Sec. 245. [8 U.S.C. 1255]

(a) The status of an alien who was inspected and admitted or paroled into the United States 1/ or the status of any other alien having an approved petition for classification as a VAWA self-petitioner 1aa/ may be adjusted by the Attorney General, in his discretion and under such regulations as he may prescribe, to that of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence if

(1) the alien makes an application for such adjustment,

(2) the alien is eligible to receive an immigrant visa and is admissible to the United States for permanent residence, and

(3) an immigrant visa is immediately available to him at the time his application is filed.

(b) Upon the approval of an application for adjustment made under subsection (a), the Attorney General shall record the alien's lawful admission for permanent residence as of the date the order of the Attorney General approving the application for the adjustment of status is made, and the Secretary of State shall reduce by one the number of the preference visas authorized to be issued under sections 202 and 203 within the class to which the alien is chargeable for the fiscal year then current.

(c) 1/ Other than an alien having an approved petition for classification as a VAWA self-petitioner, 1aa/ subsection (a) shall not be applicable to

(1) an alien crewman;

(2) 1/ subject to subsection (k), an alien (other than an immediate relative as defined in section 201(b) or a special immigrant described in section 101(a)(27)(H) , (I) , (J) , or (K) ) who hereafter continues in or accepts unauthorized employment prior to filing an application for adjustment of status or who is in unlawful immigration status on the date of filing the application for adjustment of status or who has failed (other than through no fault of his own or for technical reasons) to maintain continuously a lawful status since entry into the United States;

(3) any alien admitted in transit without visa under section 212(d)(4)(C) ;

(4) an alien (other than an immediate relative as defined in section 201(b) ) who was admitted as a nonimmigrant visitor without a visa under section 212(l) or section 217 ;

(5) an alien who was admitted as a nonimmigrant described in section 101(a)(15)(S) ;

(6) an alien who is deportable under section 237(a)(4)(B) ; 1a/

(7) 2/ any alien who seeks adjustment of status to that of an immigrant under section 203(b) and is not in a lawful nonimmigrant status; or

(8) any alien who was employed while the alien was an unauthorized alien, as defined in section 274A(h)(3) , or who has otherwise violated the terms of a nonimmigrant visa.