A green card in the USA costs about $2,065 to $2,115 in USCIS filing fees for a standard family-based case filed from inside the country, and roughly $2,500 total if you handle it yourself or $5,000 to $7,000 or more with an attorney. Employment-based cases cost more because of extra employer fees and optional premium processing. The final number depends on your category, whether you file from inside the U.S. or through a consulate abroad, and how complicated your case turns out to be.
Family-Based Filing Fees
The family process starts with Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, filed by your U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident relative. The fee is $625 online or $675 on paper.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Form G-1055 – Fee Schedule Once the petition is approved, or filed concurrently when you’re eligible, you submit Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Concurrent Filing of Form I-485
The I-485 fee for most applicants ages 14 through 78 is $1,440, and that price now includes biometric services like fingerprinting and photos. Children under 14 filing with at least one parent pay $950.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Form G-1055 – Fee Schedule There is no longer a separate biometrics charge on green card applications because USCIS rolled that cost into the main I-485 fee.3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Frequently Asked Questions on the USCIS Fee Rule Refugees, certain military personnel, Special Immigrant Juveniles, and T or U visa holders owe nothing on the I-485.
Combined, a typical family adjustment runs $2,065 (with an online I-130) or $2,115 (paper I-130) in USCIS fees. Check the current fee schedule (Form G-1055) before you file, because rates change.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-1055, Fee Schedule If your payment amount is wrong by a dollar, USCIS rejects the entire package.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Filing Fees
A useful piece of built-in savings: filing Form I-765 for a work permit or Form I-131 for a travel document alongside your I-485 adds no fee. Both are covered by the $1,440. If either expires before your green card is approved and you need a standalone renewal, that renewal carries its own fee.
Employment-Based Fees
Employment cases involve more forms and typically cost more, with much of the cost falling on the employer. The employer usually begins with a PERM labor certification through the Department of Labor. PERM has no government filing fee, but the required recruitment advertising commonly runs $2,000 to $5,000.
After PERM, the employer files Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers. The base fee is $715 on paper or $665 online.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Form G-1055 – Fee Schedule Most employers also owe an Asylum Program Fee on top of the I-140: $600 for employers with more than 25 full-time employees, $300 for those with 25 or fewer, and $0 for qualifying nonprofits.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Guidance on Paying Fees and Completing Information for Form I-140 Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers Self-petitioners under EB-1A extraordinary ability or EB-2 National Interest Waiver pay these fees themselves.
Employers who want a faster answer can pay for premium processing on the I-140, which guarantees an initial response within 45 calendar days. As of March 2026, that costs $2,965.7U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS to Increase Premium Processing Fees Premium processing is optional and does not speed up the I-485 stage that follows. Once the I-140 is approved and a visa number is available, the applicant pays the same $1,440 I-485 fee described above.
Applying From Outside the U.S.
If you live abroad, you go through consular processing at a U.S. embassy or consulate instead of filing Form I-485, and the fees differ. After the I-130 or I-140 is approved, the National Visa Center collects the immigrant visa application fee when you submit Form DS-260: $325 per person for family-based cases and $345 for employment-based.8U.S. Department of State. Fees for Visa Services After the visa is issued and before you travel, you also pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee, which covers production of the physical green card.9U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Immigrant Fee
The Diversity Visa lottery is a separate route for nationals of countries with historically low immigration to the U.S. Starting with DV-2027, the State Department charges $1 to register and $330 for selected applicants.10Federal Register. Schedule of Fees for Consular Services, Department of State and Overseas Embassies DV selectees also pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee and complete the same medical and documentation steps as other immigrant visa applicants.
Medical Exam, Translations, and Photos
Every green card applicant must complete a medical examination. For adjustment-of-status cases, this is done by a USCIS-designated civil surgeon. USCIS does not set the price, and each civil surgeon charges their own rate. Most applicants pay between $200 and $500, though vaccinations or additional lab work can push the bill higher. The completed Form I-693 comes in a sealed envelope that you submit to USCIS unopened; if the seal shows tampering, USCIS returns it and you need a new exam.11U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record
Foreign-language documents like birth and marriage certificates need certified English translations. The translator signs a statement affirming competence in both languages and the accuracy of the translation. Professional services typically charge $20 to $75 per page depending on the language. Some countries also require certified copies or apostilles, adding time and cost.
Passport-style photos are required for several forms. Two to four photos usually run $15 to $30 at a pharmacy or photo studio. Small line items, but they add up next to the medical exam and translations.
Attorney Fees
An immigration attorney is optional. Many applicants hire one anyway because the paperwork is dense and a single mistake can delay approval by months. For a straightforward family-based case, most attorneys charge a flat fee of $2,000 to $5,000 covering form preparation, responses to evidence requests, and case management through the wait.
Cases with complications, such as criminal history, prior immigration violations, or waivers, are usually billed hourly at $150 to $500 per hour depending on the attorney’s experience and location. Total cost in those cases is genuinely hard to predict, which is why attorneys prefer hourly billing for them. Attorney fees are entirely separate from government filing fees.
Lower-cost help exists. Accredited representatives at DOJ-recognized organizations and some online filing services provide less personalized guidance at a lower price, and some legal aid organizations offer free help with immigration filings for low-income individuals.
Costs After You Get the Card
Two situations commonly trigger more fees down the road.
- Conditional residence removal (I-751): If you got your green card through a marriage less than two years old at approval, your card is conditional and valid for only two years. You must file Form I-751 within the 90 days before it expires. The fee is $750 on paper or $700 online. Missing the window puts your permanent resident status at risk.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Form G-1055 – Fee Schedule
- Card renewal or replacement (I-90): Green cards are valid for 10 years and must be renewed. Lost, stolen, or damaged cards also need replacement. The Form I-90 fee is $465 by mail or $415 online, with biometrics included. Replacements due to a USCIS error or postal non-delivery may qualify for a fee exemption.
How You Pay USCIS Now
The payment rules changed. As of October 28, 2025, USCIS no longer accepts personal checks, cashier’s checks, money orders, or any other paper payment for paper-filed forms, unless you qualify for a specific exemption through Form G-1651.12U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Transition to Electronic Payments – Policy Alert Older guides still list check-based options; those are out of date.
For paper filings you now pay by credit, debit, or prepaid card by including Form G-1450 on top of your filing packet.13U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions For online filings, you pay through Pay.gov at submission. Get the amount wrong and USCIS returns the whole package without processing it.14U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Pay With a Credit Card by Mail
Fee Waivers Are Narrower Than Most Assume
USCIS offers fee waivers through Form I-912 for applicants who meet one of three criteria: household income at or below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines, current receipt of a means-tested benefit like Medicaid or SNAP, or documented financial hardship.15U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-912 – Request for Fee Waiver
Not every form is waivable. The I-485 waiver is limited to applicants adjusting under a category that is exempt from the public charge ground of inadmissibility: asylum, the Cuban Adjustment Act, the Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act, VAWA self-petitions, or registry (continuous U.S. residence since before January 1, 1972).16U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-912, Request for Fee Waiver Most family-based applicants filing through a spouse or parent petition do not qualify for the I-485 waiver even if they meet the income test. The I-130 fee cannot be waived at all. Budget for the full amount unless you fall squarely inside one of the listed exempt categories.