Overview: Most employment-based green cards involve two USCIS filings: Form I-140 to classify the worker, and Form I-485 to adjust status. On paper, the base USCIS fees are $715 for the I-140 and $1,440 for the I-485, before an AsylumProtection granted to a person already in the United States or at a port of entry who meets the definition of a refugee and cannot safely return to their country.See it in the glossary Program Fee, optional Premium processingAn optional USCIS service, requested on Form I-907 with an additional fee, that sets a fixed time frame for USCIS to act on certain petitions and applications. Within that time USCIS must issue an approval, denial, request for evidence or notice of intent to deny, or open a fraud investigation. It speeds up when USCIS acts, not the standard the case must meet, and only some forms and categories are eligible.See it in the glossary, and add-on forms. The amounts below match the USCIS fee schedule edition dated September 9, 2026. This page covers USCIS fees only, because attorney, recruitment, and medical costs vary too much to quote.
Form I-140: the petition fee
The base fee is $715 on paper and $665 when filed online. Most PetitionerThe person or employer who files a petition on behalf of a beneficiary, such as a relative filing an I-130 or an employer filing an I-140.See it in the glossary also pay an Asylum Program Fee, added by the 2024 fee rule: $600 for most employers, $300 for small employers with 25 or fewer full-time equivalent employees, and $0 for nonprofits. Under USCIS guidance, individuals who self-petition as Extraordinary ability (EB-1A)The EB-1 category for people who can show sustained national or international acclaim, with achievements recognized in their field. The petition must include either a one-time major internationally recognized award or evidence meeting at least three of the criteria listed in 8 CFR 204.5(h)(3). No job offer or labor certification is required, and the person can file the Form I-140 on their own.See it in the glossary or EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW)A waiver of the job offer and labor certification requirement for certain EB-2 applicants. Under the Matter of Dhanasar framework, USCIS asks whether the proposed endeavor has substantial merit and national importance, whether the person is well positioned to advance it, and whether, on balance, it would benefit the United States to waive the job offer and labor certification requirements. Applicants can file the petition themselves.See it in the glossary pay the reduced $300.
On paper, that comes to $1,315 for most employers, $1,015 for small employers and self-petitioners, and $715 for nonprofits. The employer normally files and pays, except in the self-petition categories.
Premium processing (optional)
Premium processing is separate and optional. For Form I-140 it is $2,965 for requests postmarked on or after March 1, 2026, up from $2,805, whether the underlying petition is filed on paper or online. It applies to the I-140 only and does not speed up the later I-485.
Form I-485 and the add-ons
The I-485 fee is $1,440 on paper and $1,390 online, for applicants 14 and older. A child under 14 who files with a parent’s I-485 pays $950 on paper or $900 online. Each spouse and child files their own application.
The work permit (Form I-765) and travel document (Form I-131) are separate requests with their own fees, and both are optional. For someone with a pending I-485, the schedule lists $260 for the I-765 and $630 for the I-131. Filed together on paper with the I-485, that totals $2,330.
If the green card is processed abroad
Someone completing the process at a U.S. consulate does not file an I-485. After visa issuance they pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee, listed at $235. State Department visa fees are separate.
Quick reference
- Form I-140: $715 paper, $665 online. Base fee for EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 petitions.
- Asylum Program Fee: $600 most employers, $300 small employers and self-petitioners, $0 nonprofits.
- Premium processing (Form I-907): $2,965. Optional, I-140 only.
- Form I-485: $1,440 paper, $1,390 online. Children under 14 filing with a parent: $950 paper, $900 online.
- I-485 with I-765 and I-131: $2,330 on paper.
- USCIS Immigrant Fee: $235. Consular processingApplying for an immigrant visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad, as an alternative to adjustment of status inside the United States.See it in the glossary only.
What these figures leave out
They exclude attorney fees, PERM recruitment costs, translations, the civil surgeon’s medical exam, and State Department fees. The Department of Labor stages of PERM are separate from USCIS fees. EB-5 petitions and Special Immigrant Juvenile petitions use different forms with their own fee rules and are not covered here.
Check before you file
The base fees come from the April 2024 fee rule, and premium processing was adjusted in March 2026. USCIS updates its fee schedule and form editions from time to time, and it can reject a filing that uses an outdated form edition or the wrong amount. Check both on the USCIS site right before filing.