The government fees for an EB-2 National Interest Waiver petition start at $965 if you file the I-140 online as a self-petitioner, or $1,015 on paper, and rise well past that once you add premium processing, adjustment of status, work authorization, and travel documents. NIW application fees changed as recently as March 2026, so figures on older pages are often wrong. Below is what each line item costs and when it applies.
The I-140 Petition Fee
Every NIW applicant files Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers. The base filing fee is $665 online through a USCIS account, or $715 by mail.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-1055 Fee Schedule A standalone I-140 can be filed online, but if you’re bundling it with another form like the I-485, it has to go on paper.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers The fee is non-refundable whether the petition is approved or denied.
The Asylum Program Fee
On top of the I-140 base fee, nearly every petitioner pays a separate Asylum Program Fee. The amount depends on who is filing:
- Self-petitioners and small employers with 25 or fewer full-time employees pay $300. Most NIW applicants fall here because they self-petition. On the form, you mark “Yes” to Part 1, Question 6 to claim the reduced rate.3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Frequently Asked Questions on the USCIS Fee Rule
- Employers with more than 25 full-time equivalent employees pay $600.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Guidance on Paying Fees and Completing Information for Form I-140
- Qualifying nonprofit organizations pay $0.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-1055 Fee Schedule
Getting the Asylum Program Fee wrong is one of the fastest ways to have your entire packet rejected without review. USCIS returns the whole package rather than fixing it. Combined with the I-140 base fee, a self-petitioner owes $965 online or $1,015 on paper.
Premium Processing
Standard NIW processing currently runs around 22.5 months. If you need a faster answer, you can file Form I-907 for premium processing. As of March 1, 2026, the premium processing fee for an I-140 is $2,965, up from $2,805.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS to Increase Premium Processing Fees For NIW petitions, USCIS commits to an adjudicative action (approval, denial, or Request for Evidence) within 45 business days, and refunds the premium processing fee if it misses that window while continuing to expedite the case.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. How Do I Request Premium Processing
One logistical note affects timing but not price: if you file the I-140 online, you cannot attach the I-907 with it and must mail the I-907 separately. If you file the I-140 on paper, the I-907 can go in the same package.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers
Adjustment of Status Fees
An approved I-140 does not give you a green card. If you’re in the United States, you file Form I-485 to adjust status. The I-485 filing fee is $1,440 for adults age 14 and older, and $950 for children under 14 who file concurrently with a parent.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-1055 Fee Schedule The I-485 must be filed on paper.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers
While the I-485 is pending, most applicants also want work authorization and the ability to travel. The Employment Authorization Document (Form I-765) costs $260 when filed alongside an I-485 that was submitted with a fee on or after April 1, 2024. An Advance Parole travel document (Form I-131) is $630.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-1055 Fee Schedule Both can be filed concurrently with the I-485, but each carries its own fee.
Concurrent filing of the I-140 and I-485 is only possible when an immigrant visa number is immediately available in your category. Applicants from countries with heavy EB-2 backlogs, like India and China, typically file the I-485 later once their priority date becomes current.
Consular Processing Costs
If you’re outside the United States or prefer to receive your immigrant visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate, you go through consular processing instead of adjustment of status. The Department of State charges a $345 application processing fee for employment-based immigrant visas, paid before your interview.7U.S. Department of State. Fees for Visa Services After approval, and before you travel, you pay a $235 USCIS Immigrant Fee online. That covers visa packet processing and production of the physical green card, which you won’t receive until it’s paid.8U.S. Embassy & Consulates. USCIS Immigrant Fee
Non-Government Costs to Budget For
Government filing fees are only part of what you’ll spend. A few other expenses regularly catch applicants off guard.
An immigration medical examination from a USCIS-designated civil surgeon (Form I-693) is required whether you adjust status or process at a consulate. These exams typically cost $200 to $500 depending on location and any missing vaccinations, which can add significantly to the bill.
If your academic transcripts, professional credentials, or recommendation letters are in a language other than English, certified translations generally run $25 to $50 per page. A full NIW document set can easily reach several hundred dollars in translation alone.
The biggest expense is usually legal representation. Attorney fees for preparing and filing an EB-2 NIW petition typically range from $8,000 to $10,500 for the principal applicant. The petition is not a form you fill in and mail; the core of an NIW case is a legal brief supported by evidence and expert recommendation letters. Self-filing is possible, but a denial means paying all the government fees again to refile.
What the Total Looks Like
Adding it up for a self-petitioner:
- I-140 base fee: $665 online or $715 paper
- Asylum Program Fee (self-petitioner): $300
- Premium processing (optional): $2,965
- I-485 adjustment of status (in the U.S.): $1,440 per adult
- I-765 employment authorization with pending I-485: $260
- I-131 advance parole: $630
- Consular processing (if abroad): $345 application fee plus $235 immigrant fee
A self-petitioner filing the I-140 online without premium processing pays $965 at the petition stage. Add adjustment of status with work authorization and advance parole, and government fees alone reach roughly $3,295. With premium processing on top, that climbs to about $6,260 before any medical exam, translations, or attorney fees.
How to Pay
Payment methods changed recently, and this is where guides from a year ago will steer you wrong. Since October 28, 2025, USCIS no longer accepts personal checks, cashier’s checks, or money orders for paper-filed forms. Paper filings must be paid by ACH debit using Form G-1650 or by credit or debit card using Form G-1450.9U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS to Modernize Fee Payments with Electronic Funds Online filings are paid through Pay.gov.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers
For paper filings, complete either the G-1450 or G-1650 and include the signed form in the petition package.10U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions Each fee (the I-140 base, the Asylum Program Fee, and premium processing if applicable) should be clearly covered. An error in the payment amount results in the entire package being returned without ever entering the system.