If you are preparing to apply for Adjustment of Status in the United States, September 18, 2026 is an important date to understand.

On that day, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin requiring a new edition of Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status. September 18 is also the effective date of the Department of Homeland Security‘s new public charge rule.

These changes do not mean that every adjustment-of-status applicant should rush to file before September 18. They do, however, make it especially important to use the correct form edition, understand which rules apply to your case, and make sure an application is complete before it is submitted.

What Will USCIS Consider Under the New Public Charge Framework?

The public charge determination remains an individualized review.

Federal law requires immigration officers to consider, at a minimum, factors including:

• age;
• health;
• family status;
• assets, resources and financial status; and
• education and skills.

Where required, an Affidavit of Support, Form I-864, is also relevant.

Under the new framework, officers may additionally consider an applicant’s receipt of means-tested public benefits and other circumstances relevant to determining whether the individual is likely at any time to become a public charge. DHS describes the determination as a case-by-case review based on the totality of the circumstances.

Receiving a particular benefit does not automatically mean that an adjustment application will be denied. DHS specifically explains that receipt of a means-tested benefit is one consideration rather than an automatic determination by itself.

Benefits Received by Children or Other Family Members

This is an area where families should be particularly careful about misinformation.

The public charge determination focuses primarily on the person applying for admission or adjustment of status.

DHS states that USCIS is collecting information concerning means-tested public benefits received by the adjustment applicant. Benefits received by another household member are not simply treated as though they were received by the applicant.

There can, however, be circumstances in which a family member’s receipt of benefits may provide information relevant to the applicant’s overall financial situation—for example, where someone the applicant is legally obligated to support receives means-tested benefits because household income falls below a qualifying threshold.

For that reason, families should not make decisions about terminating benefits based solely on generalized information they see online.

Does the Public Charge Rule Apply to Every Form I-485 Applicant?

No. Not every person filing Form I-485 is subject to the public charge ground of inadmissibility.

USCIS identifies a number of exempt immigration categories. Depending on the circumstances, these can include certain:

• refugees and asylees;
• VAWA self-petitioners;
• Special Immigrant Juveniles;
• U and T nonimmigrants;
• Cuban Adjustment Act applicants;
• NACARA applicants; and
• other categories specifically exempted by law.

The applicable exemption depends on the legal basis for adjustment, and the complete USCIS list should be reviewed when determining whether the public charge provisions apply to a particular case.

If You Are Preparing an Adjustment of Status Application

If you are planning to file Form I-485 during September, check the USCIS website immediately before submitting your application.

Make sure you are using the correct edition, current instructions, filing fee and filing location.

For people whose cases may involve public charge concerns, financial sponsorship questions, prior immigration issues, or uncertainty about adjustment eligibility, it may also be wise to have the case reviewed before filing.