U.S. immigration law requires refugees to apply for lawful permanent resident status after they have been physically present in the United States for at least 1 year.
This page provides specific information for refugees in the United States applying to become lawful permanent residents (get a Green Card). This is called “adjustment of status.” You should also read the Instructions for Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status (PDF, 584.24 KB) before you apply.
Eligibility for Adjustment of StatusTo be eligible for a Green Card as a refugee, you must meet the following requirements:
To qualify for a Green Card, you must be admissible to the United States. Reasons why you may be inadmissible are listed in the INA 212(a) and are called grounds of inadmissibility.
In general, we can approve your Green Card application only if none of the applicable grounds of inadmissibility apply to you. Certain grounds of inadmissibility do not apply to refugee adjustments. Certain grounds of inadmissibility do not apply to refugee adjustments. See USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 7, Part L, Refugee Adjustment.
In addition, some grounds of inadmissibility may be waived for refugees applying for adjustment of status. See Form I-602, Application by Refugee for Waiver of Grounds of Excludability. If a waiver or other form of relief is granted, we may approve your application for a Green Card if you are otherwise eligible.
Eligibility requirements for waivers and other forms of relief vary. For more information on the grounds of inadmissibility and waivers, please see USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 7, Part L, Refugee Adjustment, Chapter 3 – Admissibility and Waiver Requirements.
How to ApplyIf you are a refugee and you have been physically present in the United States for at least 1 year, you must file Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, to apply for a Green Card.
What to Submit (Principal Applicant)If you are the principal applicant, you should submit the following documentation and evidence to apply for a Green Card:
Note: Refugees do not need to pay the Form I-485 filing fee or the biometric services fee.
Note: If CBP provided you with an electronic Form I-94 upon your arrival/admission to the United States, you may print out a paper version of the Form I-94 from the CBP website at www.cbp.gov/I94;
Note: All refugee-based adjustment applicants must submit the vaccination record portion of Form I-693. Only applicants with “Class A” medical conditions must repeat the medical examination and submit a complete Form I-693. See the Instructions for Form I-693 (PDF, 453.66 KB) for more information.
For more information on applying for adjustment of status, see the Instructions for Form I-485 (PDF, 584.24 KB) . Please also see our page on Tips for Filing Forms with USCIS.
Family MembersIf you are the spouse or unmarried child under 21 years of age of a refugee-based principal applicant and you were granted derivative refugee status based on your spouse or parent’s principal refugee admission, you may also apply for a Green Card. For more information on derivatives and eligibility for adjustment of status, please see USCIS Policy Manual Volume 7, Part L, Chapter 2, Section F – Special Considerations for Refugee Adjustment of Status Applicants.
Eligibility Criteria for Adjustment of Status as Derivative Applicants
To be eligible for a Green Card as a refugee-based derivative applicant, you must meet the following requirements:
If you are a derivative applicant (a spouse or child), you should submit the following evidence to apply for a refugee-based Green Card:
Note: You can find the filing fee for Form I-485 by visiting our Fee Schedule page.
Note: If CBP provided you with an electronic Form I-94 upon your arrival/admission to the United States, you may print out a paper version of the Form I-94 from the CBP website at www.cbp.gov/I94;
Note: All refugee-based derivative applicants must submit the vaccination record portion of Form I-693. Only certain derivative applicants must repeat the medical examination and submit a complete Form I-693. See the Instructions for Form I‑693 (PDF, 453.66 KB) for more information.
If you are a refugee and would like to work in the United States, you may do so immediately when you arrive in the United States. For principal refugees and their accompanying derivatives, we will create a digital Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, for you and adjudicate it after you are admitted to the United States. You should receive your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) within a few weeks after you arrive, depending on delivery times. Following-to-join refugee derivatives (Form I-730 beneficiaries) will submit their paper Form I-765 after they are admitted to the United States.
Refugees do not need an EAD to work in the United States, but you may find it convenient to have an EAD to demonstrate your identity and employment authorization. If you need to complete Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, before you receive your EAD, you can show your employer the Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record, that DHS issued you when you arrived. Your I-94 is acceptable evidence of employment authorization and identity for 90 days after your arrival to the United States. After 90 days, you must present an unexpired EAD or a combination of other documents, such as a state-issued driver’s license and an unrestricted Social Security card. For more information on documents that you may present to your employer as a refugee, see the Handbook for Employers, M-274, Section 7.3, Refugees and Asylees.
Refugees do not need to pay any fees for an initial or renewal EAD. Generally, EADs are only valid until the expiration date printed on the EAD. However, as a refugee, you can still work if your EAD is facially expired because refugees do not need an EAD to work in the United States. If you want to renew your refugee-based EAD, you must file Form I-765 under the “(a)(3)” category.
If you are filing Form I-485 to adjust your status to a lawful permanent resident, and you are also filing Form I-765 to receive an EAD based on your refugee status, do not file your Form I-765 and Form I-485 in the same envelope. For more information on where to file a Form I-765 based on your refugee status, see the Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization page. For more information about working in the United States, see the Refugees page (“Working in the United States” section).
If you are a refugee and would like to travel outside the United States, you may apply for a refugee travel document by filing Form I-131, Application for Travel Document. Do not file your Form I-131 in the same envelope as your Form I-485. For more information about refugee travel documents, see the Travel Documents page.
If we approve your refugee-based Green Card application, you may use your Green Card as proof of your employment authorization and for travel and identification purpose
Legal ReferenceFor more information, see the following: