The I-129F filing fee is $675, and the U.S. citizen petitioner pays it directly to USCIS when filing Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé(e).1eCFR. 8 CFR 106.2 – Fees The fee replaced an earlier $535 amount under the USCIS fee rule that took effect in 2024, so older guides you may find online quote the wrong number.2Federal Register. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Fee Schedule and Changes to Certain Other Immigration Benefit Request Requirements
Only a U.S. citizen can file the I-129F; lawful permanent residents are not eligible to petition for a fiancé(e).3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé(e) The petitioner’s name goes on the filing and the payment, even if the couple splits the cost privately.
How to Pay the $675 Fee
Form I-129F is filed by mail. USCIS does not offer online filing for this form.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Forms Available to File Online As of October 28, 2025, USCIS no longer accepts checks or money orders for paper filings. You have two ways to pay:5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS to Modernize Fee Payments with Electronic Funds
- Credit or debit card, by including a completed Form G-1450 (Authorization for Credit Card Transactions) with your mailed petition. The card is charged when USCIS processes the filing.
- ACH bank withdrawal, by including a completed Form G-1650 (Authorization for ACH Debit Transactions) authorizing a direct debit from your account.
Guidance still circulating online tells petitioners to write a check payable to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. That method is no longer accepted. A mailed check will get your filing rejected, and you lose your place in line.
What Happens If Your Payment Is Declined
A failed payment can cost you your filing date, not just time. If a credit card payment is declined, USCIS may reject the petition outright for lack of payment. If a non-card method fails a second time (for example, insufficient funds on the ACH withdrawal), USCIS can reject or deny the petition as improperly filed.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual Volume 1, Part B, Chapter 6 – Submitting Requests
A resubmitted petition is treated as a brand-new filing. You do not keep your original filing date, and the rejection cannot be appealed. With I-129F processing currently averaging around 10 months, that setback is significant. Confirm your card limit or account balance before mailing.
Refunds and Fee Waivers
The $675 fee is non-refundable. Whether USCIS approves the petition, denies it, or you withdraw it, the money does not come back. USCIS makes narrow exceptions only when the agency itself collected the wrong fee. Credit and debit card payments cannot be disputed or charged back through your bank; USCIS policy explicitly blocks that.7U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual Volume 1, Part B, Chapter 3 – Fees
Form I-129F is not eligible for a fee waiver. USCIS limits fee waivers to specific forms tied to humanitarian relief, naturalization, and other designated benefits, and the I-129F is not on that list.8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Request for Fee Waiver There is also no military exemption for this form, although active-duty service members do get fee exemptions on some other forms like the N-400 and I-131.1eCFR. 8 CFR 106.2 – Fees
Other Costs You Should Plan For
The $675 petition fee is only the first payment in the K-1 process. Several other fees follow, spread across USCIS, the State Department, and the panel physician overseas.
DS-160 Visa Application
After USCIS approves the I-129F, the case moves to the National Visa Center and then to the U.S. embassy or consulate in your fiancé(e)’s country.9Travel.State.Gov. Nonimmigrant Visa for a Fiancé(e) (K-1) Your fiancé(e) files Form DS-160 and pays a $265 nonimmigrant visa application fee to the State Department. Each K-2 child pays this fee separately.10U.S. Department of State. Fees for Visa Services
Medical Exam
The required exam must be done by an embassy-approved panel physician. Costs vary widely by country and typically run between $100 and $500, covering the physical, required vaccinations, tuberculosis screening, and lab work. There is no standard worldwide rate.
Adjustment of Status
You must marry within 90 days of your fiancé(e) entering the United States.11eCFR. 8 CFR 214.2 – Special Requirements for Admission, Extension, and Maintenance of Status After the wedding, your spouse files Form I-485 to become a permanent resident. The I-485 filing fee is $1,440 for applicants over age 14.12U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-1055 Fee Schedule Missing the 90-day deadline means loss of legal status; the K-1 has no extension.
Translations
Foreign-language documents need certified English translations. Professional services typically charge $20 to $50 per page for standard documents like birth certificates, with higher rates for rare languages or rush jobs. Across the full case, translation and document costs commonly reach a few hundred dollars.
Rough Total Budget
A realistic budget from petition through green card looks like this:
- I-129F petition: $675
- DS-160 visa application: $265
- Medical exam and vaccinations: $100 to $500
- I-485 adjustment of status: $1,440
- Translations and document fees: $100 to $400
That comes to roughly $2,600 to $3,300, before travel to the embassy interview, any attorney fees, or the wedding. Couples who budget only for the $675 petition fee are often caught off guard by what follows approval.