Ask three people what a green card costs and you get three numbers, because they are each describing a different path. The government fees are fixed and public. What changes is which forms your case needs, whether you file online, and what you add on. Filing alone, people overpay, or one wrong payment sends the whole package back. New American Hope prepares and submits your family green card forms for you: you give us your information, we complete the forms and list every fee that applies, and you confirm every answer before anything is filed. Here is the whole bill, for both routes.
The short answer: two paths, two totals
A family green card is either filed inside the United States (adjustment of status, Form I-485) or through a U.S. consulate abroad (consular processing). The petition, Form I-130, is the same for both. Everything after it differs, including the price.
| Path | Forms and fees | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Inside the U.S., filed online | I-130 $625 + I-485 $1,390 | $2,015 |
| Inside the U.S., filed on paper | I-130 $675 + I-485 $1,440 | $2,115 |
| Through a consulate, I-130 online | I-130 $625 + visa application $325 + Affidavit of Support review $120 + USCIS Immigrant Fee $235 | $1,305 |
| Through a consulate, I-130 on paper | I-130 $675 + $325 + $120 + $235 | $1,355 |
Consular processing is cheaper on paper, but the applicant is abroad for the whole wait and cannot work in the United States meanwhile. Adjustment costs more and comes with a work permit and travel document for a small extra fee. Which path fits is a family decision, not a fee decision; our guide to a green card through marriage walks through both.
Green card fees, form by form
These are the USCIS fees from Form G-1055, Edition 09/09/26, and the State Department’s published consular fees. Online filing is cheaper wherever it is offered.
| Form | What it is | Paper | Online |
|---|---|---|---|
| I-130 | Petition for a relative, filed by the U.S. citizen or resident | $675 | $625 |
| I-485 | Green card application inside the U.S., age 14 and over | $1,440 | $1,390 |
| I-485 | Child under 14 filing together with a parent | $950 | $900 |
| I-765 | Work permit, with an I-485 filed on or after 1 April 2024 pending (optional) | $260 | $260 |
| I-131 | Travel document while the I-485 is pending (optional) | $630 | $580 |
| I-864 | Affidavit of Support (USCIS charges nothing for it) | $0 | $0 |
| DS-260 | Immigrant visa application at the consulate (State Department) | $325 per applicant | |
| AOS review | Affidavit of Support review by the NVC (State Department) | $120 per case | |
| USCIS Immigrant Fee | Paid after the visa is issued; this produces the card | $235 | |
| I-693 | Medical exam and vaccinations by a civil surgeon or panel physician | No government fee; the doctor sets the price | |
Biometrics are included in the form fees since April 2024; there is no separate $85 charge any more. Consular fees are the State Department’s published amounts as of September 2026, rechecked by us before you pay. Our USCIS fee calculator totals the USCIS side for your own case.
What most families actually pay
For the families we file this for, the usual adjustment case looks like this: I-130 and I-485 filed together online, a work permit added because the spouse wants to work during the wait, and a travel document added because a trip home may come up. That is $625 + $1,390 + $260 + $580 = $2,855 to USCIS, plus the medical exam.
The medical exam is the one cost nobody can quote for you, because USCIS does not set it. Civil surgeons charge their own fee, and it rises if you need vaccinations or a repeat test. Ask for the all-in price before you book, and bring every vaccination record you have, including Pakistani ones with translations, so nothing is repeated.
Translations, certified copies from Pakistan, courier costs and passport photos add a little more. None of them is large; all of them are yours, not the government’s.
If your partner is coming on a fiance visa rather than as a spouse, the bill is different and larger; see our K-1 visa cost guide.
Not sure which lines apply to your family? A free green card consultation goes through the list with you in ten minutes, before any money moves.
Costs that come later
- Removing conditions, Form I-751: $750 paper / $700 online. If the marriage was under two years old at approval, the first card lasts two years and this filing is compulsory in the 90 days before it expires.
- Renewal, Form I-90: $465 paper / $415 online, every ten years for as long as you hold the card. Our guide to green card renewal covers the timing, and our walkthrough shows how to renew your green card online for the lower fee.
- Citizenship, Form N-400: $760 paper / $710 online, which ends the renewal cycle. Many residents are eligible after five years, or three if married to a citizen.
How to pay a green card fee
| Stage | Where it goes wrong | With New American Hope |
|---|---|---|
| Online filing | Paying by card or bank account before the form is right | You approve the form we complete, then pay; the receipt appears at once |
| Paper filing | Two forms’ fees in one payment, or one wrong amount, and USCIS rejects the whole package | Each form paid separately (Form G-1450 for a card, or a check or money order to “U.S. Department of Homeland Security”), checked before mailing |
| Consular fees | The $325 visa fee or $120 Affidavit of Support review missed | Once the I-130 is approved and the case reaches the NVC, you pay through its online portal; we tell you when |
| USCIS Immigrant Fee | Skipped, so the applicant arrives with a visa but no card in the post | We remind you to pay it online after the visa is stamped, before travel |
Reduced fees, waivers, and what you cannot skip
Family-based applicants rarely qualify for a waiver of the I-130 or I-485 fee; waivers exist mainly for humanitarian categories. What does help: the $260 work permit rate while an I-485 filed since April 2024 is pending (instead of $470 to $520), a $0 work permit for older pending I-485 cases filed before April 2024, and the lower I-485 fee for children under 14 filing with a parent. The USCIS Immigrant Fee is waived for some categories, but not for family immigrants.
Our fee is the one cost on top of the government’s. Every form here can be filed without a consultancy; what you pay us for is forms completed from your information, in your language, with someone tracking the case to cut the risk of a rejection. That fee is separate from every figure on this page and quoted in writing after a free consultation, never before.
Doing it yourself vs filing with New American Hope
| On your own | With New American Hope | |
|---|---|---|
| Forms and fees | You work out which forms and which fee rows apply | Completed by us from your information; you confirm every answer |
| Evidence | Collected and translated on your own | We gather and organise the supporting documents |
| If USCIS asks for more | You respond alone | We help you gather what is asked for, and refer you to an attorney if it needs legal argument |
| Your time | Research, payments and follow-up | A call and your documents |
| Language | English-only forms | English, Urdu or Punjabi |
| Cost | Government fees only | The same government fees plus our flat fee, quoted in writing first |
Mistakes that make a green card cost more
We check every one of these before anything is filed:
- Paying the paper fee when online was available. Up to $150 across a case, and the online receipt is instant.
- Filing the I-765 at the full rate when the pending-I-485 rate of $260 applies.
- Booking a medical exam without asking the price. The exam is the most variable cost in the whole process.
- A rejected package. USCIS returns it with the fee uncashed, but the form edition may have changed by the time you refile.
- Forgetting the USCIS Immigrant Fee on the consular path, then paying to chase a card that was never ordered.
- Missing the I-751 window on a two-year card, which turns a $700 filing into a much harder problem.
The verdict
A family green card costs roughly $2,000 to $2,900 in government fees inside the United States and about $1,300 through a consulate, plus a medical exam whose price you should ask for in advance. Those numbers are public and they do not move for anyone.
What moves is the cost of getting it wrong. Our marriage green card guide covers the process those fees pay for, and our guide to the I-130 and the I-485 explains why filing them together is usually the better buy. Rather not carry that risk alone? Start with a free consultation.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a green card cost in total?
As of September 2026, the government fees for a family green card are $2,015 online or $2,115 on paper inside the United States (Form I-130 plus Form I-485), and about $1,305 through a consulate (I-130, $325 visa application, $120 Affidavit of Support review and the $235 USCIS Immigrant Fee). A work permit adds $260 and a travel document $580 online. The medical exam is priced by the doctor.
What are the green card fees for a child?
A child under 14 who files Form I-485 together with a parent pays $950 on paper or $900 online instead of the adult $1,440 or $1,390. Each child still needs their own Form I-130 at $675 paper or $625 online. On the consular path, each applicant pays the $325 visa fee and the $235 USCIS Immigrant Fee; the $120 Affidavit of Support review is paid once per case.
How do I pay the green card fee?
Online filings are paid by card or bank account when the form is submitted. Paper filings pay each form separately with a check or money order to "U.S. Department of Homeland Security" or a card on Form G-1450. Consular fees are paid through the NVC portal, and the USCIS Immigrant Fee is paid online after the visa is issued. One incorrect fee causes the whole package to be rejected.
Is the medical exam included in the green card fee?
No. USCIS does not charge for Form I-693, but the civil surgeon who completes it sets their own price, and vaccinations or repeat tests add to it. It is the most variable cost in a green card case, so ask for the full price before booking and bring every existing vaccination record with a translation.
Can I get a fee waiver for a green card?
Rarely, for family-based cases. Fee waivers on the I-130 and I-485 are mostly limited to humanitarian categories. What most families can use is the reduced $260 work permit fee while an I-485 filed on or after 1 April 2024 is pending, the $0 work permit for older pending cases, and the lower I-485 fee for children under 14 filing with a parent.
Can New American Hope help me with my green card case?
Yes. New American Hope LLC is a bonded California immigration consultant, not an attorney, and does not give legal advice; it has helped families with US immigration paperwork for over 10 years. We complete green card forms (Form I-485 inside the USA or the consular package abroad) from our clients' information, together with the work permit and travel document forms, and organise the documents for the interview. The first consultation is free, in English, Urdu or Punjabi: call or WhatsApp +1 (530) 761-2830.
Disclaimer: New American Hope LLC is a private immigration consultancy, not a law firm, government agency, embassy, or consulate. We do not provide legal advice. Information in this article is for general guidance only and may change; always confirm current requirements, fees, and processing times with USCIS (uscis.gov) or the U.S. Department of State (travel.state.gov). Final decisions on any application are made solely by the relevant government authorities.
← Back to blog