Form i-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status

Additional Instructions

 for more category-specific information.

If either party to this marriage was previously married, you must also submit evidence to prove the legal termination 

of any prior marriages, typically a divorce certificate or death certificate.  If a required marriage certificate (or divorce 

certificate or death certificate) is unavailable or does not exist, you must demonstrate its unavailability/nonexistence 

and provide other acceptable evidence as explained above for birth certificates.  

If you are filing as the derivative applicant child of the principal applicant and your birth certificate does not show 

that the principal applicant is your parent, you must submit a photocopy of your parents’ marriage certificate, your 

adoption certificate, or other proof of your parent-child relationship with the principal applicant.  Refugee derivative 

applicant children, however, do not need to submit proof of the parent-child relationship with the principal applicant.