US Immigration Fees in 2026: The Real Cost of a Green Card, Work Permit, and Citizenship

Immigration fees in the United States are not simple. USCIS charges different amounts for different forms, many applications require multiple forms filed together each with their own fees, and the agency revised its fee schedule significantly in 2024 with the largest increases in decades. Understanding what you will actually owe before you start saves real money and prevents rejected applications caused by incorrect payment.

Why USCIS Fees Changed So Much in 2024

The fee schedule that took effect in April 2024 was the first major revision since 2016. USCIS is an almost entirely fee-funded agency, meaning it does not receive significant congressional appropriations and must cover operating costs through application fees. Years of flat fees combined with rising processing times, increased staffing costs, and a growing backlog forced a comprehensive update. Some fees increased by more than 100 percent. A few were reduced or held flat. The overall direction was significantly upward across most benefit categories.

The 2024 rule also introduced a new asylum program surcharge on certain applications and restructured some fees to distinguish between online and paper filings, with paper filings generally costing more. If you filed an application under the old fee schedule and are now filing a subsequent application or renewal, do not assume the fee you paid last time still applies.

Green Card Through a Family Member

Adjusting status to permanent resident inside the United States using Form I-485 costs $1,440 for applicants between 14 and 78 years old under the 2024 fee schedule. Children under 14 filing with a parent pay $950. Applicants 79 and older pay $1,040.

These fees cover the biometrics appointment that almost all applicants attend, so you do not pay a separate biometrics fee when you file I-485. However, if you need to also file a work authorization application on Form I-765 or a travel document on Form I-131, those carry separate fees for applicants in certain categories. Immediate relatives of US citizens filing I-485 who also file I-765 and I-131 at the same time pay a single combined fee that can reduce the total somewhat, but the specifics depend on the visa category.

Family members processing abroad through consular processing pay different fees to the National Visa Center and the consulate, not to USCIS, so the fee structure looks different. The immigrant visa application fee paid to the State Department is $325 for most family preference categories and there is an additional $120 affidavit of support review fee in most cases.

Green Card Through Employment

Employment-based green card cases typically involve multiple steps each with costs. Most require labor certification through the Department of Labor first, which does not itself carry a USCIS fee but requires employer resources and time. After labor certification approval, the employer files an immigrant petition on Form I-140 at a cost of $715. Premium processing, which guarantees a 15 business day decision, costs an additional $2,805 on top of the base fee and is optional.

Once a visa number is available, the employee files the I-485 adjustment of status at the fees described above. The total USCIS cost for an employment-based case with adjustment of status is typically over $2,000 in filing fees alone, not counting the employer's legal fees, the labor certification process, or any premium processing charges.

Naturalization: Becoming a US Citizen

Form N-400, the naturalization application, costs $760 under the 2024 fee schedule for most applicants. This includes the biometrics fee. Applicants filing based on qualifying military service pay no fee. Applicants filing based on being the spouse of a US citizen serving abroad also have a fee exemption in certain circumstances.

Fee waivers are available for naturalization applicants who receive certain means-tested public benefits or who can demonstrate financial hardship. The waiver is not guaranteed but is granted at a reasonable rate for qualifying applicants. Income below 150 percent of the federal poverty guidelines is generally sufficient to support a waiver request. The waiver request is filed on Form I-912 at the same time as the N-400.

Beyond the filing fee, there is no test fee. The civics test and English interview are part of the application process and do not carry a separate charge. If you fail the test the first time, you are scheduled for a second attempt at no additional cost.

Work Authorization and Travel Documents

Work permits filed on Form I-765 cost $520 for most categories. Some categories are exempt from the fee entirely, including asylees with pending applications, certain DACA renewals depending on current program status, and some other humanitarian categories. If you are not sure whether your category carries a fee, checking the USCIS I-765 instructions for your specific eligibility category is the most reliable way to confirm.

Travel documents filed on Form I-131 cost $630 for a reentry permit or refugee travel document and $165 for advance parole. Advance parole allows green card applicants and certain others to travel internationally without abandoning their pending applications, which would otherwise terminate the case. Filing for advance parole before any international travel is not optional if you have a pending adjustment of status application. Leaving without it can result in an I-485 abandonment notice and the loss of your application and fees.

DACA Renewals

DACA renewal applications require Form I-821D for the deferred action request and Form I-765 for the work authorization. The filing fee for the combined renewal is $495. Initial DACA requests are not currently being accepted under court orders affecting the program, but renewals remain open for those with existing DACA grants subject to the evolving legal situation.

DACA fees are not waivable in most circumstances. The fee exemption that existed for certain low-income DACA applicants was removed in earlier fee rule revisions. Planning and budgeting for the renewal fee well in advance of the expiration date is important because late renewals create gaps in work authorization that can affect employment.

Petitions for Family Members Still Outside the US

US citizens and permanent residents who want to bring family members to the United States start by filing Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative. The fee is $675. This petition establishes the qualifying relationship and places the foreign national in the visa queue but does not by itself grant any immigration benefit. Immediate relatives of US citizens move to the front of the line. Other family preference categories wait based on the priority date system and per-country demand, which means wait times can range from a few months to several decades for heavily oversubscribed categories like the F2A and F3 categories for certain countries.

After the I-130 is approved and a visa number becomes available, the case moves to either USCIS for adjustment of status if the person is inside the US or to the National Visa Center and a US consulate abroad for consular processing. The fees at the consular stage are paid separately to the State Department and the NVC.

Fee Exemptions and Reductions You Should Know About

USCIS offers fee waivers for applicants who receive certain means-tested public benefits including Medicaid, CHIP, SNAP, and SSI, or who can demonstrate that paying the fee would cause financial hardship. The waiver request must be submitted on Form I-912 with documentation. Not every form or category is eligible for a fee waiver. Forms filed by employers on behalf of employees, for example, are generally not eligible. The USCIS website lists which forms accept fee waivers.

Non-profit organizations file certain applications at reduced fees. Online filing generally costs less than paper filing for forms that USCIS accepts electronically. The agency has been expanding online filing options and paying attention to which forms have online availability can produce modest savings on larger applications.

The Biggest Fee Mistakes to Avoid

Sending the wrong fee amount is one of the most common reasons USCIS rejects applications before reviewing them on the merits. A rejection for incorrect fee means your application is returned, the priority date you would have received is lost, and you must refile at whatever the current fee is at the time of refiling, which may be higher. Using the most current USCIS fee schedule at the time of filing and double-checking the correct amount for your specific form and situation is not optional.

Paying by personal check when a cashier's check or money order is required, or writing the check to the wrong payee, will also cause a rejection. USCIS checks must generally be made payable to the US Department of Homeland Security. Always verify the correct payee for the form you are filing.