GuideREFUGEE NEWS

Applying for Your Green Card (Adjustment of Status)

Published: October 30, 2026 | Source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS); Federal Register

Refugee status is the first step toward staying in the United States permanently. U.S. law requires refugees to apply for a Green Card (lawful permanent resident status) after one year in the country. USCIS calls this step adjustment of status, and you apply on Form I-485 [1][2].

When to Apply:

• The One-Year Rule: You must file Form I-485 once you have been physically present in the United States for at least 1 year [1][3].
• How the Year Is Counted: The year starts on the date you were admitted as a refugee. Time spent outside the United States does not count, so a trip abroad pushes your one-year date back [4].
• Plan Ahead: Put your one-year date on your calendar and have your documents and vaccination record ready before it arrives.
• Filing Too Early: USCIS checks your year on the date it decides your case, not the date you file [4]. It says asylees may file early, but that this can bring requests for more evidence and a slower decision [16]. It does not say the same for refugees, and the regulation says to apply one year after entry [3]. The safe plan is to file at your one-year date, not before it.

What It Costs:

• Filing Fee: Refugees pay $0 to file Form I-485 and no biometric services fee [1][5]. Each family member files their own Form I-485, and the USCIS Policy Manual says there is no fee for refugees to file it [6]. Check the USCIS Fee Schedule before you mail anything, because fees can change.
• Doctor's Fee: If you need a civil surgeon for your vaccination record or medical exam, the civil surgeon sets the price, so ask before you book [7].

What to Send (Principal Applicant):

• Form I-485: Download the current form from the USCIS I-485 page. Since September 18, 2026 only the 09/18/26 edition is accepted. Sign it, because USCIS rejects unsigned forms [2]. Select Part 2, Item 3.d: Refugee Status (INA section 207) [5].
• Proof of Refugee Admission: A copy of your Form I-94 showing the date you were admitted (see Refugee Support) [1].
• Proof of One Year in the United States [1].
• Two Passport-Style Photographs [1].
• Identity Documents: A copy of your government-issued photo ID, your birth certificate if available, and your passport pages with any visa and admission stamp if available [1].
• Form I-693 (Medical): All refugee applicants must submit the vaccination record part. Only applicants with a "Class A" medical condition must repeat the full medical exam [1][7]. A civil surgeon's form must stay in its sealed envelope [7].
• If They Apply to You: Certified police and court records of any charges, arrests or convictions, and Form I-602 if you need a waiver [1].

Your spouse and children who came with you, or who joined you through an approved Form I-730, file their own Form I-485. They add proof of the relationship (marriage certificate, birth certificate or adoption decree) and proof of their own admission [1]. They do not have to wait for you to get your Green Card first [4].

Where to File:

• By Mail: The address depends on the state you live in, and USCIS changed these addresses on October 7, 2026. Use the refugee section of the official I-485 filing addresses page on the day you mail it [8].
• Online: USCIS offers online filing of Form I-485 only for certain applicants, and its list does not name refugees [9]. Plan to file on paper unless USCIS tells you otherwise.
• Separate Envelopes: Do not put a Form I-765 or Form I-131 in the same envelope as your Form I-485 [1].

After You File:

• Biometrics and Interview: Your application needs biometrics [3]. USCIS decides case by case whether you need an interview [3][10].
• Keep Your Address Current: Report every move to USCIS (see Refugee Support) so you do not miss a letter.
• Think Before You Travel: If you leave the United States without the right travel document while your application is pending, you may not be allowed back in, and you may be found to have abandoned your application [11]. Speak to your resettlement agency or an immigration attorney before you book a trip.
• If You Are Approved: Your permanent residence is dated back to the day you were admitted as a refugee, not the day of approval [10][12]. For citizenship, your 5 years as a permanent resident are generally counted from that date too [13].
• If You Are Denied: You cannot appeal the denial. If you are denied because you are inadmissible, USCIS may place you in removal proceedings, where you can renew your application [10]. Get legal help straight away.

Why You Should Not Delay:

• The Law: A refugee who has been here for a year without a Green Card "shall ... return or be returned" to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) custody for inspection [12].
• Arrest and Detention Policy: A joint USCIS and ICE memo of February 18, 2026 says DHS may arrest and detain refugees who have been here at least a year without a Green Card. On March 23, 2026 a federal court in Massachusetts stayed that policy (Jean A. v. Noem) [14]. A DHS rule published on October 14, 2026 still cited that court order, but this can change, so ask an attorney or your resettlement agency what applies today.
• Refugee Status Can Be Terminated: Since October 14, 2026 you have only 10 days, not 30, to respond to a Notice of Intent to Terminate your refugee status [14]. If you receive one, see an immigration attorney immediately.

Refugees and Asylees: Key Differences:

Many guides mix these two groups up, but the rules are not the same:

You may file these forms yourself. If you want help, start with your resettlement agency, or read the USCIS page on finding legal services and avoiding scams [15].

This article is general information, not legal advice. Immigration rules change often, so always confirm the details on the official pages below. Current as of October 30, 2026.

Primary Source References

To read the official text yourself:

• [1] USCIS: Green Card for Refugees

  Last reviewed July 8, 2025.

• [2] USCIS: Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status

  Last reviewed October 7, 2026. Edition date 09/18/26.

• [3] 8 CFR 209.1: Adjustment of Status of Refugees

  Code of Federal Regulations, Legal Information Institute copy.

• [4] USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 7, Part L, Chapter 2: Eligibility Requirements
• [5] USCIS: Fee Schedule (Form G-1055)

  Last reviewed October 28, 2026. Choose Form I-485 to see the refugee line.

• [6] USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 7, Part L, Chapter 4: Documentation and Evidence
• [7] USCIS: Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record

  Last reviewed July 24, 2026.

• [8] USCIS: Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-485

  Last reviewed October 7, 2026.

• [9] USCIS: Forms Available to File Online

  Last reviewed October 7, 2026.

• [10] USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 7, Part L, Chapter 5: Adjudication Procedures
• [11] USCIS: Travel Documents

  Last reviewed August 21, 2026.

• [12] 8 U.S.C. 1159 (INA Section 209): Adjustment of Status of Refugees

  United States Code, Legal Information Institute copy.

• [13] USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 12, Part D, Chapter 2: Lawful Permanent Resident Admission for Naturalization
• [14] Federal Register: Removing 30-Day Refugee Termination Notice

  DHS interim final rule, 91 FR 65077, October 14, 2026. Footnote 9 cites the stay in Jean A. v. Noem.

• [15] USCIS: Legal Services
• [16] USCIS: Green Card for Asylees
• [17] USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 7, Part M, Chapter 2: Eligibility Requirements
• [18] USCIS: Refugees and Asylum

  Last reviewed August 27, 2025.