Change of Status vs. Adjustment of Status

Suppose you plan to travel to the United States on a nonimmigrant visa. In that case, you should know the difference between a change of your status and an adjustment of status.

What do you mean by Adjustment of Status?

Do you want to go to the United States on an immigrant visa and get a green card? If you are applying from outside the US, you have to go through consular processing.

The two most common routes through which people adjust their status are:

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Mistakenly, many people believe the terms "adjustment of status" and "change of status" are interchangeable. It is absolutely not true in the context of US immigration law. As discussed above, Adjustment of status refers to adjusting your nonimmigrant status to lawful permanent resident status, while changing of status means changing your nonimmigrant visa status while in the US.

How can I file for a change of my nonimmigrant status?

To change your nonimmigrant status, you have to file Form I-539 (Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status) and submit the fees to the USCIS. The filing fee for I-539 is $370, and in addition to that, you also have to pay $85 as biometric service fees.

Suppose you are in the process of adjusting or changing your status and need expert help. In that case, you can contact the Sethi and Mazaheri law firm. Our experienced immigration attorneys will reach out to you and assist you with your immigration application.