Form I-485 Edition 09/18/26 Goes Live Today — Older Editions Rejected

Illustration of an immigration application folder and forms

Today — September 18, 2026 — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) publishes a revised edition of Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status (edition date 09/18/26). The form was revised to align with the Public Charge Ground of Inadmissibility Final Rule. There is no grace period.

What you must file today

Effective September 18, 2026:

When filed (postmark or electronic submit)Editions USCIS acceptsEditions USCIS rejects
Before Sept. 18, 202601/20/25 and 09/04/26—
On or after Sept. 18, 2026Only 09/18/2601/20/25 and 09/04/26

USCIS was clear: do not file the 09/18/26 edition before September 18, 2026. On or after that date, USCIS will only accept the 09/18/26 edition if it is postmarked or electronically submitted that day or later. Older editions filed today or later will be rejected.

Confirm the edition date at the bottom of every page of the form and instructions, and that all pages come from the same edition. Official form page: uscis.gov/i-485 . Newsroom alert: USCIS to Publish New Edition of Form I-485 .

This is about green cards — not the civics test

Form I-485 is the adjustment-of-status (green card) application. It is not Form N-400 and it does not change the naturalization English or civics tests.

For the policy background behind today’s form change — how officers weigh public charge for I-485 filings on or after September 18 — see our earlier post: USCIS Public Charge Guidance Takes Effect September 18, 2026 . That post covers the Policy Manual guidance; this post is about which paper (or online) edition you must use when you file.

Important: the 2025 128-question civics test is unchanged

If you are studying for citizenship, keep your plan. The 2025 Naturalization Civics Test is unchanged:

  • 128-question bank
  • Officers ask up to 20 questions
  • You need 12 correct to pass
  • Applies to Form N-400 filed on or after October 20, 2025

Practice with our free scored practice test and official USCIS study materials. Do not confuse a Form I-485 edition switch with a civics-test update — they are different tracks.

Practical checklist if you file Form I-485 today

  1. Download or print the 09/18/26 edition from uscis.gov/i-485 (or use the USCIS online filing path when eligible).
  2. Check the edition date on every page before you sign and submit.
  3. Do not reuse a saved PDF of the 01/20/25 or 09/04/26 edition for a filing dated today or later.
  4. Include required initial evidence (including Form I-693 when required) so USCIS does not reject the package for missing documents.
  5. For public-charge questions on the new form, read the official instructions and our public charge overview ; case-specific questions belong with USCIS or a qualified immigration attorney or accredited representative.

Civics-test connection (study hooks)

Filing rules and federal forms sit in the broader civics story of how laws and agencies work:

(Question numbers follow the 2025 128-question bank used on CitizenExams.)

Bottom line

Starting today, September 18, 2026, only Form I-485 edition 09/18/26 is accepted. Older editions (01/20/25 and 09/04/26) filed on or after today will be rejected. The change aligns the form with the public charge final rule. It does not change the 2025 128-question civics test or Form N-400 study materials.

This post summarizes public USCIS materials for educational context. It is not legal advice. For your own case, use uscis.gov or a qualified immigration attorney or accredited representative.

Official sources

  1. USCIS, Form I-485 (edition rules for 09/18/26)
  2. USCIS, Newsroom alert: New edition of Form I-485; older editions rejected starting Sept. 18 (August 19, 2026)
  3. CitizenExams, Public charge guidance overview
  4. USCIS, Study for the Test (2008 vs 2025 civics rules)
  5. USCIS, Check for Test Updates