How to Avoid Rejection of your USCIS Application Due to Filing Fee Errors
Filing fee errors when submitting your USCIS application or petition can lead to delays or rejection. Taking a few extra minutes to review your payment can save you time, money, and frustration!
Double-Check the Correct Filing Fee Amount:
Fees may change periodically, so always check the correct filing fee amount before you file by reviewing https://www.uscis.gov/g-1055.
Use the official USCIS Fee Calculator to calculate your fees.
Use the Correct Payment Method:
Check:
The check may be a personal, business, certified check, or cashier’s check from a U.S. financial institution.
Money Order:
Obtain from a trusted source like USPS, a bank, or a grocery store.
Credit Card, Debit Card, or Pre-Paid Card:
Complete and sign Form G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions.
USCIS accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, and prepaid cards from the same card networks.
Make sure the card limit covers the fee.
USCIS does not accept payment by gift cards.
If Paying by Check or Money Order:
Ensure checks and money orders are made payable to “U.S. Department of Homeland Security” (Do not abbreviate to “USDHS” or “DHS”).
Write a brief description of the payment purpose in the memo line (e.g., “N-400 application”). If the check is not in the applicant’s name, write the applicant’s name on the memo line as well.
Date the check for the day it’s written. Use the U.S. format of month/day/year. Write the month out to avoid confusion with date formats. For example: “January 15, 2025”.
Ensure you are using the correct year, especially early in the year, as it’s easy to mistakenly write the previous year.
The check or money order must be dated within the previous 365 days of filing.
Include the correct amount in both numerical and written forms.
Ensure signatures are legible and completed by the account holder.
Ensure that payments are made in U.S. dollars and that the check or money order is drawn from a U.S.- based account, as USCIS will not accept checks or money orders issued by a foreign bank.
If Paying by Credit Card, Debit Card, or Pre-Paid Card:
Fill out all sections accurately, including card details, billing address, and payment amount.
Place Form G-1450 on top of your application, petition, or request when filing.
USCIS will reject your application, petition, or request if the card is declined and will not attempt to process the payment again.
Multiple/Combined Applications
If submitting multiple forms, pay each filing fee separately.
Each application, petition or request must be paid with a single payment method (e.g., check, bank draft, money order, or card). Do not split a single fee between multiple payment types (e.g., half by check, half by card)
If you are paying by credit card, submit a separate Form G-1450 for each application, petition, or request that you submit. You may pay both the filing fee and biometric services fee with the same Form G-1450.
Avoid Common Bank Issues and Scams:
Ensure sufficient funds are available to prevent bounced checks.
Notify your bank or credit card company in advance of large payments to “U.S. Department of Homeland Security” to avoid a flagged or declined transaction.
If you are paying online by card or bank account, you will be redirected to the U.S. Department of Treasury’s website, www.pay.gov. Ensure you are on the official site before making a payment.