USCIS Immigrant Fee: Amount, Payment Process, and Green Card Guide

The USCIS immigrant fee is a one-time charge that most people pay after a U.S. consulate approves their immigrant visa. USCIS uses it to process your immigrant visa packet and produce your Permanent Resident Card, commonly called a green card. It is separate from the fees you paid to the Department of State and from any petition fee your sponsor paid. This guide explains the current amount, who pays, how to pay online, what to keep as proof, and what happens next.

What Is the USCIS Immigrant Fee?

The USCIS immigrant fee is a payment to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services that covers processing your immigrant visa packet and producing your green card. USCIS states that you will not receive your green card until the fee is paid.

It helps to separate this charge from others you may have met along the way:

• Petition fees (such as for Form I-130 or I-140) are paid by your sponsor to USCIS to start the case.
• Immigrant visa application fees are paid to the Department of State for consular processing.
• The USCIS immigrant fee comes last. You can pay it only once you hold an immigrant visa, because it requires information from your visa packet.

It generally applies to people who are immigrating to the United States as lawful permanent residents with an immigrant visa issued abroad. It does not apply to people who adjust status inside the United States by filing Form I-485. They pay different fees.

What Is the USCIS Immigrant Fee Amount?

The USCIS immigrant fee is $235 per person. This figure appears in the USCIS Fee Schedule (Form G-1055), edition dated October 26, 2026, which we checked on November 4, 2026. USCIS adopted the $235 amount in its fee rule that took effect April 1, 2024.

Fees can change, and USCIS updates its fee schedule from time to time. Before you pay, confirm the figure on the official USCIS Immigrant Fee page and the current Form G-1055.

The $235 covers only the USCIS charge. It does not include:

• Department of State immigrant visa fees
• Your sponsor’s petition filing fee
• Medical exam costs
• Any fee to replace a lost or damaged green card later (Form I-90)

Who Needs to Pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee?

Anyone immigrating to the United States as a lawful permanent resident with an immigrant visa generally must pay the fee, unless they fall into an exempt group. That includes spouses, children, parents, and siblings of U.S. citizens and permanent residents, employment-based immigrants, and diversity visa winners who receive immigrant visas abroad.

USCIS lists these groups as not required to pay:

• Children entering under the orphan or Hague adoption programs
• Iraqi and Afghan special immigrants
• Returning lawful permanent residents (SB-1 returning resident visa holders)
• K nonimmigrants, such as fiancé(e) visa holders

USCIS previously listed other Afghan nationals as exempt only through September 30, 2024, so that group should not be treated as currently exempt without checking the current page. The Department of State generally tells you if you are exempt, but confirm with the consulate if you are unsure.

An exemption is not the same as a waiver, which we cover below.

How to Pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee Online

You pay the USCIS immigrant fee online through the official USCIS website, which sends you to Pay.gov to complete payment. USCIS accepts credit and debit cards. You cannot mail the fee, and no other website is authorized to collect it.

What you need before you start

Gather these items from your immigrant visa packet and the instructions the consulate gave you:

• Your A-Number (the letter “A” followed by numbers, also shown as the registration number on your visa)
• Your DOS Case ID (three letters followed by numbers)
• Your name and date of birth as they appear on your visa
• The U.S. mailing address where you want your green card sent
• A credit or debit card with enough available funds

Write down your A-Number and DOS Case ID before you travel. The sealed visa packet is handed to the border officer when you arrive, and you will want those numbers afterward.

Step-by-step payment process

1. Go to the official USCIS Immigrant Fee page at uscis.gov and select the option to pay the fee. Start from uscis.gov rather than a search ad or third-party site.
2. Enter the immigrant’s information as requested, including A-Number, DOS Case ID, and the U.S. mailing address.
3. Add each person who is paying a fee. The system lets you add more than one immigrant in a single session and shows the entries for review.
4. Review every entry carefully for spelling, numbers, and address.
5. Continue to Pay.gov, the U.S. Treasury’s payment site, and enter your card information.
6. Submit the payment and save the confirmation page, including any receipt number shown.

If someone else pays for you

USCIS allows a family member, friend, employer, attorney, or accredited representative to pay on your behalf. The payer needs your A-Number and DOS Case ID. Only you, as the immigrant, can create a USCIS online account and complete identity verification, so ask the payer to send you the confirmation details.

USCIS Immigrant Fee Deadline: When Should You Pay?

USCIS strongly encourages you to pay after you pick up your immigrant visa and before you leave for the United States. There is no single published calendar deadline, such as “X days before travel,” in the official guidance we reviewed.

You also have another option. USCIS says you may pay after you arrive. If you do, USCIS will send you a notice requesting payment with instructions. If you do not pay within the time stated in that notice, you will not receive your green card.

What does paying late actually do? Based on USCIS guidance, it delays your green card because production waits for the fee. USCIS has not described a late payment as affecting your permission to enter or live in the United States, but you should confirm your own situation with a qualified professional if you have concerns.

Paying before travel is usually simplest. It avoids a gap between arrival and card production.

USCIS Immigrant Fee Receipt and Payment Confirmation

After you pay, you receive a confirmation page with a receipt number that begins with the letters “IOE.” Save it right away. Take a screenshot, print the page to PDF, and store a copy in your travel documents and email.

Keep in mind:

• USCIS has said it cannot reissue receipt numbers by email, so a lost number can be hard to recover.
• Your card issuer’s statement can serve as secondary evidence of payment.
• A payment confirmation is proof that you paid. It is not a green card, and it does not replace your immigrant visa or your admission stamp.

You can create a USCIS online account after verifying your identity, but you do not need an account to pay the fee.

USCIS Immigrant Fee Processing Time and Green Card Delivery

USCIS says you should receive your green card within 90 days of entering the United States or within 90 days after USCIS receives your fee, whichever happens later. Treat that as a guideline from USCIS rather than a guarantee.

Two separate things happen after you pay:

1. Payment is received and matched. USCIS links your payment to your immigrant visa record.
2. Your card is produced and mailed. This begins only after you are admitted as a permanent resident and USCIS has verified payment.

USCIS mails the card to the most recent U.S. address on file, so make sure that address is current. You can track your case with the USCIS Case Status Online tool using your IOE receipt number, or through your USCIS online account if you created one.

If you do not receive your card within 90 days under the rule above, submit the USCIS online help request or contact USCIS through your account.

USCIS Immigrant Fee for Family Members

Each person immigrating on an immigrant visa generally pays their own $235 fee, including children, unless that person is exempt. Every applicant has an individual A-Number and DOS Case ID, so the fee attaches to each person’s record rather than to the household.

This applies whether family members travel together or separately:

• Accompanying family members who receive visas at the same time each need a separate payment, though you can enter them together in the online system.
• Following-to-join family members who receive their visas later pay when they get their own visa and case information.
• Exempt family members, such as a child entering through the orphan or Hague adoption programs, do not pay, but their siblings or parents on separate immigrant visas still do.

Is There a USCIS Immigrant Fee Waiver?

In the official sources we reviewed, USCIS does not offer a fee waiver for the immigrant fee. Many other USCIS forms allow a waiver request on Form I-912, but the immigrant fee is not listed that way on the fee schedule, which tells people to pay it online.

The difference between a waiver and an exemption matters:

• Exemption: A category of people who do not owe the fee at all, such as certain adopted children or Iraqi and Afghan special immigrants.
• Waiver: A request by someone who owes the fee but cannot afford it, which USCIS may approve.

If you cannot pay yourself, another person may pay for you. That is the practical option USCIS describes. If you believe you qualify for an exemption, confirm with the Department of State or the USCIS page before paying.

Can You Get a USCIS Immigrant Fee Refund?

USCIS fees are generally non-refundable. The USCIS Policy Manual states that fees are generally non-refundable and that a person who believes they are entitled to a refund should contact the USCIS Contact Center or submit a written refund request to the responsible office.

We did not find USCIS guidance describing a refund process specific to the immigrant fee, so we cannot say how a particular request would be handled. A refund request is also different from fixing a mistake. If you entered a wrong detail, such as an address, ask USCIS to correct it rather than assuming you must pay again. Refunds are not guaranteed.

Common USCIS Immigrant Fee Payment Problems

Most issues fall into a few patterns. Here are practical next steps based on USCIS guidance:

• Wrong A-Number, DOS Case ID, or address. Contact USCIS through the Need Help page promptly with your confirmation details. Do not simply pay again.
• Payment declined or did not go through. Check with your card issuer and retry through the official site. Make sure the funds are available before resubmitting.
• Possible duplicate payment. Save both confirmations and contact USCIS before paying a third time. Whether a refund applies is for USCIS to decide.
• Lost receipt number. Look in your email, browser history, and card statement. Contact USCIS for assistance, noting that they may be unable to resend it by email.
• Green card has not arrived. If 90 days have passed under the rule above, check your address, confirm payment, and submit a help request.
• Case Status Online does not show your case. Make sure you are using the IOE number and entering it exactly. If the tool still shows nothing, contact USCIS.

If your situation involves complications beyond these, such as a name mismatch or a problem at entry, consider speaking with an immigration attorney.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the USCIS immigrant fee?

The USCIS immigrant fee is a one-time payment that most people with an immigrant visa make to USCIS. It covers processing the visa packet and producing the green card. USCIS will not send the card until the fee is paid. It is separate from Department of State visa fees and petition fees.

How much is the USCIS immigrant fee?

As of November 4, 2026, the fee is $235 per person according to the USCIS Fee Schedule (Form G-1055). The amount can change, so check the official USCIS Immigrant Fee page before you pay. Each immigrant pays separately unless exempt, and the fee is not part of the Department of State visa fees.

How do I pay the USCIS immigrant fee online?

Start at the official USCIS Immigrant Fee page and enter the immigrant’s A-Number, DOS Case ID, and U.S. mailing address. Review the entries, continue to Pay.gov, and pay by credit or debit card. Save the confirmation page and receipt number. The fee cannot be paid by mail.

When should I pay the USCIS immigrant fee?

USCIS strongly encourages paying after you pick up your immigrant visa and before you leave for the United States. You may pay after arrival, but USCIS will send a notice with a payment deadline, and your green card will not be produced until the fee is received.

Does each family member need to pay the immigrant fee?

Generally yes. Each person immigrating on an immigrant visa has a separate A-Number and DOS Case ID and pays their own fee, unless exempt. That includes children. Family members who travel later pay when they receive their own visas. Exempt categories, such as certain adopted children, pay nothing.

How can I check my USCIS immigrant fee status?

Use the USCIS Case Status Online tool with the IOE receipt number from your payment confirmation. If you created a USCIS online account, you can also check the status of your green card there. If the tool shows no result or something looks wrong, submit a help request to USCIS.

How do I get my USCIS immigrant fee receipt?

The receipt number appears on the confirmation page right after you pay, so save it then. Take a screenshot or save the page as a PDF. USCIS has said it cannot email receipt numbers, so if you lose it, contact USCIS for guidance and keep your card statement as backup.

How long does it take to receive a green card after paying the fee?

USCIS says you should receive your green card within 90 days of entering the United States or within 90 days after it receives your fee, whichever is later. This is a guideline, not a guarantee. If 90 days pass, submit an inquiry through the USCIS help form or your online account.

Can I get a refund for the USCIS immigrant fee?

USCIS fees are generally non-refundable, according to the USCIS Policy Manual. Anyone who believes they are owed a refund can contact the USCIS Contact Center or submit a written request. We found no refund process specific to the immigrant fee, and refunds are not guaranteed.

Is the USCIS immigrant fee refundable or waivable?

In the sources we reviewed, the fee is generally non-refundable and USCIS does not offer a waiver for it. Certain groups are exempt from owing it, such as children adopted through the orphan or Hague programs and Iraqi and Afghan special immigrants. An exemption is different from a waiver.

Conclusion

The process comes down to a few steps. Confirm you owe the USCIS immigrant fee, collect your A-Number and DOS Case ID, pay only through the official USCIS site, and save your receipt number. Then keep your U.S. address current and watch for your green card, which USCIS expects within 90 days of your entry or payment, whichever is later.

Every immigration case has its own details, and a payment mistake or an unusual family situation can be stressful. If you have questions about your own circumstances, the team at Orange Law, including attorney Karan Joshi, can talk through your situation in a consultation. This article is general information, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Orange Law is not affiliated with or endorsed by USCIS.