Getting Your Green Card with Approved I-140 from F1 VISA

This is a follow-up to my previous article **Apply for a Green Card from F1 VISA**. Please make sure to read this article before reading this one.

Once your I-140 is approved, you would need to start preparing to submit I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, if you are in the USA on your student F1 VISA.

Following are the sections that you would need to fill up while completing the form:

1. Part 1: Information About You — make sure you go through each question carefully. Especially pay attention to your A-Number (if any), SSN (if you have already otherwise check you need one), passport number and travel history, how you entered the USA, I-94 information, etc.
2. Part 2: Application Type or Filing Category — For an approved I-140, based on EB2 NIW, you have to select ‘1.b. Employment-based and check Alien Worker, Form I-140’. Finally, go through other questions and answer accordingly. Pay attention to questions 2,3,4.
3. Part 3: Additional Information About You — make sure you list all addresses that match your stay period in the USA, also outside the USA. Complete Employment History (if any). Use additional spaces if needed, you can print our Part 14 as needed.
4. Part 4: Information About Your Parents — make sure you fill up all information regarding your parents that matches your parent's legal documents including yours.
5. Part 5: Information About Your Marital History — fill this section if you are married based on your spouse’s legal document information.
6. Part 6: Information About Your Children — fill this section if you have children based on your children’s legal document information.
7. Part 7: Biographic Information — check all the biographic information to complete this section.
8. Part 8: General Eligibility and Inadmissibility Grounds —this section pertains to individual-specific information. Please complete it to the best of your knowledge. Pay careful attention to each question and ensure 100% accuracy in your responses. If necessary, use an additional page to provide detailed explanations to the officer. Include any required documentation. Pay special attention to question #61 and complete it accordingly.
9. Part 9: Accommodations for Individuals With Disabilities and/or Impairments — read through and answer accordingly if applicable.
10. Part 10: Applicant’s Statement, Contact Information, Declaration, Certification, and Signature — certify by signing that the statements are true.
11. Part 11: Interpreter’s Contact Information Certification, and Signature — fill up in case any interpreter helped complete this.
12. Part 12: Contact Information, Declaration, and Signature of the Person Preparing this Application, if Other Than the Applicant — usually your attorney completes this section if you hired one.
13. Part 13: Signature at Interview — if the interview is called with the USCIS, then fill up during the interview.
14. Part 14: Additional Information — use this space for any additional need.

Once you complete the form, you must attach the necessary documents and send it to the appropriate USCIS address.

Documents (copies) that are usually attached to the application are listed below:

1. Any affidavit with an explanation signed by the applicant
2. Six passport-size photographs
3. I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record — filled, completed, sealed, and signed by the Doctor
4. All pages of all your passports
5. All VISAs
6. I-94
7. All Passport’s biographic pages
8. All I-20s
9. All Employment Authorization Documents (EADs)
10. Birth Certificate
11. Marriage Certificate
12. Last year’s tax return
13. Employment Verification Letter from your employer (if any)
14. Research CV
15. Appropriate filing fee

Once you gather all documents and complete the I-485 form, put everything into an envelope and send it to your USCIS center. Do not staple any documents, it’s not recommended.

Disclaimer: I am not an Attorney nor a legal professional so do not take this writing as a legal suggestion rather this is an attempt to share my knowledge to make your filing and immigration journey a little bit easier being an F1 student.

In my next writing, I will share how to file I-131 and I-765 so that you have a travel permit and employment authorization while your green card is pending. If you like my writing, please subscribe to my email list for the latest updates, follow my profile on Medium, and leave a clap for me. Feel free to discuss your thoughts in the comment section. Don’t forget to share with your friends or LinkedIn connections. If you want to connect with me on LinkedIn: my profile.