On This Page
- Overview
- You may pay less than the full fee if
- Government fees by path
- Adjustment of status inside the United States
- Consular processing through Ciudad Juárez
- Fiancé(e) visas, removal of conditions and citizenship
- Fee waivers and $0 categories
- Attorney fees are separate
- Paying for the case
- How we build a cost estimate for your case
- What it costs and how long it takes
- Frequently Asked Questions
Overview
- Government fees for a family green card are lowest for a spouse interviewed in Ciudad Juárez and highest for adjustment of status with work and travel permits.
- Filing online lowers the fee for most USCIS family forms, and since October 28, 2025 USCIS takes payment only by card on Form G-1450 or by ACH.
- There has been no separate biometrics fee since April 1, 2024, and a work permit filed with the I-485 costs less than one filed on its own.
- A child under 14 filing the I-485 with a parent pays a reduced fee, but the standard family I-130 and I-485 cannot use an I-912 fee waiver.
- Filing fee
- $3,005
- Typical time
- 14 months to 4 years depending on the path
- Reviewed
- October 19, 2026
You may pay less than the full fee if
- You file online where USCIS allows it: the I-130 drops to $625, the I-485 to $1,390, the I-131 to $580, the I-751 to $700 and the N-400 to $710
- Your child under 14 files the I-485 together with yours: $950 on paper or $900 online instead of $1,440
- You file the I-765 work permit with your I-485 or while it is pending: $260 instead of the $520 standalone fee
- You are a VAWA self-petitioner: the I-360, the I-601A and the I-751 abuse waiver are all $0
- You are a service member or military family member: military parole in place on the I-131 is $0, and naturalization under INA 328 or 329 is $0
- Your household income is at or below 400% of the poverty guidelines: the N-400 drops to $380 on paper
- You qualify for a fee waiver on Form I-912 for a form that allows one, which the standard family I-130 and I-485 do not
Since April 1, 2024 there is no separate biometrics fee, and since October 28, 2025 USCIS does not accept paper checks or money orders. Pay by card on Form G-1450 or by ACH bank transfer. A filing that arrives with a check is rejected and must be sent again, and the original mailing date is lost.
Sound like your situation? Request a consultation or call 888-305-0261.
Government fees by path
The figures below are the USCIS fees from Form G-1055, edition 10/16/26, and the State Department fees on the review date. The fee schedule in force is still the April 1, 2024 rule; no later rule has changed family-based form fees. The only new charges since then are the statutory fees added by the July 2025 reconciliation law, which touch family cases only through parole.
| Path | Government forms and fees | Total government fees |
|---|---|---|
| Spouse, parent or child of a U.S. citizen, adjustment of status in the U.S. | I-130 $675 + I-485 $1,440 + I-765 $260 + I-131 $630 | $3,005 (paper); $2,855 online |
| Spouse, parent or child of a U.S. citizen, consular processing in Ciudad Juárez | I-130 $675 + DS-260 $325 + I-864 review $120 + medical exam + USCIS immigrant fee $235 | $1,355 + medical exam (US$323 + 16% tax for adults) |
| Consular processing with an I-601A provisional waiver | Consular path above + I-601A $795 | $2,150 + medical exam |
| K-1 fiancé(e) visa, then green card | I-129F $675 + K visa fee (see State Department fee page) + I-485 $1,440 after marriage | $2,115 + K visa fee + medical exam |
| Removal of conditions on a two-year green card | I-751 $750 (paper) / $700 (online) | $750 |
| Naturalization | N-400 $760 (paper) / $710 (online); $380 reduced fee; $0 for military | $760 |
Adjustment of status inside the United States
A spouse who entered with a visa and is adjusting in El Paso, San Antonio, Jackson or Gulfport usually files the I-130 and I-485 together; the I-485 fee includes biometrics. The I-765 work permit is $260 when filed with or during a pending I-485 filed on or after April 1, 2024. The I-131 advance parole has no bundle discount: $630 on paper, $580 online. Families who skip the I-131 because the applicant does not need to travel, or the I-765 because they already hold work authorization, bring the total down to about $2,115.
Consular processing through Ciudad Juárez
Consular cases pay USCIS only for the I-130 and, at the end, the $235 immigrant fee that produces the green card. The National Visa Center collects $325 per applicant for the DS-260 and $120 per case for the affidavit of support review. The medical exam at the Juárez panel clinics is US$323 for applicants 15 and older, US$231 for ages 2 to 14 and US$175 under 2, plus 16% tax. An applicant with more than 180 days of unlawful presence adds the I-601A at $795; a standard I-601 after the interview is $1,050, and the I-212 after a removal order is $1,175.
Fiancé(e) visas, removal of conditions and citizenship
The K-1 path has two USCIS fees, the I-129F at $675 and the I-485 at $1,440 after the marriage, plus the State Department K visa fee, which was not part of this review; check the current State Department fee page. The I-751 is $750 on paper or $700 online, and $0 for a spouse filing a battery or extreme-cruelty waiver. The N-400 is $760 on paper, $710 online, $380 for households at or below 400% of the poverty guidelines (paper only), and $0 for service members and veterans under INA 328 or 329.
Fee waivers and $0 categories
Form I-912 fee waivers exist for some forms and applicants, mainly survivors and humanitarian categories, but not for a standard family I-130 or I-485. The $0 filings that matter most in family cases are the VAWA self-petition on Form I-360, the I-601A and I-751 abuse waiver for VAWA self-petitioners, the I-131 for military parole in place, and the I-864 itself at USCIS.
Attorney fees are separate
The figures on this page are government fees only. Attorney fees are discussed at the consultation, once we know what the case requires: a clean immediate-relative adjustment with a lawful entry and no history is the simplest, and a waiver with its hardship evidence, a prior removal order that needs an I-212, immigration court history that must be closed first, criminal records that need certified dispositions, or a case that was already denied once each add work. We do not publish fees.
Paying for the case
USCIS accepts credit or debit cards on Form G-1450 and ACH bank transfers; it no longer accepts checks or money orders. NVC fees are paid online, and the panel clinics take cash or Visa and MasterCard. Government fees are due when each form is filed and cannot be spread out. Attorney fees and their timing are discussed at the consultation.
How we build a cost estimate for your case
Identify the path
At the consultation we determine whether the case is adjustment of status, consular processing, K-1 or a follow-on filing, because that decides which government fees apply.
Check for waivers and extra filings
We review entries, departures, prior petitions and records for anything that adds an I-601A, I-601, I-212 or I-864 joint sponsor to the case.
Apply discounts and $0 categories
We confirm online-filing eligibility, child and military rules, the reduced N-400 fee and any $0 category before quoting.
Explain the attorney fee
We explain the attorney fee for the defined scope and what would change it, such as a request for evidence that requires new evidence.
Schedule the government fees
We tell you when each fee is due, from the I-130 at filing to the $235 immigrant fee after the visa, so there are no surprises mid-case.
What it costs and how long it takes
Government fees and processing times as published on October 19, 2026. We re-check them every quarter.
| Spouse of a U.S. citizen, adjustment of statusI-130 $675 + I-485 $1,440 + I-765 $260 + I-131 $630, paper filing | $3,005 |
|---|---|
| Spouse of a U.S. citizen, consular processing in JuárezI-130 $675 + DS-260 $325 + I-864 review $120 + USCIS immigrant fee $235 | $1,355 + medical exam |
| Consular processing with an I-601A waiverAdds the $795 I-601A fee | $2,150 + medical exam |
| K-1 fiancé(e) visa through the green cardI-129F $675 + I-485 $1,440; see State Department fee page for the K visa fee | $2,115 + K visa fee |
| Removal of conditions (I-751) | $750 paper / $700 online |
| Naturalization (N-400)$380 reduced fee at or below 400% FPL; $0 for military | $760 paper / $710 online |
| Attorney fee | Discussed at the consultation |
USCIS fees are from Form G-1055, edition 10/16/26; State Department fees from the fees page on the review date. The K visa fee was not reviewed.
| I-130, and I-485 with I-765 and I-131 if adjustingCard or ACH only | at filing |
|---|---|
| DS-260 and I-864 review fees (consular cases)About 25 months after filing on the review date | after I-130 approval, at the NVC stage |
| I-601A fee, if a waiver is needed | when the waiver is filed, after the NVC fees |
| Medical exam | days before the interview |
| USCIS immigrant fee | after the visa is issued, before entry |
| Total, petition to green cardGovernment outlay of $1,355 to $3,005 plus the medical exam, spread over that time | 14 months to 4 years depending on the path |
Timing follows the posted USCIS and NVC processing times on the review date; see the timeline page for the stage-by-stage ranges.
Government fees are set by USCIS and the Department of State and change without notice; the figures here are the published amounts on the review date. Attorney fees are quoted after a consultation and depend on the facts of the case. Processing times are agency estimates, not guarantees.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to get a green card through marriage in 2026?
Government fees total $3,005 for adjustment of status inside the United States with a work permit and advance parole ($2,855 filing online), or $1,355 plus the medical exam for consular processing through Ciudad Juárez. Attorney fees are separate and discussed at the consultation.
How much is the I-130 fee in 2026?
$675 on paper or $625 filed online. The fee has not changed since the April 1, 2024 fee rule.
How much is the I-485 fee in 2026?
$1,440 on paper or $1,390 online for applicants 14 and older, and the fee includes biometrics. A child under 14 filing with a parent's I-485 pays $950 on paper or $900 online.
Is there a separate biometrics fee?
No. Since April 1, 2024 the biometrics cost is built into the I-485, N-400, I-751, I-765, I-131 and I-90 fees. The only separate $30 biometrics lines left apply to immigration-court forms and TPS re-registration.
Can I pay USCIS with a check or money order?
No. For filings on or after October 28, 2025, USCIS accepts only credit or debit card payment on Form G-1450 or ACH bank transfer. A package that arrives with a check is rejected.
How much does the I-601A waiver cost?
$795, paid to USCIS, with no separate biometrics fee. VAWA self-petitioners and special immigrant juveniles pay $0. The standard I-601 waiver is $1,050 and the I-212 is $1,175.
How much does a K-1 visa cost in 2026?
The USCIS I-129F petition is $675, and the I-485 after the marriage is $1,440. The State Department charges a separate K visa application fee at the embassy in Mexico City; check the State Department fee page for the current amount. The medical exam is extra.
How much does it cost to remove conditions on a green card?
The I-751 is $750 on paper or $700 online, with no separate biometrics fee. A spouse filing on the basis of battery or extreme cruelty pays $0.
How much does citizenship cost in 2026?
The N-400 is $760 on paper or $710 online. Applicants with household income at or below 400% of the poverty guidelines pay $380 on paper, and service members and veterans applying under INA 328 or 329 pay nothing.
Can I get a fee waiver for my green card?
Usually not for a standard family case. Form I-912 fee waivers cover some forms and categories, mainly survivors and humanitarian applicants, and the family I-130 and I-485 are not among them. VAWA self-petitioners pay $0 on the I-360, I-601A and I-751 waiver.
How much do immigration lawyers charge for a family petition?
Attorney fees are separate from the government fees on this page and are discussed at the consultation, based on the work the case needs: a simple adjustment involves less work than a consular case with a waiver, a prior removal, court history or criminal records. We do not publish fees.
Every case is different — these answers are general information, not legal advice about your situation. For advice about your case, call 888-305-0261 or request a consultation.