How Much Does Adjustment of Status (I-485) Cost?

The cost of adjustment of status starts at the $1,440 government filing fee for Form I-485, but the real number is higher once you add the sponsoring petition, a work permit, a travel document, the medical exam, and an attorney if you use one. A typical family-based adult applicant filing everything together should budget roughly $2,900 to $3,000 in federal fees alone, and $5,000 to $9,000 total once the medical exam and legal help are included.¹

The Base I-485 Filing Fee

USCIS charges $1,440 to file Form I-485 for anyone age 14 or older. That single fee covers both application processing and the biometrics appointment; there is no separate fingerprint charge on top of it.²

Two groups pay less. A child under 14 who files at the same time as at least one parent pays $950. A child under 14 filing separately pays the full $1,440. Two narrow categories pay nothing at all: applicants in removal proceedings when an immigration judge waives the fee, and certain military service members adjusting under a special immigrant category.¹

Every fee you send to USCIS is nonrefundable, even if the case is denied. The only exceptions are USCIS errors, like collecting the wrong amount or causing an unnecessary filing.³ Sending the wrong amount will get your whole package rejected, so confirm the current fee before you mail anything.

Petition Fees for Family-Based Cases

If a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident relative is sponsoring you, they file Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative). That petition costs $625 online or $675 by paper.² Your sponsor also submits Form I-864 (Affidavit of Support), which has to show household income at or above 125% of the federal poverty guidelines for the household size. The I-864 carries its own filing fee when sent to USCIS; check the current schedule for the exact number.⁴

Petition Fees for Employment-Based Cases

Employment-based adjustment usually starts with Form I-140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers), filed by the employer or by the worker depending on the visa category. The I-140 has its own filing fee. Employers who want a faster decision can add premium processing, which costs $2,965 as of March 2026.⁵ Whether the employer or the worker pays these costs depends on the employment agreement.

Work Permit and Travel Document Fees

Before April 2024, a pending I-485 came with a free work permit and free advance parole. The 2024 fee rule broke them apart into separate charges.⁶ If you filed your I-485 on or after April 1, 2024, expect to pay:

Form I-765 (work permit): $260 when filed with a qualifying I-485 or while one is pending. That is half the standard I-765 fee of $470 online or $520 by paper.⁶
Form I-131 (advance parole travel document): $580 online or $630 by paper.²

If you filed your I-485 before April 1, 2024, and paid the fee at that time, you do not need to pay separately for I-765 or I-131 renewals while that I-485 stays pending.⁷

Medical Exam and Vaccinations

Every adjustment applicant needs a medical exam recorded on Form I-693. Only a USCIS-designated civil surgeon can do it; your regular doctor cannot.⁸ Prices vary widely, so it pays to call a few offices. USCIS keeps a searchable directory.⁹

Budget somewhere between $200 and $600. The biggest variable is vaccinations. The CDC requires civil surgeons to confirm you are up to date on 15 vaccines, including measles, hepatitis A and B, tetanus, varicella, and influenza.¹⁰ Prior vaccination records or lab results showing immunity (accepted for measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis A and B, polio, and varicella) can spare you shots and lower the bill. Missing several vaccines can push the total well past $600. You pay the civil surgeon directly; USCIS never sees this money.

Translations, Photos, and Small Document Costs

Any document not in English needs a certified English translation. The translator signs a statement confirming the translation is complete, accurate, and that they are competent in both languages. Professional translators typically charge around $20 to $25 per page for records like birth or marriage certificates, though the rate depends on language and complexity.

You also need passport-style photos meeting USCIS specifications, usually $10 to $20 at a pharmacy or photo studio. Some civil surgeons include photos with the exam. Foreign-language vaccination records also need English translations, which the CDC requires you to provide.¹⁰ Each item is minor, but they add up when your paperwork crosses several countries.

Attorney Fees

Legal representation is optional. Most people hire an attorney anyway, because a denial means losing the filing fees and can put you in removal proceedings. Attorney fees for a straightforward adjustment case usually run $2,000 to $5,000. That range typically covers form preparation, document review, strategy, and representation at the USCIS interview.

Prior immigration violations, criminal history, unlawful presence, or a needed waiver of inadmissibility all add attorney hours and raise the total. Some lawyers charge flat fees; others bill hourly. Ask for a written fee agreement before you sign. These professional fees are entirely separate from what you owe USCIS.

Fee Waivers

USCIS will consider a fee waiver on Form I-912 for applicants whose household income is at or below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines.¹¹ The I-485 fee itself, though, is waivable only for applicants adjusting through categories that are exempt from the public charge ground of inadmissibility. Qualifying groups include asylees, VAWA self-petitioners, T visa holders, and applicants under laws like the Cuban Adjustment Act.¹² Standard family-sponsored and employment-based adjustments generally do not qualify for an I-485 waiver.

When USCIS grants a waiver, it can also cover the I-765 work permit fee. The I-131 travel document fee is waivable through Form I-912 only for humanitarian parole applicants.¹²

How USCIS Accepts Payment

The old habit of stapling a personal check to your application no longer works for most filers. For paper filings, USCIS now takes two forms of payment:¹³

Credit, debit, or prepaid card, authorized on Form G-1450 and included in the package.
ACH bank transfer, authorized on Form G-1650, which lets USCIS pull funds from a U.S. bank account at no extra charge.¹⁴

Personal checks, business checks, money orders, and cashier’s checks are no longer accepted for paper filings unless you qualify for a specific exemption. For anything you file online, Pay.gov handles card payments and bank withdrawals.

Putting the Total Together

A typical family-based adult applicant filing concurrently for a work permit and travel document should plan for:

I-485 filing fee: $1,440
I-130 filing fee: $625 online or $675 paper
I-765 work permit: $260
I-131 travel document: $580 online or $630 paper
Medical exam and vaccinations: $200 to $600 or more
Translations and photos: $50 to $200
Attorney fees: $2,000 to $5,000 if you hire one

Government fees alone come to about $2,900 to $3,000. Add the medical exam and an attorney, and a realistic total lands between $5,000 and $9,000 for a single applicant. Families filing multiple I-485s pay per person, though children under 14 filing with a parent save $490 each on the I-485. These numbers do not include the I-864 Affidavit of Support fee your sponsor pays, or premium processing on the employment side.

1
eCFR. 8 CFR Part 106 – USCIS Fee Schedule
2
USCIS. G-1055 Fee Schedule
3
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Chapter 3 – Fees
4
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the INA
5
Federal Register. Adjustment to Premium Processing Fees
6
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Frequently Asked Questions on the USCIS Fee Rule
7
USCIS. 2024 Final Fee Rule
8
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-693, Instructions for Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record
9
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Find a Civil Surgeon
10
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vaccination – Technical Instructions for Civil Surgeons
11
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Poverty Guidelines
12
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Request for Fee Waiver
13
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Filing Fees
14
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-1650 – Authorization for ACH Transactions