Humanitarian green card
For those who have been granted protection in the United States, including refugees, asylees, Cuban/Haitian parolees, and other humanitarian beneficiaries, who are eligible to adjust to permanent residence.
Next step for this family
Use the process guides to understand how this family usually moves forward. Check checklist coverage only after you know which pathway and process fit the case.
Open process guides See what this guide covers for every pathway
Process guides
These guides cover the processes most relevant to this pathway family.
- Adjustment of status (Form I-485)
- Immigration medical exam
- Biometrics
- Civil documents, translations, and reciprocity
- Waivers and inadmissibility
Checklist support
At least one pathway in this family has supported checklist support today. Exact support still depends on the specific pathway, processing context, and, for consular cases, sometimes the interview post.
Pathways in this family
Refugee adjustment of statusRefugees admitted to the United States who meet the USCIS adjustment eligibility requirements.No annual quota (visa always available when petition approved)Modes: Adjustment of statusForms hint: I-485Open pathway →Asylee adjustment of statusAsylees in the United States who have been granted asylum and meet the USCIS one-year physical presence and other eligibility requirements.No annual quota (visa always available when petition approved)Modes: Adjustment of statusForms hint: I-485Open pathway →Cuban Adjustment ActCuban nationals (and qualifying spouses/children) who have been admitted or paroled into the United States and meet the Cuban Adjustment Act requirements.No annual quota (visa always available when petition approved)Modes: Adjustment of statusForms hint: I-485Open pathway →U nonimmigrant (crime victim) adjustmentU visa holders who have been in U status for at least three years and are otherwise eligible to adjust.No annual quota (visa always available when petition approved)Modes: Adjustment of statusForms hint: I-485Open pathway →T nonimmigrant (trafficking victim) adjustmentT visa holders who meet the USCIS continuous physical presence and other eligibility requirements.No annual quota (visa always available when petition approved)Modes: Adjustment of statusForms hint: I-485Open pathway →HRIFA (Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act)Certain Haitian nationals who were present in the United States by December 31, 1995 and meet HRIFA requirements.No annual quota (visa always available when petition approved)Modes: Adjustment of statusForms hint: I-485Open pathway →Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness (LRIF)Certain Liberian nationals who have been continuously present in the United States since November 20, 2014 and meet LRIF requirements.No annual quota (visa always available when petition approved)Modes: Adjustment of statusForms hint: I-485Open pathway →NACARA section 203 adjustmentCertain Salvadorans, Guatemalans, nationals of former Soviet-bloc countries, and others eligible under NACARA section 203.Program status is volatile or officially paused. Verify current status before proceeding.No annual quota (visa always available when petition approved)Modes: Adjustment of statusForms hint: I-485 or EOIR-administered; case type determines venueOpen pathway →Lautenberg parolee adjustmentCertain religious minority nationals from the former Soviet Union and Southeast Asia paroled under the Lautenberg amendment. Note: adjudication is currently stopped. Verify official status before relying on this route.Program status is volatile or officially paused. Verify current status before proceeding.No annual quota (visa always available when petition approved)Modes: Adjustment of statusForms hint: I-485; verify current official adjudication status firstOpen pathway →Indochinese parole adjustmentCertain Indochinese nationals paroled into the United States who qualify under the statutory adjustment provisions.No annual quota (visa always available when petition approved)Modes: Adjustment of statusForms hint: I-485Open pathway →S nonimmigrant (informant/witness) adjustmentLaw enforcement informants and witnesses in S status who are recommended for permanent residence by the certifying agency.No annual quota (visa always available when petition approved)Modes: Adjustment of statusForms hint: I-485; requires law enforcement agency certificationOpen pathway →Cancellation of removal for non-LPRs (EOIR boundary)Non-permanent residents in removal proceedings who meet the continuous physical presence, good moral character, and hardship requirements. This route is administered by immigration courts (EOIR), not USCIS.Program status is volatile or officially paused. Verify current status before proceeding.No annual quota (visa always available when petition approved)Modes: removal_proceedingsForms hint: EOIR-administered; requires immigration attorneyOpen pathway →
Coverage note: Pathway overviews are available for the major humanitarian categories. Source-backed checklists are not yet available.