HOW MUCH DOES A MARRIAGE GREEN CARD COST?
When you apply for Green Card, you must complete and submit Form I-485, which is also known as the Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status. Along with this form, you must submit a payment called a filing fee. This payment must be submitted by mail with your completed Form I-485. Because these fees are subject to change, it is important to double-check with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) before sending your payment and application.
Marriage Green Card Cost and Fees Breakdown
| Government Fees | Applicant in U.S. | Applicant Abroad |
|---|---|---|
| Applicant in the U.S. | $535 | $535 |
| I-485 Green Card Application* | $1,140 | Not required |
| Affidavit of Support Fee | $0 | $120 |
| Biometrics Fee** | $85 | $0 |
| DOS Processing Fee | Not required | $325 |
| USCIS Immigrant Processing Fee | Not required | $220 |
| TOTAL*** | $1,760 | $1,200 |
*** U.S. government fees plus the required medical exam is approximately $1,960 (for a spouse in the U.S.) or $1,400 if a spouse is abroad, including the required medical exam.
Government Fee Exceptions
*Under 14 and filing with the I-485 application of at least one parent the fee is $750. **Applicants aged 79 years or older are not required to pay the Biometrics fee.
Miscellaneous Costs – Varies
Medical examination Read more
If a spouse lives in the U.S., he or she must use a USCIS-approved physician.
If a spouse lives abroad and is applying for an Immigrant visa abroad, he or she must complete (schedule and attend) their medical examinations with authorized physicians before their scheduled interview dates. The required medical examination from an approved physician approximately costs around $200.
Associated Costs
Locating, obtaining, and preparing supporting evidence: Along with the required fee you must submit supporting documents with your Form I-485. These may include but are not limited to immigration, court, bank, and tax records. You are responsible for any payment required to obtain the original document(s) or copies of these documents.
You must provide these documents to USCIS in the original language along with the English translation when applicable. You are responsible for paying for any translation services, which generally cost a few hundred dollars.
Travel Costs
You are responsible for paying for any train fare, bus fare, tolls, gasoline, airline tickets, or other transportation costs associated with the acquisition of the required supporting documents.
More Money Matters
Attorney’s Fees: The amount you will incur for legal costs associated with your application for Green Card will depend on several things. If your application is fairly straightforward, with minimal complications, you can expect to pay less for legal services. However, difficulties in completing the application, acquiring the supporting documents, or verifying your eligibility for Green Card will likely result in additional costs for these services.
How can I reduce these costs?
The simplest — but riskiest — way to cut the costs associated with your application for Green Card is to do everything yourself. On one hand, this means that you won’t incur any attorney fees. On the other hand, without the help of a qualified immigration attorney, you have greater chances of making serious mistakes that could delay the review of your application, or even result in its rejection. Your only recourse, in either case, would be to file an appeal, and you may end up hiring an immigration lawyer to help you with that in the long run anyhow.
If you really don’t want to hire an immigration attorney, or you really don’t think you can afford it, there is another option. Here at Zontlaw, we provide a service that allows you to do most of the paperwork yourself, and have one of our experienced immigration attorneys review the material before you send it to USCIS. Once you have sent the application to us for our review, the attorney assigned to your case will go over it thoroughly to identify any mistakes. If any are found, the attorney will then alert you about the problem, and let you know how to correct it before sending the application to USCIS. By using this approach, which is known as legal coaching, you will have peace of mind knowing that your application has been reviewed by an experienced immigration attorney without incurring significant legal costs.
How long does it take for the I-130 to be approved?
After filing Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, the approval process can take anywhere from 5-12 months for Immediate Relatives and could take several years for Family Preference Categories.
What happens after your I-130 gets approved?
After approval of an I-130, USCIS will send the file to the National Visa Center (NVC) and will coordinate the case transfer for consular processing in the U.S. consulate in the country where foreign relatives reside.
How much does it cost to file an I-130?
The filing fee for the I-130 petition is currently $535. You may pay the fee with a money order, personal check, or cashier’s check.
When I can file I-130 and Green Card Application at the same time?
When the Sponsor submits Form I-130 together with Form I-485 it’s known as “concurrent filing.” This type of adjustment is an option when there is an immediately available immigrant “visa number” and the immigrant entered and living in the U.S. in lawful status and is eligible to use adjustment of status as an application procedure.
Contact Attorney Igor Litvak
Call today for a consultation
The U.S. Green Card process is very complicated, so the best chance of success comes from working with an experienced immigration attorney. We are highly experienced in US immigration law. Our attorneys, translators, and support staff will work with you individually to give you the best chance of success possible. We know how difficult the Adjustment of Status process can be, and we will be with you every step of the way. Your citizenship or your residency status is something you should entrust to a professional. Call the top New York Immigration Attorneys toll-free at 1-888-ZONTLAW / 1-888-966-8529.
