Documents
Document Categories by Pathway
General categories of documents commonly gathered in connection with adjustment-of-status applications, organized by pathway. This is general information about what these applications typically involve — not a list of what any specific case requires. An immigration attorney reviews the specific record for each applicant.
Marriage-based
Documents commonly associated with marriage-based adjustment of status applications. These are general categories, not a list of what any specific case requires.
Identity
Government-issued photo identification
Bring a state ID, driver's license, or country-of-origin national ID for identity verification.
Long-form birth certificate with translation
Bring a long-form birth certificate; non-English documents are usually paired with a certified English translation.
Most recent I-94 admission record
Print the I-94 record from i94.cbp.dhs.gov reflecting the most recent admission to the United States.
Valid passport and prior passports
Bring the passport you currently hold and any prior passports that cover earlier U.S. entries.
Status maintenance
Five-year travel-history outline
Prepare a written outline of international trips over the past five years with approximate dates.
Visa stamps and approval notices
Bring every visa stamp and any I-797 approval notice covering periods of stay in the United States.
Relationship or employment
Joint financial records
Gather joint bank statements, joint account openings, and joint credit-card statements covering the marriage period.
Joint residence records
Bring a joint lease, mortgage statement, or utility bills in both names covering the marriage period.
Marriage certificate
Bring a certified copy of the marriage certificate plus translations where applicable.
Positive equities
Petitioner I-864 financial documents
Petitioner gathers federal tax returns, W-2s, and recent pay stubs to support the I-864 affidavit-of-support packet.
Employment-based
Documents commonly associated with employment-based adjustment of status applications. These are general categories, not a list of what any specific case requires.
Identity
Government-issued photo identification
Bring a state ID, driver's license, or country-of-origin national ID for identity verification.
Long-form birth certificate with translation
Bring a long-form birth certificate; non-English documents are usually paired with a certified English translation.
Most recent I-94 admission record
Print the I-94 record from i94.cbp.dhs.gov reflecting the most recent admission to the United States.
Valid passport and prior passports
Bring the passport you currently hold and any prior passports that cover earlier U.S. entries.
Status maintenance
Five-year travel-history outline
Prepare a written outline of international trips over the past five years with approximate dates.
Visa stamps and approval notices
Bring every visa stamp and any I-797 approval notice covering periods of stay in the United States.
Relationship or employment
Employer offer letter and job description
Bring the current offer letter and a written description of duties as performed.
I-140 approval notice (if filed)
Bring the I-140 receipt and approval notices if an immigrant petition has been filed by the employer.
PERM labor certification (if applicable)
Bring the certified PERM ETA-9089 if the underlying category required labor certification.
Positive equities
Recent pay stubs
Bring the last six months of pay stubs covering the offered position.
Humanitarian
Documents commonly associated with humanitarian adjustment of status applications. These are general categories, not a list of what any specific case requires.
Identity
Government-issued photo identification
Bring a state ID, driver's license, or country-of-origin national ID for identity verification.
Long-form birth certificate with translation
Bring a long-form birth certificate; non-English documents are usually paired with a certified English translation.
Most recent I-94 admission record
Print the I-94 record from i94.cbp.dhs.gov reflecting the most recent admission to the United States.
Valid passport and prior passports
Bring the passport you currently hold and any prior passports that cover earlier U.S. entries.
Status maintenance
Five-year travel-history outline
Prepare a written outline of international trips over the past five years with approximate dates.
Visa stamps and approval notices
Bring every visa stamp and any I-797 approval notice covering periods of stay in the United States.
Relationship or employment
Underlying status approval notice
Bring the approval notice for the underlying humanitarian status (asylum, refugee, U, T, VAWA) that anchors the adjustment request.
Positive equities
Country-conditions or victimization evidence
Bring the evidence packet that supported the underlying humanitarian application, organized chronologically.
Family preference
Documents commonly associated with family preference adjustment of status applications. These are general categories, not a list of what any specific case requires.
Identity
Government-issued photo identification
Bring a state ID, driver's license, or country-of-origin national ID for identity verification.
Long-form birth certificate with translation
Bring a long-form birth certificate; non-English documents are usually paired with a certified English translation.
Most recent I-94 admission record
Print the I-94 record from i94.cbp.dhs.gov reflecting the most recent admission to the United States.
Valid passport and prior passports
Bring the passport you currently hold and any prior passports that cover earlier U.S. entries.
Status maintenance
Five-year travel-history outline
Prepare a written outline of international trips over the past five years with approximate dates.
Visa stamps and approval notices
Bring every visa stamp and any I-797 approval notice covering periods of stay in the United States.
Relationship or employment
I-130 petition and approval notice
Bring the I-130 receipt and approval notice from the petitioning relative.
Priority-date documentation
Bring documentation establishing the priority date and any visa-bulletin reference for the relevant category.
TPS or parolee-based
Documents commonly associated with tps or parolee-based adjustment of status applications. These are general categories, not a list of what any specific case requires.
Identity
Government-issued photo identification
Bring a state ID, driver's license, or country-of-origin national ID for identity verification.
Long-form birth certificate with translation
Bring a long-form birth certificate; non-English documents are usually paired with a certified English translation.
Most recent I-94 admission record
Print the I-94 record from i94.cbp.dhs.gov reflecting the most recent admission to the United States.
Valid passport and prior passports
Bring the passport you currently hold and any prior passports that cover earlier U.S. entries.
Status maintenance
Five-year travel-history outline
Prepare a written outline of international trips over the past five years with approximate dates.
Visa stamps and approval notices
Bring every visa stamp and any I-797 approval notice covering periods of stay in the United States.
Relationship or employment
TPS or parole approval notice
Bring the most recent TPS approval or parole authorization document with travel records.
Positive equities
Continuous-presence evidence
Gather records (leases, school enrollment, utility bills) supporting continuous physical presence in the United States.
Get a checklist tailored to your situation
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