Green Card Through the Indochinese Parole Adjustment Act

On November 1, 2000, Congress passed a law that allows certain individuals from Vietnam, Kampuchea (Cambodia), and Laos to adjust their status to permanent resident and get their green card (Public Law 106-429).

Eligibility Criteria

You may be eligible to get a green card (permanent residence) under the Indochinese Parole Adjustment Act if you meet all of the following conditions:

• You are a native or citizen of Vietnam, Kampuchea (Cambodia), or Laos
• You were inspected and paroled into the United States before October 1, 1997
• You were paroled into the United States from Vietnam under the auspices of the Orderly Departure Program (ODP), a refugee camp in East Asia, or a displaced person camp administered by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Thailand
• You were physically present in the United States prior to and on October 1, 1997
• You are admissible to the United States

Application Process

To obtain a green card under the Indochinese Parole Adjustment Act, you must file Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status.

Supporting Evidence for Form I-485
The following evidence should be submitted with Form I-485:

• Two passport-style photos
• Form G-325A, Biographic Information, if you are between 14 and 79 years of age
• Copy of government issued photo identification
• Copy of birth certificate
• Copy of passport page with nonimmigrant visa (if applicable)
• Copy of passport page with admission (entry) or parole stamp (if applicable)
• Form I-94, Arrival/ Departure Record (if applicable)
• Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record
• Applicable fees
• Copy of the approval notice for Form I-360 (Form I-797)
• Certified copies of court records (if you have ever been arrested)
• Evidence of Vietnamese, Kampuchean, or Laotian citizenship or nationality
• Evidence of physical presence in the United States prior to and on October 1, 1997

Work & Travel Authorization

Generally, when you have a pending Form I-485, it is possible for you to apply for authorization to work in the United States and to seek advance parole (advance permission to travel and be admitted to the United States upon your return). For further information, see our Work Authorization and Travel Documents pages under Green Card Processes & Procedures.