The refugee travel document fee depends on your status and, for asylees, your age. Refugees pay nothing. Asylees under 16 pay $135, and asylees 16 or older pay $165. Those figures are the current USCIS filing fees for Form I-131 when used to request a refugee travel document, and they already include what used to be a separate biometrics charge.
What You Pay by Status and Age
USCIS treats refugees and asylees differently at the cash register, even though both groups use the same form.
If you hold refugee status, or if you became a lawful permanent resident as a direct result of your refugee status, the filing fee is $0. You still have to complete and submit Form I-131, but USCIS does not charge you to process it.
If you hold asylee status, or if you became a permanent resident through a grant of asylum, the fee is tied to your age on the day you file:
- Under 16: $135
- 16 or older: $165
There is no separate biometric services fee to add on top. That is a change worth flagging, because a lot of older guidance still lists one.
Why Older Fee Figures Are Wrong
USCIS folded biometric costs into the base filing fee as part of a rule change that took effect April 1, 2024. Before that date, applicants paid a lower base fee plus an $85 biometric charge. If you come across guides quoting numbers like $105 or $220 for a refugee travel document, those are the pre-April 2024 figures and no longer reflect what you owe. The single fee shown on your status line ($0, $135, or $165) is the full amount.
Fee Waivers for Asylees
Asylees who cannot afford the fee can request a waiver on Form I-912. The waiver request has to travel in the same envelope as your Form I-131; USCIS will not accept it on its own. Three grounds qualify you:
- You currently receive a means-tested benefit such as Medicaid or SNAP. Proof of receipt is enough on its own.
- Your household income is at or below 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
- You can show financial hardship even at a higher income, through circumstances like large medical bills or sudden job loss.
Documentation is what makes a waiver stick. Tax returns, benefit award letters, pay stubs, and medical bills are the usual supporting evidence. USCIS reviews each request on a case-by-case basis, and thin paperwork is one of the quickest routes to a denial. If a waiver is denied, the underlying I-131 is typically rejected too, so build the file before you mail it.
Refugees do not need a waiver because there is no fee to waive.
How USCIS Wants You to Pay
For paper filings, USCIS no longer accepts personal checks, money orders, or cashier’s checks by default. You pay either by credit, debit, or prepaid card using Form G-1450, or by direct bank transfer using Form G-1650. Form I-131 for a refugee travel document cannot be filed online, so this is the payment route unless you qualify for an exception.
If you do not have access to banking services or electronic payment, you can request an exemption with Form G-1651. That lets you pay by check or money order instead. You cannot mix payment methods in the same package. A check must be drawn on a U.S. financial institution, payable in U.S. currency to the Department of Homeland Security, and dated within the past 365 days.
Submitting the wrong payment amount is one of the most common reasons applications get rejected outright. Confirm the fee that matches your status and age before you seal the envelope.
The Fee Is Non-Refundable
Whatever you pay, you do not get back. USCIS keeps the filing fee whether your application is approved, denied, or rejected for a technical problem. If you file, pay, and then change your mind, the money is gone.
The same rule applies if your document is lost, stolen, or damaged. You have to file a fresh Form I-131 and pay the full fee again. USCIS will not issue a replacement while a prior document is still valid unless you can show it was lost or returned to the agency.
Expired Documents Mean a New Fee
A refugee travel document is generally valid for up to one year from the date it is issued, and it cannot be renewed. When it expires, you file a brand-new Form I-131 and pay the fee again from scratch. There is no reduced “renewal” price.
For conditional permanent residents, the document expires on whichever comes first: one year from issuance, or the date your conditional residence is due to end (two years from admission or adjustment). That can shorten the useful life of the document without changing what it costs.
Because processing can take well over a year and there is no renewal option, frequent travelers sometimes find themselves paying for a second application before the first document has even arrived. USCIS will not issue a second document while the first is still valid, so timing a reapplication around the expiration date matters if you want to avoid paying twice for overlapping coverage you cannot use.
Quick Fee Reference
- Refugee, or LPR through refugee status: $0
- Asylee under 16, or LPR through asylum under 16: $135
- Asylee 16 or older, or LPR through asylum 16 or older: $165
- Biometric services fee: none (included in the filing fee since April 1, 2024)
- Fee waiver: available to asylees who qualify, using Form I-912 filed with the I-131
- Lost, stolen, or damaged document: full fee again on a new I-131
- Expired document: full fee again on a new I-131 (no renewal)