USCIS has a habit of making sweet and short forms much longer and more complicated. This is not to say that just because a form is short, it's less complex. If you have dealt with U.S. immigration before, you know that completing the forms correctly can make or break a case. In recent months, USCIS has changed a number of forms, making them even longer and more Byzantine than before. For example, they recently changed the I-130 form, taking it from 2 pages to 12 pages. They also added an additional form that is sometimes required in conjunction with the I-130 petition, and took away another one. Needless to say, this whole immigration process is not getting any easier.

The most recent victim of USCIS form "enhancements" is the Form I-485, which is used to apply for adjustment of status (this means it's used when a person is applying for permanent residence and they are in the U.S. already, rather than applying from outside the US). Form I-485 is currently a mere 6 pages but the new version, which is mandatory starting 8/25/2017, is 18 pages! If you are planning to file a green card application from within the US, you may want to consider filing before 8/25/2017 so that you can use the shorter form. In addition to being longer and more complex, the newly designed I-485 form asks additional questions. This can be confusing for some applicants, but can also be the basis for a denial if answered incorrectly.

If you need assistance filing an employment-based or family-based immigration filing, please contact our office at info@sumnerimmigration.com or at 804-396-3412. We look forward to hearing from you!