Updated for USCIS Policy Memo PM-602-0199 (May 21, 2026)
Prepare for Adjustment of Status with calm, organized facts.
A free workspace to organize your case, build a document checklist, and walk into an immigration attorney meeting prepared. We track recent USCIS guidance, including the May 2026 memo. We are a software tool. We are not a law firm.
About 4 minutes. A free account saves your answers across visits.
- 4 minutes
- Your answers stay private
- Saved across visits
What this workspace helps you do
What changed in May 2026
A plain-language walkthrough of USCIS Policy Memo PM-602-0199 and what it means for pending and upcoming I-485 applications.
Questions for your attorney
Answer a few questions about your situation. We surface the topics and document categories worth raising at the consultation. Never a verdict.
Case timeline
Lay out filings, biometrics, notices, interviews, and decisions in date order. Your attorney sees the whole picture in one page.
Document checklist
A working list of documents an attorney may ask you to bring, with the reason each one is on it. Mark items as you gather them. Progress saves between visits.
Attorney prep packet
A printable PDF of your timeline, documents, and topics, ready for the consultation. Brought to an attorney. Not filed with USCIS.
Find an immigration attorney
When you are ready, we point you to AILA's free, public directory and to EOIR's pro-bono list. We do not select or recommend specific attorneys.
Navigating Adjustment of Status
Adjustment of Status (Form I-485) is how many people already in the United States become lawful permanent residents. The process has a few predictable stages, and one important recent shift.
- Filing. Most applicants file Form I-485, often alongside an underlying petition such as Form I-130 or Form I-140.
- Biometrics. USCIS schedules a fingerprint and photo appointment for identity and background checks.
- Interview. An officer reviews the file and asks questions about the basis for adjustment and the supporting record.
- Decision. USCIS approves, requests more evidence, or denies. Decisions can be appealed or revisited through other channels.
- What changed in May 2026. USCIS Policy Memo PM-602-0199 directs officers to weigh discretionary factors more heavily on pending I-485 applications. Documenting positive equities now matters more.
Updated for USCIS Policy Memo PM-602-0199 (May 21, 2026)
Most adjustment-of-status questions are decided one case at a time, by a licensed immigration attorney looking at the full record. This tool is built to make that conversation cheaper and clearer. You arrive with a timeline, a document checklist, and a short list of topics to raise. The attorney spends the meeting answering, not assembling.
When you are ready, AILA publishes a free public directory of immigration attorneys. EOIR also maintains a list of pro-bono legal-service providers for applicants who cannot afford counsel. We do not select, vet, or recommend specific attorneys; we point you to the directories the bar already publishes.
Recent reading from the Learn library
See all articles →Short, dated explainers about adjustment of status. Updated as USCIS guidance evolves.
Can I Still File Adjustment of Status in 2026? Yes — Here's What Changed
Yes — Form I-485 filing remains available after the May 2026 USCIS memo PM-602-0199. Plain-English explanation of what changed, what didn't, and how to prepare.
Updated 2026-05-23
PM-602-0199 Timeline: What Changed and When, From the May 21, 2026 Issuance Forward
A dated timeline of USCIS Policy Memo PM-602-0199 — the May 21, 2026 issuance, immediate practitioner reactions, and what applicants and attorneys are doing differently as the memorandum settles into practice.
Updated 2026-05-24
5 Positive Factors USCIS Weighs in Discretionary Adjustment of Status After PM-602-0199
After USCIS Policy Memo PM-602-0199 reframed adjustment of status as discretionary, five categories of positive equity carry the most evidentiary weight. Plain-English explanation with documentation tips.
Updated 2026-05-24
How To Prepare for an I-485 Adjustment of Status Interview in 2026
An 8-step preparation guide for an in-person USCIS Form I-485 adjustment of status interview after PM-602-0199, covering documents, timeline review, equity narrative, and common officer questions.
Updated 2026-05-24
Get email updates as USCIS guidance evolves
When USCIS issues new guidance about adjustment of status, we send one short email summarizing what changed and what it means. No marketing. No sharing your address.
