The EB-1A filing fee starts at $715 for Form I-140, and most self-petitioners pay $1,015 once the required Asylum Program Fee is added. Depending on employer size and whether you request premium processing, the total government cost for the I-140 stage runs from $715 to $4,280. Getting the wrong amount on your payment authorization is one of the quickest ways to have the entire package returned without review, so the exact figure for your situation matters.
The $715 Base Filing Fee
Every EB-1A petition requires Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers, and the base filing fee is $715. That amount does not change based on your industry, your employer’s size, or whether you file for yourself or through a sponsoring employer.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Guidance on Paying Fees and Completing Information for Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers The FY 2026 inflation adjustment that took effect January 1, 2026, did not raise this fee, so $715 remains current.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Announces FY 2026 Inflation Increase for Certain Immigration-Related Fees
The Asylum Program Fee Add-On
On top of the $715, most petitioners owe an additional Asylum Program Fee. The amount depends on who is filing and how large the sponsoring organization is.
- Large employers with more than 25 full-time equivalent employees pay $600, for a total of $1,315.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Guidance on Paying Fees and Completing Information for Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers
- Small employers with 25 or fewer full-time equivalent employees pay $300, for a total of $1,015.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Guidance on Paying Fees and Completing Information for Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers
- Self-petitioners pay $300, for a total of $1,015. You indicate this by selecting “Yes” on Part 1, Question 6 of Form I-140 to confirm you employ 25 or fewer full-time equivalent employees, including zero.3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Frequently Asked Questions on the USCIS Fee Rule
- Qualifying nonprofit organizations and government research organizations owe $0, so the total remains $715.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Guidance on Paying Fees and Completing Information for Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers
Self-petitioners are not exempt from the Asylum Program Fee. USCIS treats an individual self-petitioner the same as a small employer for fee purposes, so the reduced $300 applies rather than zero.3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Frequently Asked Questions on the USCIS Fee Rule If you are being sponsored, note that the employee count on Form I-140 includes all affiliates and subsidiaries. A petitioner working at a small local office of a parent company with dozens of employees across multiple locations may not qualify as a small employer.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Reminds Certain Employment-Based Petitioners to Submit the Correct Required Fees
The nonprofit exemption is broader than 501(c)(3) charities. USCIS defines the exempt category as a “nonprofit business, institution, or government research organization,” and the full definition is at 8 CFR 106.1(f).1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Guidance on Paying Fees and Completing Information for Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers
Premium Processing: $2,965 Optional Fee
If you want a faster decision, you can request premium processing by filing Form I-907 alongside your I-140. As of March 1, 2026, the premium processing fee for EB-1A petitions is $2,965, up from $2,805.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS to Increase Premium Processing Fees This is separate from your I-140 filing fee and the Asylum Program Fee.
Premium processing guarantees that USCIS will take some adjudicative action on your petition within 15 business days, which usually translates to about three calendar weeks.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. How Do I Request Premium Processing Action does not mean approval. USCIS may approve, deny, issue a Request for Evidence, or issue a Notice of Intent to Deny within that window, and any of those counts as meeting the guarantee. If USCIS misses the deadline, it refunds the premium processing fee while your case continues on the expedited track. If an RFE or NOID is issued, the 15-day clock stops until you respond, so a premium case can still stretch well past a month.
Premium processing does not change the evidentiary standards for EB-1A. You still need to demonstrate sustained national or international acclaim. The fee only moves your petition to the front of the queue.
What You Will Actually Pay
Adding everything together, here is the total government cost for the I-140 stage:
- Self-petitioner without premium processing: $1,015 ($715 + $300)
- Self-petitioner with premium processing: $3,980 ($715 + $300 + $2,965)
- Large employer without premium processing: $1,315 ($715 + $600)
- Large employer with premium processing: $4,280 ($715 + $600 + $2,965)
- Qualifying nonprofit without premium processing: $715
- Qualifying nonprofit with premium processing: $3,680 ($715 + $2,965)
How to Pay the Fees
USCIS changed its payment system in late 2025, and mailed personal checks are no longer accepted for most petitioners. For paper-filed petitions, USCIS now accepts only two payment methods: a credit, debit, or prepaid card authorized through Form G-1450, or an ACH bank transfer authorized through Form G-1650.7U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Filing Fees Personal checks, business checks, money orders, and cashier’s checks are no longer accepted unless you qualify under a narrow exemption on Form G-1651, which covers situations like lacking access to banking services or electronic payment systems.8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-1651, Exemption for Paper Fee Payment
If you choose ACH through Form G-1650, anyone with a U.S. checking or savings account can pay on your behalf. The account holder signs the form and you include it with your filing package. There is no additional cost for ACH transactions, but the funds must come from a U.S. bank.9U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-1650, Authorization for ACH Transactions
Submit a separate payment authorization for each form. If you file Form I-140 and Form I-907 together, include one payment form for the I-140 fees and another for the premium processing fee. Combining both amounts onto a single authorization with an incorrect total gives USCIS grounds to reject the entire package.
Costs After the I-140 Is Approved
The I-140 is only the first step. Getting the actual green card requires either adjustment of status inside the United States or consular processing abroad, and each carries its own fees.
Adjustment of Status
The central form is I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence. The filing fee is $1,440 for applicants age 14 and older. Form I-765 (employment authorization) and Form I-131 (advance parole) are no longer bundled into the I-485 fee. You pay for each separately if you want work authorization or travel permission while adjustment is pending.3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Frequently Asked Questions on the USCIS Fee Rule Some I-765 categories were adjusted in January 2026, so check the USCIS fee calculator for current amounts.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Announces FY 2026 Inflation Increase for Certain Immigration-Related Fees
You also need a medical examination from a USCIS-designated civil surgeon on Form I-693. The government does not set this price. Civil surgeons charge their own rates, generally ranging from $200 to $500 depending on the provider and which vaccinations are needed.
Consular Processing
If you are outside the United States, your approved I-140 goes through the National Visa Center and then to a U.S. embassy or consulate. The immigrant visa application processing fee for employment-based cases is $345 per person.10U.S. Department of State. Fees for Visa Services After the consulate issues your immigrant visa, you pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee online before your green card is produced, using the Alien Number and Department of State Case ID from your interview.11U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Immigrant Fee USCIS does not refund fees regardless of case outcome.
Attorney Fees and Document Preparation
Government fees are only part of the total. Most EB-1A petitioners hire an immigration attorney, and flat-fee arrangements generally run from $7,500 to $15,000 depending on case complexity and the firm’s experience. That fee typically covers strategy, drafting, evidence organization, and case management. Responding to a Request for Evidence or Notice of Intent to Deny usually costs extra, and a complicated RFE response can add several thousand dollars. Ask about RFE fees before signing an engagement letter.
If your supporting evidence includes documents in a language other than English, you will need certified translations. Professional translation services generally charge $18 to $70 per page depending on the language and turnaround time. For a petition with dozens of pages of foreign-language awards, publications, and recommendation letters, translation costs alone can exceed $1,000.
Because EB-1A petitions do not require employer sponsorship or a labor certification, most applicants pay all of these costs out of pocket. Budget for the full picture — government fees, legal fees, medical exam, and document preparation — before committing to a filing timeline.