While Your Green Card Application Is Pending with USCIS (2024)

FAQs

Can I stay in the U.S. while my green card application is pending? ›

By filing Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, applicants not only express their intention to become permanent residents but also can continue living in the U.S. while their application is pending. During this waiting period, applicants often need to support themselves financially.

Pending status

This means that USCIS has received the application, and it is awaiting review by an adjudicating officer.

An individual who has filed the I-485 application to adjust his or her status from a non-citizen to become a Permanent Resident is considered to be Pending for Permanent Residency (PR Pending or I-485 Pending). This status gives the individual legal status to remain in the U.S. during this pending period.

Most Form I-130 petitions for immediate relatives are approved within a 10 to 14 month time frame, but they can take longer in some cases. If you are in the United States and also filed an application to adjust status, USCIS will begin reviewing Form I-485 at this point.

Yes, you can stay in the U.S. while your I-485 application is pending, as long as you are in authorized stay. You may also be eligible to work and study while your application is pending.

Change Status by Application to USCIS

The application process for a Change of Status (COS) will allow you to remain in the US while the decision is pending, provided the application is filed in a timely manner with US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Online: Use the case status online tool to check for updates about your immigration case. You will need your 13-character receipt number from your application or petition. By phone: If you are calling from the U.S., contact the USCIS National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283 or TTY 1-800-767-1833.

Receiving a decision on your application

Otherwise, USCIS will have 120 days (four months) from the date of your citizenship interview and exam to send you its decision in writing. More specifically, you'll receive Form N-652 (officially called the “Notice of Examination Results”).

A case-approved status update can be seen in two ways. You'll see it when you get Form I-797: Notice of Action in the mail. If you've been using your USCIS account, you'll also see this case status online.

Traveling Outside the U.S. While Your Application Is Pending

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) considers leaving the country while your application is still under review as abandoning it, resulting in immediate denial.

How many green cards are pending? ›

The employment‐​based green card backlog has grown to 1.8 million as of March 2023—up from about 1.2 million in 2018 when the government first provided detailed data (Figure 7).

Its purpose is to prove a valid family relationship between the petitioner (a U.S. citizen or green card holder) and the beneficiary (the relative or loved one who plans to immigrate to the U.S.). As of April 2024, the cost to file an I-130 is $675 and it takes about 12 months to be approved.

You can check the status of your case using the My Case Status Tool. If Case Status Online indicates that the card was mailed, you should be provided with a United States Postal Service tracking number.

A. Expedite Criteria or Circ*mstances. USCIS may expedite adjudication of an application, petition, request, appeal, or motion at its discretion. USCIS considers the totality of the circ*mstances and evidence submitted in support of an expedite request.

In most cases, spouses who are eligible to adjust status prefer to do so. It allows the foreign spouse to stay in the United States while waiting for the marriage green card.

Suppose your visa has expired, and you are awaiting a decision on your Green Card application or other immigration status. In that case, you do not accrue unlawful presence as long as you filed your application before your authorized stay expired.