Adjustment of Status Attorney in San Antonio, Texas
Green Cards From Within the U.S.
Adjustment of Status: Your Green Card Without Leaving the Country
Adjustment of status, filed on Form I-485, is how many people already living in the United States become lawful permanent residents without returning to a consulate abroad. If you were inspected and admitted or paroled, and a green card is available to you, adjustment lets you finish the process here at home, often while you keep working and living with your family.
The rules behind that one application are anything but simple. Eligibility, timing, and admissibility all have to line up, and a single misstep on the form or the supporting evidence can lead to delays, a request for more information, or a denial. Board-certified attorney Alfredo Lozano and our team guide individuals and families across San Antonio and South Texas through adjustment, from the first eligibility question to the green card interview.
Real Clients, Real Testimonials
Gracias por el excelente trabajo y por la tranquilidad que me han dado durante este proceso. Sin duda los recomendaría a familiares y amigos que necesiten un abogado de inmigración.
How Adjustment of Status Works, and Who Qualifies
Adjustment of status ties two things together: a way to immigrate, usually a family or employment petition, and your presence in the United States in a status that lets you adjust. When both are in place, Form I-485 asks USCIS to grant permanent residence without foreign travel.
Who Can Adjust Status
The most common path is family based. Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, meaning spouses, parents, and unmarried children under twenty-one, can usually file the I-485 as soon as the petition is ready, because visas are always available to them. Others in family preference or employment categories can adjust once their priority date is current. Certain asylees, refugees, and special immigrants also qualify under their own rules.
Concurrent Filing
Immediate relatives can often file the underlying I-130 petition and the I-485 application at the same time. Concurrent filing shortens the overall timeline and lets an applicant request a work permit and travel document while the case is pending, so life does not have to pause while USCIS reviews the file.
Inadmissibility and Waivers
Not everyone who is eligible on paper is admissible. Prior unlawful presence, certain criminal history, immigration fraud, and public charge concerns can all stand in the way, and some require a waiver before the green card can be approved. We identify these issues early, before they surface at an interview, and build the record needed to overcome them.
The Green Card Interview
Most family cases include an interview at a local USCIS office, where an officer confirms the relationship and reviews the application. Marriage cases in particular call for preparation, because the couple must show that the marriage is genuine. We prepare our clients for the questions, organize the evidence, and, when appropriate, attend the interview with them.
Common Adjustment Mistakes We See
Many problems trace back to details: filing before a visa is available, missing the medical examination or a required fee, misreporting travel or work history, or traveling abroad without advance parole and abandoning the application. Careful review at the start prevents the setbacks that turn a straightforward case into a long one.
Our Process
What to Expect
Free Case Evaluation
We start with a no-cost consultation to review your situation, explain your options, and identify the strongest path forward for your family.
Case Preparation
Our team assembles your petition with the documentation and evidence USCIS expects, prepared accurately the first time to avoid delays.
Filing & Follow-Through
We file, track deadlines, respond to USCIS, and prepare you for every interview until your case is resolved.
What to Expect During the Adjustment Process
Adjustment of status is a sequence of steps rather than a single event, and knowing the order helps you plan. It begins with confirming eligibility and a current, available visa, then filing Form I-485 with the medical examination, supporting documents, and any applications for a work permit or travel document.
After filing, USCIS issues a receipt notice and schedules biometrics so it can run background checks. Many applicants receive a combined work and travel card while the case is pending. Most family-based cases are then scheduled for an interview at a local office, where an officer makes a decision or asks for additional evidence.
Timelines vary with the office, the category, and the facts of each case. We keep clients informed at every stage, respond quickly to any request for evidence, and prepare thoroughly for the interview so the final step goes as smoothly as the ones before it.
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Lozano Law Firm
Hire a Board-Certified Immigration Attorney
Attorney Alfredo Lozano is Board-Certified in Immigration and Nationality Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, and since founding the firm in 2006 he has brought a Marine Corps veteran's discipline, more than 20 years of immigration experience, and a fully bilingual team to every case the firm handles.
Our approach combines personalized counsel with the documentation rigor these cases demand, so your petition is prepared correctly the first time. Board Certification means the state has independently verified his experience, tested his knowledge, and confirmed his standing among peers, which is the kind of assurance that matters when your family's future is on the line.
Meet
Our Team
Our team includes experienced attorneys, legal professionals, and client-care specialists who share a common commitment: making the immigration process as clear and manageable as possible for every family we serve.
Alfredo Lozano
Managing Attorney
Board-Certified in Immigration and Nationality Law and a Marine Corps veteran who leads every case strategy.
Linda Hamilton
Attorney
Guides families and employers through petitions, waivers, and interviews with steady, detailed advocacy.
Minerva Gonzalez
Legal Assistant
Prepares documentation and keeps every case organized, accurate, and moving forward.
Mayra Juarez
Legal Administrator
Coordinates case management and client communication across our three Texas offices.
Download Our Free E-Book
How to Obtain Residency If You Are in the U.S. Illegally
Entering the country without inspection does not always close the door to a green card. Our free guide walks through the options that may apply, from Section 245(i) and Military Parole in Place to the I-601A provisional waiver, in plain language.
Download the guide to understand the paths that could be available to your family, then contact us for advice on your specific situation.
Where We Serve
Serving Families in San Antonio, Eagle Pass, and San Angelo
Local knowledge is one of the advantages of working with a firm rooted in the region. Adjustment of status applicants across South and Central Texas are typically interviewed at the USCIS San Antonio Field Office, and we prepare every client for the questions officers there tend to ask. For families with relatives in Mexico, consular processing usually runs through the U.S. Consulate in Ciudad Juárez, and from our Eagle Pass office we help border families prepare for it. In San Angelo, we are one of the few dedicated immigration offices in West Texas. Across all three offices, our bilingual staff makes sure language is never a barrier to understanding your case.
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Request Your Free Consultation
Tell us about your family's situation and our bilingual team will reach out to schedule your free case evaluation.
Adjustment of Status FAQs
Can I stay in the United States while my adjustment application is pending?
Yes. Once Form I-485 is properly filed, you are generally allowed to remain in the United States while USCIS reviews it, even if your prior status expires during the wait. Many applicants also receive a work permit and, with advance parole, the ability to travel. The key is to avoid leaving the country without that travel document, because departing without advance parole can be treated as abandoning the application. We help clients understand exactly what they can and cannot do while a case is pending.
What is the difference between adjustment of status and consular processing?
Both lead to a green card, but the location differs. Adjustment of status is completed inside the United States on Form I-485, without returning to your home country. Consular processing takes place at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad. Which path applies depends on where you are, how you entered, and your history. For people who are already here and were inspected and admitted or paroled, adjustment is often the better route because it avoids foreign travel and the risks that can come with leaving.
How long does adjustment of status take?
Processing times depend on the category, the USCIS office handling the case, and whether an interview is required. Immediate relative cases often move faster because a visa is always available, while preference categories can involve a wait for a current priority date. Once filed, a case moves through biometrics, background checks, and usually an interview. We give each client a realistic timeline based on current processing at their local office and keep the case moving by responding promptly to any request from USCIS.
Do I need an interview for my green card?
Most family-based adjustment cases include an interview at a local USCIS office, though the agency sometimes waives it. The interview is where an officer confirms the relationship and reviews your application. Marriage-based cases receive particular attention, because the couple must demonstrate a genuine marriage. Good preparation makes a real difference. We review likely questions, organize supporting evidence, and, when it helps, attend the interview alongside our clients so they walk in ready and confident.
Can I adjust status if I entered the country without inspection?
It depends. As a general rule, adjustment requires that you were inspected and admitted or paroled into the United States. People who entered without inspection often cannot adjust unless a special provision applies, such as Section 245(i) for certain older petitions or parole in place for some military families. These exceptions are narrow and fact-specific. We look closely at how and when you entered to determine whether adjustment is possible or whether another path fits your situation better.
What can cause an adjustment application to be denied?
Common reasons include filing before a visa is available, inadmissibility issues such as certain criminal history or unlawful presence, insufficient evidence of the qualifying relationship, missing the medical examination, or traveling abroad without advance parole. Many denials are preventable with careful preparation. We identify potential problems at the outset, address them directly, and, where a waiver is needed, build the supporting record so that avoidable issues do not derail an otherwise strong case.
Lozano Law Firm
Cases We Do Not Handle
Lozano Law Firm focuses exclusively on the practice areas listed above. We do not handle asylum or criminal immigration cases. When clients come to us with needs outside our scope, we refer them to trusted colleagues who specialize in those areas. Our referral network includes attorneys who handle asylum claims and criminal immigration consequences, so every person who contacts us receives direction toward the right help.
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Start Your Journey Today
Immigration goals should not wait. Whether you are exploring your options for the first time or ready to move forward with a case, our team is here to help. Contact Lozano Law Firm for a free case evaluation and let us put our Board-Certified expertise to work for you.
Schedule your free case evaluation today.
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