html

for examples.

2. Government-Issued Identity Document with Photograph

All Form I-485 applicants should submit a photocopy of a government-issued identity document that has their

photograph. Typically, this will be your passport or similar document, even if the passport is now expired. It can also

be any other government-issued identity document such as a driver’s license or military identification document.

3. Birth Certificate

All Form I-485 applicants, except refugees and asylees, must submit a photocopy of their birth certificate issued by

the appropriate civil authority from the country of birth. Although refugees and asylees are not required to submit a

photocopy of their birth certificate, if the birth certificate is available, refugees and asylees should submit a copy of the

birth certificate. USCIS will only accept a long-form birth certificate which lists at least one parent.

If your birth certificate is unavailable or does not exist, you must prove its unavailability or nonexistence and provide

acceptable alternative evidence of birth. (Refugees and asylees do not need to prove unavailability or nonexistence

of their birth certificate.) You can look up your country of birth on the following website,

travel.state.gov/content/

visas/english/fees/reciprocity-by-country.html, to see if birth certificates are known to be unavailable or nonexistent

in that country.

If this resource shows that birth certificates from your country of birth are generally unavailable or nonexistent, you

do not need to do anything to prove that your birth certificate is unavailable or nonexistent.

If this resource does not show that birth certificates from your country of birth are generally unavailable or

nonexistent, you must submit an original document from the relevant governmental authority explaining why your

birth record does not exist and indicate whether similar records for the time and place are available.

When your birth certificate is not available or does not exist, you must submit other acceptable evidence relating to

the facts of your birth, such as church or school records, hospital or medical records, personal affidavits, or similar

evidence.

4. Inspection and Admission or Inspection and Parole

Unless applying under INA section 245(i), most Form I-485 applicants must submit photocopies of documentation

showing they were inspected by an immigration officer and either admitted or paroled into the United States. The

following types of applicants do NOT need to submit documentation of inspection and admission or parole: registry

applicants, asylees, VAWA self-petitioners, special immigrant juveniles, T nonimmigrants applying under INA section

245(l), U nonimmigrants applying under INA section 245(m), and individuals born under diplomatic status in the

United States.

You must establish any claim that you were admitted or paroled into the United States.

This evidence must relate to your most recent arrival into the United States. Submit copies of the following

documents, if available:

A. Passport page with admission or parole stamp (issued by a U.S. immigration officer);

B. Passport page with nonimmigrant visa; and

Form I-485 Instructions 06/26/17 N

Page 9 of 42

Instructions For Application To Register Permanent Residence Or Adjust Status (Form I-485) Page 9

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