Applying for a Green Card? Avoid making this mistake that could delay approval

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has advised applicants to carefully fill out Form I-485, highlighting that mistakes or omissions could lead to visa rejection or processing delays. In a post on microblogging platform X (formerly Twitter), USCIS stated, “Applicants MUST properly complete Form I-485 per the form instructions.”

The agency specifically highlighted the public charge inadmissibility section in Part 9, stating that some applicants have failed to fully respond to all required questions. “Failure to comply may result in rejection or delays,” it added.



What is form I-485
Form I-485, called the “Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status,” allows eligible individuals in the United States to apply for a green card. It enables applicants to adjust their immigration status from a temporary visa or non-immigrant status to lawful permanent residency.

The form collects personal, background, and financial information, including the public charge section, which is used to determine eligibility for permanent residency. Immigration experts emphasised that errors or incomplete responses, especially in the public charge section, are a common reason for delays or rejections.

“Even small mistakes or omissions can cause significant setbacks in processing,” said an immigration attorney familiar with green card applications.

The USCIS guidance comes amid ongoing shake-up over H-1B visas. The Trump administration recently introduced a $100,000 annual fee on H-1B visa applications starting September 21. Explaining the decision, Trump said, “The H-1B non-immigrant visa program was created to bring temporary workers into the United States to perform additive, high-skilled functions, but it has been deliberately exploited to replace, rather than supplement, American workers with lower-paid, lower-skilled labour.”