How to Pay USCIS Filing Fees

If you're mailing an immigration application to USCIS, getting the payment right is just as important as filling out the forms correctly. Mess up the fee or payment method, and your whole packet gets sent back. No second chances. No do-overs.

I learned this the hard way years ago when I filed my first application. Back then, I wrote out a personal check and triple-checked everything before dropping it in the mail. That nervous wait was brutal.

Things have changed a lot since then. As of October 2025, USCIS stopped accepting paper checks entirely. Everything is electronic now. Here's exactly how to pay and avoid the common mistakes that get applications rejected.

The big change: No more checks

Since October 29, 2025, USCIS only accepts electronic payments for paper-filed applications. If you mail in a check or money order, your application will be rejected and sent back to you.

You now have two options for paying by mail:

ACH bank transfer ([Form G-1650](https://www.uscis.gov/g-1650))Form G-1650)** - USCIS withdraws the fee directly from your U.S. bank account. This tends to be more reliable than credit cards because there's less risk of fraud blocks.

Credit or debit card ([Form G-1450](https://www.uscis.gov/g-1450))Form G-1450)** - USCIS charges your card. Sounds simple, but there's a catch. Banks often flag government payments as suspicious. More on that below.

If you file online through your USCIS online account, you pay during the submission process. No paper forms needed.

Step 1: Figure out the correct fee

Before anything else, look up the exact fee for your form. Fees change, and using an outdated amount from a forum post or a friend's advice will get your application rejected.

Two ways to check:

Go to the USCIS fee calculator. Enter your form type and filing category. It tells you exactly what to pay.

Or download Form G-1055, the fee schedule. It's 57 pages long, but it lists every possible fee.

Here are some common fees as of January 2026:

Notice the pattern? Online filing saves you $50 on most forms. That's USCIS's way of encouraging people to file electronically.

Important: Some forms now have additional fees under H.R.-1 (the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" passed in July 2025). These extra fees cannot be waived and must be paid separately. Check the G-1055 fee schedule for your specific form.

One thing that changed in April 2024: the biometrics fee is now rolled into the filing fee for most forms. You don't pay it separately anymore. The exception is TPS applicants, who still pay a $30 biometrics fee. For more on what happens at your biometrics appointment, see our Biometrics 101 guide.

If you're filing multiple forms together, each form needs its own fee. Don't try to combine them into one payment.

Step 2: Choose your payment method

Option A: ACH bank transfer (Form G-1650)

This is often the safer choice. You fill out Form G-1650 with your bank routing number and account number, then USCIS withdraws the fee directly.

What you need:

• A U.S. bank account (foreign accounts won't work)
• Your 9-digit routing number
• Your account number
• Enough money in the account when USCIS processes it

One important thing: some banks have ACH debit blocks that prevent automatic withdrawals. If your account has this, contact your bank before filing and ask them to allow ACH transactions from the U.S. Treasury or Pay.gov. Otherwise, the payment will fail and your application gets rejected.

USCIS only tries once. If the transaction fails for any reason, that's it. Your application comes back to you.

Option B: Credit or debit card (Form G-1450)

Fill out Form G-1450 with your card details. USCIS charges the card when they process your packet.

What you need:

• A credit, debit, or prepaid card issued by a U.S. bank
• Enough available credit or balance
• The card's billing address matching what's on the form

Foreign cards don't work. Neither do gift cards. Prepaid cards from U.S. banks are fine.

Here's the problem with credit cards: banks often flag large government payments as fraud. I've seen people on forums who were devastated when their card got declined. USCIS doesn't retry declined payments. They just reject your application.

Call your bank before you mail anything. Tell them you're making a payment to "U.S. Department of Homeland Security" or "USCIS" for the exact amount. Ask them to whitelist government payments if possible. This one phone call can save you weeks of frustration.

What if you file online?

When you file through your USCIS online account, you pay directly through Pay.gov during submission. You can use a card or bank account. No paper forms needed. And you save $50 on most applications.

Step 3: Put your packet together

When mailing your application, the payment form goes on top. USCIS specifically tells you to place Form G-1650 or G-1450 as the very first thing in your packet.

Quick checklist:

• Payment form (G-1650 or G-1450) on top
• Signed with an actual signature, not typed
• Amount matches the current fee exactly
• All your forms and supporting documents underneath
• Copy of everything for your records

If you're filing multiple forms with separate fees, include a separate payment form for each one. Don't try to put multiple fees on one G-1450.

Pro tip: If you're worried about making mistakes on your forms, Immiva's guided platform walks you through each question in plain English. It catches common errors as you go and generates your completed forms ready to mail. You still handle the payment form yourself, but the rest of your packet comes out clean and accurate.

What happens if your payment fails

USCIS won't try again. They reject your application and mail everything back to you. The rejection notice explains what went wrong.

Common reasons payments fail:

Card declined for fraud - Your bank blocked it. This happens a lot with government payments.

Insufficient funds - The money wasn't there when USCIS tried to process the ACH.

Wrong card details - A typo in the card number or expiration date.

ACH debit block - Your bank doesn't allow automatic withdrawals without prior authorization.

Foreign bank or card - USCIS only accepts U.S. banks and U.S.-issued cards.

If this happens, you have to start over. That means filling out new forms (since some are date-sensitive), including a new payment form, and mailing everything again. If fees went up in the meantime, you pay the new rate.

How to prevent payment rejections

These tips sound basic, but they'll save you from a lot of stress:

1. Call your bank before mailing. Seriously. Tell them the amount and that it's going to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Ask them to authorize it ahead of time.
2. Check your credit limit. Make sure you have enough room for the full fee.
3. Check your bank balance. If using ACH, make sure the funds are available. Don't assume. USCIS might not process your payment for a few days or even weeks after receiving your packet.
4. Remove any ACH blocks. Call your bank and ask if they block ACH debits. If so, have them allow transactions from government agencies.
5. Double-check every number. One wrong digit in your routing number or card number, and the payment fails.
6. Use the latest form version. Download G-1450 or G-1650 directly from uscis.gov right before you file. Using an old version can cause problems.
7. Sign the form. An unsigned payment form gets rejected.

Can someone else pay for you?

Yes. A family member, friend, employer, or even your attorney can pay on your behalf. The person paying fills out and signs the G-1450 or G-1650 with their own card or bank account information.

This is especially useful if you're outside the U.S. and don't have a U.S. bank account or card. Someone in the U.S. can handle the payment for you.

What if you can't afford the fee?

USCIS has two programs that can help:

Fee waiver (Form I-912)

If you qualify, USCIS waives the entire fee. You can qualify if:

• Your household income is at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines
• You receive means-tested benefits like Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, or TANF
• You're experiencing financial hardship due to medical expenses, job loss, or similar circumstances

Not all forms are eligible for fee waivers. You can use Form I-912 for forms like N-400, I-485, I-90, I-765 (in some cases), and others. Check the I-912 instructions for the full list.

You have to file by mail to request a fee waiver. Online filing doesn't support this.

For more details on naturalization costs and fee waiver options, check out our guide on N-400 costs explained.

Reduced fee (Form I-942)

If your household income is between 150% and 400% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, you might qualify for a reduced fee on Form N-400. Instead of $760, you'd pay $380.

Important warning about new fees

In July 2025, Congress passed legislation (H.R.-1, the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act") that created new fees on some immigration forms. These congressionally-mandated fees cannot be waived under any circumstances.

So if your form has both a regular USCIS fee and a new H.R.-1 fee, you can request a waiver of the USCIS portion but must still pay the H.R.-1 portion.

What if you can't pay electronically at all?

There's a narrow exception if you genuinely cannot make electronic payments. You can request permission to pay by check using Form G-1651 (Exemption for Paper Fee Payment).

You might qualify if:

• You don't have access to banking services or electronic payment systems
• Electronic payment would cause you undue hardship
• There are national security or law enforcement reasons (rare)

This isn't easy to get. USCIS expects most people to figure out electronic payments. But if you truly have no access to a bank account or card, Form G-1651 gives you a path forward.

If approved, you can pay with a personal check, business check, cashier's check, certified check, or money order.

Quick reference: Which form to use

How Immiva can help

Getting the payment right is just one piece of the puzzle. The forms themselves can be confusing, and a single mistake can delay your case by months.

Immiva helps you prepare your immigration forms the right way. Instead of staring at complicated USCIS instructions, you answer simple questions in plain English. Immiva fills in the actual forms for you, catches errors before you mail anything, and gives you a complete packet ready to send.

We support applications like N-400 for citizenship, I-539 for status changes, and work permits for H-4 and J-2 visa holders. You still handle the payment form yourself, but the hard part is done.

Final thoughts

Paying USCIS fees isn't complicated, but the stakes are high. A declined payment means your application gets rejected. You lose time. You might lose your filing window.

The electronic-only system is actually easier to deal with than the old paper check days. ACH and card payments process faster and you can track what happened more easily.

Just remember: call your bank, double-check your numbers, and keep copies of everything. Get the payment right, and that's one less thing to worry about while you wait for your case to move forward.