Application path: from inside the United States or from Türkiye?

If you have an approved immigrant petition (e.g., I-130 or I-140), there are two ways to obtain a green card. If you are in the United States and meet the requirements, you apply for adjustment of status (Form I-485) without leaving the country. If you are outside the United States, you obtain an immigrant visa through consular processing; for people living in Türkiye, the interview is in Ankara. This page compares the two paths step by step, including their costs and risks.

• Adjustment of status (I-485): If you are in the United States and meet the requirements, you apply without leaving the United States.
  • General rule: You must have been inspected and admitted or granted parole upon entering the United States.
  • In family preference and employment categories (e.g., F2A, EB-2), you must have continuously maintained lawful status since entering the United States and document it. This evidence is not required for the spouse, unmarried child under 21, or parent of a U.S. citizen (immediate relatives).
  • Some people cannot use this path because of the way they entered or because of status violations (INA 245(c) bars). The INA 245(i) exception is available only to a very limited group.
• Consular processing: If you are outside the United States, or choose to apply abroad while in the United States, USCIS sends the approved petition to the National Visa Center (NVC). Interviews for people living in Türkiye are held at the Embassy in Ankara.
• Since November 1, 2025, the NVC schedules immigrant visa interviews in the country where you reside, or, if you wish, in the country of which you are a citizen. If you request an interview in another country, the NVC may ask you to prove that you live there.

1. Check your category and priority date. In capped categories, you cannot file Form I-485 without an available visa number. In October 2026, USCIS is using the "Dates for Filing" chart; see 3.3 How to read the Visa Bulletin.
   • Immediate relatives may file the petition (I-130) and I-485 at the same time (concurrent filing).
2. Medical examination: Visit a USCIS-authorized doctor (civil surgeon). The doctor signs Form I-693 and gives it to you in a sealed envelope. Since December 2, 2024, Form I-693 must be submitted together with Form I-485; otherwise, the application may not be accepted.
3. Prepare the form and documents.
   • Since September 18, 2026, only the 09/18/26 edition is accepted. The form changed to comply with the new "public charge" rule; see 16.5 "Public charge": can receiving benefits affect a green card?.
   • Basic documents: 2 passport-style photos, photo identification, birth certificate, proof of entry (I-94 or admission stamp), petition receipt or approval notice (I-797), Form I-693, Form I-864 affidavit of support if required, and police and court records if applicable.
   • Every document not in English must include a complete English translation and the translator's certification of competence.
4. File your application. By mail or, for some applicants, online.
   • Mailing addresses changed on October 7, 2026; items sent to the old addresses through November 9, 2026, will be accepted.
   • For an online filing, open the I-693 envelope and upload the form. Keep the original and the envelope until a decision is made.
   • Do not forget to sign the form; unsigned forms are not accepted.
5. Biometrics: USCIS will send you an appointment at an Application Support Center (ASC). At the appointment, you sign a statement confirming that the information is correct. Failure to attend without notifying USCIS may result in denial.
6. Interview (if required): Attend with your petitioning relative. Bring the originals of all documents submitted with Form I-485, including expired passports and I-94s.
7. Request for Evidence (RFE): If you do not respond by the stated date, the application may be denied.
8. Decision: If approved, an approval notice comes first, followed by the card by mail. A denial generally cannot be appealed. You may file Form I-290B to request reopening or reconsideration.

• Employment authorization (EAD, Form I-765): If you filed Form I-485 for a fee after April 1, 2024, the fee is $260.
• Advance parole (Form I-131): $630 by paper or $580 online. Online filing is possible only if your I-485 receipt number begins with "IOE."
• You may file Forms I-765 and I-131 at the same time as Form I-485. If you file later, include a copy of the I-485 receipt notice (I-797C).
• If you leave the United States while Form I-485 is pending without advance parole (including short trips to Canada and Mexico), your application is considered abandoned.
  • Exception: H-1B/H-4, L, V, and K-3/K-4 holders who maintain their status and return with a valid visa.

1. Petition approval: USCIS sends the approved petition to the NVC. The NVC sends you and the petitioner a Welcome Letter.
2. Pay the fees through CEAC.
   • Immigrant visa application fee per person: $325 for family categories and $345 for employment categories.
   • Affidavit of Support (I-864) review fee: $120 if reviewed by the NVC.
   • The two fees are paid separately. A U.S. bank account number and routing information are required.
   • It takes the NVC 10 calendar days to process payment; DS-260 cannot be opened during this period.
3. Prepare Form I-864 and the financial documents.
4. DS-260: Once the fees show as "PAID" in CEAC, each applicant completes a separate DS-260. Print the confirmation page. Submitting the DS-260 does not officially begin the visa application; the application is considered filed at the interview.
5. Civil documents: For documents requested from Türkiye, see 3.9 Immigrant visa interview (Ankara).
6. Scan and upload the documents to CEAC.
7. Interview: Once the NVC schedules your appointment, you undergo a medical examination with the panel physician in Ankara and attend the interview.
8. Visa and entry: The visa is generally valid for 6 months; it may be shorter if the medical examination expires earlier. Before traveling to the United States, pay the $235 USCIS immigrant fee online. Upon entry, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer admits you as a lawful permanent resident.
9. Card: It arrives by mail after entry. If it does not arrive within 90 days, call the USCIS Contact Center or report it through e-Request.
10. If you do not respond to NVC notices within 1 year, your petition may be terminated and you may lose your priority date.
11. Notify the NVC if your address or marital status changes, or if your child turns 21; these changes may affect eligibility.

• From inside the United States (age 14 and older, per person):
  • I-485: $1,440 by paper or $1,390 online
  • Optional employment authorization: $260
  • Optional advance parole: $630 by paper or $580 online
  • Civil surgeon examination: fee set by the doctor
• From Türkiye (per person):
  • Immigrant visa fee: $325 (family) or $345 (employment)
  • I-864 review: $120
  • Medical examination in Ankara: $270; vaccines $20–$200
  • USCIS immigrant fee: $235
• The petition fee (I-130: $675 by paper, $625 online) is paid separately for both paths; see 3.2 Green card through family.
• For payments to USCIS by mail, use a credit, debit, or prepaid card (Form G-1450), or payment from a U.S. bank account (Form G-1650). If exempt from the electronic payment requirement, include Form G-1651. Cash is never accepted.

• USCIS Contact Center — I-485, I-765, and I-131 cases
  • Phone: +1 800 375 5283 (TTY: +1 800 767 1833); from outside the United States: +1 212 620 3418
  • Live support: Monday–Friday, 08:00–20:00 (U.S. Eastern Time)
• USCIS field offices and Application Support Centers — biometrics and interviews: office locator
• National Visa Center (NVC) — consular cases, fees, and documents; correspondence only through the Public Inquiry Form
• U.S. Embassy Ankara — all immigrant visa interviews in Türkiye
  • Address: Çukurambar Mahallesi, 1480 Sokak No: 1, 06530 Çankaya / Ankara
  • Phone: +90 312 294 00 00
  • Immigrant visa questions: Immigrant Visa Navigator
• Visa Information Hotline (appointment registration and passport delivery): from Türkiye +90 850 390 1950, from the United States +1 313 572 0883

• Submitting Form I-485 using an edition older than the 09/18/26 edition.
• Failing to include Form I-693 with Form I-485.
• Sending the application to the old mailing address after November 9, 2026.
• Leaving the United States without obtaining advance parole or before advance parole is issued.
• Engaging in conduct that contradicts the purpose stated when entering with a temporary visa.
• Failing to respond to NVC notices for one year.
• Selling your home or car, or leaving your job, before a visa is issued through consular processing.
• Traveling to the United States and waiting for the card without paying the $235 immigrant fee.

• I am in the United States on a tourist visa. Can I apply from here? If you are in an immediate-relative category, this path may be legally available. However, USCIS treats the decision as discretionary and considers conduct inconsistent with the purpose of the visa a negative factor. Consult an immigration attorney.
• Which path is faster? Processing times vary by case and category. You can track USCIS processing times on the processing times page.
• Can I travel to Türkiye while my I-485 is pending? Only after obtaining advance parole. Advance parole does not guarantee reentry; if you have a history of unlawful presence, there may be additional risks.
• I live in the United States but want to interview in Ankara. Under the November 1, 2025 rule, the NVC may, upon request, schedule the interview in the country of which you are a citizen. The medical examination cannot be performed in the United States; you must see the panel physician in Ankara.
• When will my card arrive? For an approval from inside the United States, the card arrives by mail. In consular processing, it is mailed after the immigrant fee is paid and you enter the United States; if it does not arrive within 90 days, call the Contact Center.
• Can I appeal if adjustment of status is denied? Generally, no. You may file Form I-290B to request reopening or reconsideration.

• Form I-485 (PDF) · Instructions (PDF)
• I-485 document checklist
• I-485 mailing addresses
• Form I-693 (PDF) · Instructions (PDF)
• Find an authorized doctor (civil surgeon)
• Form I-765 (PDF)
• Form I-131 (PDF) · Instructions (PDF)
• Form I-864 Affidavit of Support (PDF)
• Form G-1450 card payment (PDF) · Form G-1650 bank account payment (PDF)
• Form G-1145 email/SMS acceptance notification (PDF)
• USCIS fee calculator
• Which Visa Bulletin chart is used this month
• USCIS online account · Check application status
• CEAC – immigrant visa (fees, DS-260, document upload)
• Pay the USCIS immigrant fee