Green Card Through Registry for People in the US Since Before 1972

You may qualify if you:

1. Entered the US before January 1, 1972. Entry with or without a visa can count.
2. Have lived in the US continuously since that entry. Short trips abroad may not break residence, but long absences can.
3. Have good moral character.
4. Are not inadmissible under the criminal, security, smuggling, and certain other grounds that the registry law lists.
5. Are not ineligible for citizenship and are not deportable on terrorism or similar grounds.

You do not need a relative or employer, an Affidavit of Support, or a visa number. Public charge is not one of the grounds that applies to registry.

"Continuous residence" means the US has been your home the whole time. It is not the same as never leaving: a visit abroad does not automatically break residence, but moving away for a period can. USCIS looks at the length and purpose of each absence.

Congress created registry in 1929 so that long-term residents without records could regularize their status. It has moved the cutoff date forward several times. The last change came in the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, which set the date at January 1, 1972. Bills to move it forward, for example to a rolling date a set number of years before the application, have been introduced in Congress, but none had become law as of September 2026.

Because of the fixed date, most people who qualify today are in their late 50s or older and arrived as children or young adults.

The hardest part is proving more than 50 years of residence. USCIS looks for documents from each period, such as:

• School records, baptism or church records, and vaccination records.
• Employment records, pay stubs, Social Security earnings statements, and tax returns.
• Leases, rent receipts, utility bills, and bank records.
• Medical and hospital records.
• Sworn statements from people who knew you, as support for other documents.

Gaps are common. A lawyer can help you build a year-by-year timeline and find records from government agencies.

You file Form I-485 with USCIS under the registry provision, with the evidence above, identity documents, and the fee. There is no separate petition. USCIS schedules biometrics and usually an interview. If approved, your permanent residence is recorded as of the approval date.

Bring the originals of your documents to the interview. The officer may ask about each period of residence, your trips abroad, any other names you have used, and any arrests. While the I-485 is pending you can apply for a work permit (Form I-765). Do not travel abroad without advance parole (Form I-131): leaving usually abandons the application, and for people with unlawful presence it can trigger long bars to returning. See advance parole.

Registry is a discretionary benefit. The May 2026 USCIS memo on adjustment of status tells officers to weigh discretion carefully, and although it focuses on people in temporary visa status, expect a close review. See adjustment of status.

Applying tells the government you are in the US, and a denial can lead to a Notice to Appear in immigration court. Before filing, have a licensed immigration lawyer review your record, especially if you have any arrests, prior deportation orders, or past use of false documents. Some people who do not qualify for registry may have other options, such as a family green card or relief in immigration court. Learn how to verify a lawyer and avoid notarios.

• Gaps in residence. Missing years, or a long stay abroad, can break continuous residence. Fill gaps with several types of records where you can.
• Entry date. If you have no record of your first entry, you must prove it with other evidence, such as early school or medical records.
• Past removal orders. A prior deportation or removal order, or a return after removal, can make you ineligible or require extra steps.
• Criminal history. Some convictions bar registry entirely; others weigh against good moral character. Bring certified court records for every arrest.
• False documents or claims to citizenship. Past use of false papers, or a false claim to be a US citizen, can be a serious bar.

USCIS decides registry cases one by one, so two people with similar histories can get different results.

Each option has risks as well as benefits. A licensed immigration lawyer can compare them for your case.

The Form I-485 fee is $1,440 as of September 2026 (USCIS fee schedule). Work permit and travel document applications filed with it have their own fees; check the USCIS fee calculator. Getting old records from agencies may also cost money.

Once you are a permanent resident, you can travel, work, and after 5 years apply for naturalization. People aged 50 or older with 20 years as a resident, or 55 or older with 15 years, can take the citizenship test in their own language. Keep your card valid by using green card renewal when needed.