When is the I-485 Application to Adjust Status to Permanent Residence filed?
If at all possible and advisable, the application will be filed simultaneously with the I-140 (up until a relatively short time ago, this wasn’t allowed – the I-485 could not be filed until the I-140 had been approved as a separate, third step in the process). Even now, however, there are times when the I-485 cannot be filed along with the I-140 – often an immigrant visa is not yet available. See our explanation of priority dates and preference classes for further explanation.