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Title 8 — Aliens and NationalityRelease 119-73

§1255b Adjustment of status of certain nonimmigrants to that of persons admitted for permanent residence

Title 8 › Chapter CHAPTER 12— - IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - IMMIGRATION › Part Part V— - Adjustment and Change of Status › § 1255b

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

People admitted to the United States as nonimmigrants under INA 101(a)(15)(A)(i) or (ii) or 101(a)(15)(G)(i) or (ii) who lost that status may apply to the Attorney General to change to lawful permanent resident. After talking with the Secretary of State, the Attorney General may approve the change only if the person shows strong reasons that they cannot return to the country represented by the government that accredited them or their immediate family member, that the change is in the national interest, that the person has good moral character, that they are eligible for permanent residence under the Immigration and Nationality Act, and that approval would not harm national welfare, safety, or security. If approved, the Attorney General can record the person as admitted for permanent residence as of the approval date. The Attorney General must send a full report to Congress with facts and legal reasons for each approval on the first day of every calendar month Congress is in session. If the person was classifiable as a quota immigrant when they entered, the Secretary of State must reduce the appropriate quota area by one for the current or next fiscal year when a slot is available, but no quota area may be cut by more than 50 percent in any fiscal year. No more than fifty people may be given this status in any fiscal year.

Full Legal Text

Title 8, §1255b

Aliens and Nationality — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Notwithstanding any other provision of law—
(a)Any alien admitted to the United States as a nonimmigrant under the provisions of either section 101(a)(15)(A)(i) or (ii) or 101(a)(15)(G)(i) or (ii) of the Immigration and Nationality Act [8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(A)(i), (ii), (G)(i), (ii)], who has failed to maintain a status under any of those provisions, may apply to the Attorney General for adjustment of his status to that of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence.
(b)If, after consultation with the Secretary of State, it shall appear to the satisfaction of the Attorney General that the alien has shown compelling reasons demonstrating both that the alien is unable to return to the country represented by the government which accredited the alien or the member of the alien’s immediate family and that adjustment of the alien’s status to that of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence would be in the national interest, that the alien is a person of good moral character, that he is admissible for permanent residence under the Immigration and Nationality Act [8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.], and that such action would not be contrary to the national welfare, safety, or security, the Attorney General, in his discretion, may record the alien’s lawful admission for permanent residence as of the date the order of the Attorney General approving the application for adjustment of status is made.
(c)A complete and detailed statement of the facts and pertinent provisions of law in the case shall be reported to the Congress with the reasons for such adjustment of status. Such reports shall be submitted on the first day of each calendar month in which Congress is in session. The Secretary of State shall, if the alien was classifiable as a quota immigrant at the time of his entry, reduce by one the quota of the quota area to which the alien is chargeable under section 202 of the Immigration and Nationality Act [8 U.S.C. 1152] for the fiscal year then current or the next following year in which a quota is available. No quota shall be so reduced by more than 50 per centum in any fiscal year.
(d)The number of aliens who may be granted the status of aliens lawfully admitted for permanent residence in any fiscal year, pursuant to this section, shall not exceed fifty.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Immigration and Nationality Act, referred to in subsec. (b), is act June 27, 1952, ch. 477, 66 Stat. 163, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 1101 of this title and Tables. Codification Section was not enacted as a part of the Immigration and Nationality Act which comprises this chapter.

Amendments

1996—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 104–208 made technical amendment to directory language of Pub. L. 103–416, § 207(2). See 1994 Amendment note below. 1994—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 103–416, § 207(1), struck out after second sentence “If, during the session of the Congress at which a case is reported, or prior to the close of the session of Congress next following the session at which a case is reported, either the Senate or the House of Representatives passes a resolution stating in substance that it does not favor the adjustment of status of such alien, the Attorney General shall thereupon require the departure of such alien in the manner provided by law.” Pub. L. 103–416, § 207(2), as amended by Pub. L. 104–208, substituted “The” for “If neither the Senate nor the House of Representatives passes such a resolution within the time above specified, the”. 1988—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 100–525 struck out “of” after “as of the date”. 1981—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 97–116 inserted provision requiring that the alien has shown compelling reasons demonstrating both that the alien is unable to return to the country represented by the government which accredited the alien or the member of the alien’s immediate family and that adjustment of the alien’s status to that of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence would be in the national interest.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1996 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 104–208 effective as if included in the enactment of the Immigration and Nationality Technical Corrections Act of 1994, Pub. L. 103–416, see section 671(b)(14) of Pub. L. 104–208, set out as a note under section 1101 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1981 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 97–116 effective Dec. 29, 1981, see section 21(a) of Pub. L. 97–116, set out as a note under section 1101 of this title. Abolition of Immigration and Naturalization Service and

Transfer of Functions

For abolition of Immigration and Naturalization Service,

Transfer of Functions

, and treatment of related references, see note set out under section 1551 of this title. Definitions; Applicability of section 1101(a) and (b) of This Title The definitions in subsecs. (a) and (b) of section 1101 of this title apply to this section, see section 14 of Pub. L. 85–316, set out as a note under section 1101 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

8 U.S.C. § 1255b

Title 8 — Aliens and Nationality

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73