What is Adjustment of Status?
Looking for A Specific Post? Search Below
Hi everyone. My name is Erin Cobb, and I am a partner here at the immigration law firm of Kriezelman Burton & Associates here in Chicago. Every day, I meet with people in my office who are new to the immigration universe, and they quickly run into a lot of phrases and terms that they haven’t encountered before. For that reason, we started this web series to help with this and let people know what some of these specialized immigration terms mean.Â
First up, we want to talk about adjustment of status. What is it, and how does it affect you?
Adjustment of status is a common term that you’ll see in a lot of places. In some ways, it’s exactly like it sounds. First, status is obviously regarding your status in the United States. Whether you’re a student, a visitor, and H1B, a refugee, or an asylee. Then, we have adjustment. This refers to adjusting or changing your status from one to another. Specifically, the act of adjusting from a temporary status to a permanent one, meaning our lawful permanent resident status, also known as a green card.
We use the phrase adjustment of status for every kind of green card application within the United States. A few examples include:
- A refugee or asylee in the U.S. applying for a green card
- An employee applying for a green card through a petition by an employer
- A visitor or a visitor who overstays applying through a family member who is a citizen
- A crime victim or victim of trafficking applying through their U or T visa
If you are within the United States and, importantly, you complete the entire process within the U.S., you adjust your status. Some cannot apply for adjustment of status and, instead, must apply for consular process. Those who have to apply for consular process have started applying for their green card while within the United Stated but must complete it outside of the country.
Since I am a former English as a second language teacher, I can’t help but resist giving you some verb forms for the phrase “adjustment of status.” You could say, “I am applying for adjustment of status,” “I applied to adjust my status,” or “I adjusted my status.”
We abbreviate AOS in writing, but we usually do not say AOS aloud, just adjustment.
That’s it for today! Thank you for reading, and be sure to check back for more blog posts explaining terms and other information regarding immigration law. As always, if you or someone you know is in the process of applying for permanent residency in the United States, or are dealing with other immigration-based issues, and need legal assistance and guidance, the immigration lawyers at Kreizelman Burton & Associates are here to help. To schedule a consultation with one of our attorneys, call or fill out our online contact form today.
What Our Clients Say
5-Star Rating | Based on 200+ Satisfied Customer Google Reviews
Exceptional Legal Representation I want to sincerely thank Kevin Raica for handling my case so efficiently. From our very first meeting, he demonstrated confidence and a clear plan for moving forward, which put us at ease right away. He kept the process moving and resolved our case in a timely manner. His professionalism and dedication made a stressful situation much easier to navigate. I have already recommended his services to…
Kriezelman Burton & Associate are Excellent immigration law firm that understands and guide one through any immigration cases. Attorney Khiabett is one of their best attorneys you can trust, she understands, patient, attentive, and gives honest advice about any immigration case her client has. I HIGHLY recommend the law firm to anyone having immigration concerns. Thank you for all you do.
Outstanding experience and successful Green Card approval with Kriezelman Burton & Associates, LLC! The immigration process can often be stressful and overwhelming, but working with Kriezelman Burton & Associates, LLC in Chicago made the entire journey smooth, transparent, and successful from start to finish. I want to express my deepest gratitude to Justin Burton for his exceptional professionalism, strategic guidance, and confidence from day one. Knowing my case was in…
Great lawyer, helped us to get a green card in few months, so thanks a lot. Recommended
Kevin Raica literally saved my life. He helped me out of a dangerous situation that my previous attorney had put me in. After 17 years without status and 6.5 years of working with my previous attorney, I had experienced so many denials that I had completely lost hope. When I met Kevin, everything changed. He genuinely cared about my situation and gave me hope when I couldn’t see any for…
We sincerely thank the entire team for the professionalism, responsiveness, patience, and dedication shown throughout our case. From our very first visit, Justin reassured us that everything would be all right. Thank you, Khiabett, for your expertise, professionalism, and calm guidance before and during the interview, which greatly reduced our stress and gave us confidence. We also deeply appreciate Kamila's hard work, patience, and responsiveness throughout the process. For sorting…
I would like to sincerely thank Attorney Justin Burton and PL Kamila Lada for support with my adjustment of status case. I have been working with the firm for over a year now, and I have received nothing short of exceptional services and support throughout various cases for myself and family members. Highly recommend consulting and retaining this firm.
We have been in the dark with our case for over 2 decades, while working with other big firms who just kept me in the dark and sat on our case without making any effort to move it forward until I met the wonderful team at Kriezelman & Burton. AO and JP are truly God-sent angels who with their knowledge, collaboration, sense of direction and outside the box thinking, managed…
Highly recommend attorney Kevin Raica and attorney Agata Bigdanowicz. They were super helpful, responded on time, and won my case in record time. It took about a month and half in total for me to get my approval after filing!
Brittni Rivera and her team (Carina Lopez) are fantastic! They are responsive, efficient and beyond compassionate. Brittni Rivera and her team treated me with dignity and respect as they patiently answered all of my questions. They didn't move on without making sure I understood each step. Their work ethic was impressive. It felt like they were an extension of my personal team. I can't say enough to convey my gratitude…
Schedule A Consultation!
Libertyville
Attorney Advertising. This information is designed for general information only. The information presented should not be construed to be formal legal advice nor the formation of a lawyer/client relationship. Past results and testimonials are not a guarantee, warranty, or prediction of the outcome of your case, and should not be construed as such. Past results cannot guarantee future performance. Any result in a single case is not meant to create an expectation of similar results in future matters because each case involves many different factors, therefore, results will differ on a case-by-case basis. By providing contact information, users acknowledge and give explicit consent to be contacted via the methods of communication provided, including SMS. Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency may vary. Reply STOP to opt out.
NUVEW | Copyright 2026 All Rights Reserved | Accessibility Notice | privacy policy