USCIS Announces Adjustment of Status Will Be Granted Only in Extraordinary Circumstances

USCIS’s May 22, 2026 announcement has raised significant questions regarding Adjustment of Status, meaning Green Card applications filed from within the United States. USCIS states that it will evaluate Adjustment of Status / I-485 applications only in cases involving “extraordinary circumstances,” and that applications falling outside this scope will be directed to consular processing. However, this announcement does not mean that I-485 applications have completely ended. Rather, it indicates that applications may still be filed, but the evaluation will depend on whether extraordinary circumstances exist. This is a highly unclear announcement and appears to be a policy position that was not previously announced. It should not be viewed as a final or unchangeable decision. Administrative decisions of this nature may be subject to judicial review and may be paused, modified, or overturned through litigation. For this reason, it is very important not to panic and to proceed based on the specific facts of each individual case. Not every I-485 case may be affected in the same way. At Kulen Law, we are closely monitoring these developments. We will continue to keep you informed as new official guidance, litigation updates, or changes in implementation become available.

Refer to the following link for more information U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Will Grant ‘Adjustment of Status’ Only in Extraordinary Circumstances | USCIS