A 2026 guide to USCIS filing fees for Miami families — I-130, I-485, I-765, N-400, I-90 and more. Call (305) 315-3425.
Reviewed by Ekaterina Fitenko, Esq. — Florida Bar #1064536. With 20+ years of experience in the legal field (Florida Bar licensed since 2025), she helps families, workers, and future citizens across Miami and South Florida plan and pay for their immigration cases correctly the first time.
For most families in Miami, the government filing fee is not a footnote — it is a real line in a household budget, sometimes several thousand dollars paid at a single moment. USCIS is largely funded by the fees applicants pay, and the current schedule reflects a major restructuring that took effect in 2024 and remains in force. The fee schedule in use as of mid-2026 is Form G-1055, Edition 05/29/26, and it is the document that controls exactly what you must send with your petition. Send a dollar less than the listed amount and USCIS can reject the entire package and mail it back, costing you weeks — and, when a deadline is involved, sometimes far more than weeks.
This article walks through the fees that matter most to the families, workers, and future citizens we serve across South Florida. Every figure below is drawn from the official schedule current in mid-2026, but fees do change, and USCIS periodically issues new editions. Before you write a single check or enter a card number, confirm the amount for your specific form and category on the official USCIS Fee Calculator or the full G-1055 fee schedule. Treat the numbers here as a planning guide, not the final word for your case.
Here is where the most common cases stand in 2026. Notice that many forms now carry two prices — a lower one if you file online through a myUSCIS account and a higher one if you mail paper. That split is the single most important fee concept for 2026, and we return to it below.
The Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative — the foundation of nearly every marriage and family green card — is $625 filed online or $675 by paper. The Form I-129F fiancé(e) petition that launches a K-1 case is $675. If you are weighing which family path fits your situation, our guide comparing the K-1 fiancé visa and the CR-1 spousal visa explains how the filing route changes both the cost and the timeline.
The Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status — the green card application filed from inside the United States — is $1,440, and under the current schedule that fee includes biometric services for most applicants rather than a separate biometrics charge. This is the largest single fee most families in a marriage-based or family case will pay, and it is the centerpiece of the concurrent "bundle" we break down later. For the mechanics of the application itself, see our complete guide to adjustment of status.
The Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization (the work permit, or EAD) has a general fee of $470 online or $520 by paper. There is an important discount: if your I-765 is based on a pending I-485 filed on or after April 1, 2024, the fee drops to $260. A few specialized categories — for example, F-1 student OPT and STEM-OPT — carry a much higher, separate fee, so students should confirm their exact category. Our work permit guide covers eligibility and timing. The Form I-131 travel document (advance parole) carries its own fee that varies by category — confirm yours on the fee calculator, because the amount when filed alongside a pending green card application is a frequent point of confusion.
The Form N-400, Application for Naturalization is $710 online or $760 by paper. Replacing or renewing a green card with Form I-90 costs $415 online or $465 by paper. A Form N-600 Certificate of Citizenship is $1,335 online or $1,385 by paper. If naturalization is on your horizon, our 2026 Miami naturalization guide lays out eligibility, the test, and what to expect at the interview.
Removing conditions on a two-year green card with Form I-751 is $700 online or $750 by paper. Extending or changing nonimmigrant status with Form I-539 is $420 online or $470 by paper. For Temporary Protected Status applicants — a large community in Doral and across Miami-Dade — the Form I-821 initial-registration fee is, as of the current schedule, $510; because TPS designations and fees shift with policy, confirm the current figure for your country before filing. And a welcome constant: the Form I-864 Affidavit of Support filed with USCIS carries no fee.
The defining feature of the current fee structure is that USCIS rewards online filing. On many core forms — I-130, I-765, N-400, I-90, I-539, N-600 and others — filing electronically through a free myUSCIS account saves $50 per form compared with paper. For a family filing two or three forms, that adds up quickly, and the savings are real money you keep.
There are limits. Not every form is available for online filing, and some cases genuinely belong on paper — for instance, when you must submit a complex, heavily documented record, or when a form in your package can only be filed by mail and USCIS asks you to keep the family's filings together. The discount is a reason to prefer online filing, not a reason to force a case online that does not belong there. A short conversation about your specific mix of forms usually settles which route is both cheaper and safer.
Most marriage-based cases we handle in Miami are filed as a "concurrent" package: the I-130 petition, the I-485 green card application, and usually a work permit and a travel document, all mailed together. The headline number surprises people, so it helps to see it built up piece by piece.
A typical concurrent adjustment package looks like this: I-130 at $675 (paper, because these are usually mailed together) + I-485 at $1,440 (biometrics included) + I-765 at $260 (the reduced rate for a work permit based on the pending I-485) + an I-131 travel document fee. That places a common marriage-based filing in the low-to-mid $2,000s in government fees alone. Because the exact I-131 amount and any category-specific quirks can move the total, always price your specific package on the fee calculator before mailing. Our overview of adjustment of status versus consular processing also explains how choosing the consular route shifts these costs to the National Visa Center and Department of State instead.
One practical note that saves families money and heartache: file the work permit and travel document together with the I-485 when you can, so the ancillary fees are folded in and you are not paying to file separately later. Sequencing matters, and it is one of the first things we map out with a client.
Beyond the base filing fee, two optional or bundled costs come up constantly. The first is biometrics. Under the current schedule, most family and green card forms fold the biometric-services cost into the base fee rather than charging it separately, which is a change many people who filed years ago do not expect. The second is premium processing, USCIS's paid service to speed up adjudication on eligible forms. Premium processing does not change whether your case is approved — it only shortens the clock — and its fee is separate from and on top of the regular filing fee. Because the premium-processing fee is indexed and updated on its own timeline, we cover the current amount and which forms qualify in a dedicated post: the 2026 USCIS premium processing fee. Confirm that figure separately, because it moves independently of the general schedule.
If the numbers above feel out of reach, do not assume the door is closed. USCIS allows a fee waiver through Form I-912 for many humanitarian and family-based forms — including N-400, I-90, certain I-765 and I-485 categories, and others — when your household income is at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, when you receive a means-tested benefit, or when you can show financial hardship. Some forms also carry reduced-fee options for households modestly above that line. Approval is not automatic, and the request must be documented properly, but for many families in South Florida a well-prepared I-912 is the difference between filing now and waiting years. Whether a waiver applies to your particular mix of forms is exactly the kind of question worth resolving before you file.
The most painful fee problems are not about affording the fee — they are avoidable clerical errors. As an immigration lawyer in Miami, I see the same rejections repeat: paying the old amount after a fee edition changed; sending a personal check that bounces; combining fees for multiple forms into a single check when USCIS wants them separated; forgetting the reduced I-765 rate and overpaying; or filing online while mailing the wrong fee for the paper components of a mixed package. Any of these can trigger a rejection notice weeks later, and if that delay pushes you past a deadline — a conditional card's expiration, a visa-bulletin window, a status that is running out — the cost is measured in far more than dollars.
Two habits prevent nearly all of it. First, confirm every fee on the official calculator on the day you file, not the week you started the forms. Second, if your case involves multiple forms or a deadline, have a second set of experienced eyes verify the payment page before anything goes in the mail. If a case is delayed by something entirely different — a Request for Evidence — our guide on how to respond to a USCIS RFE in 2026 walks through that separate challenge.
Government fees are only one part of the true cost of an immigration case, and it helps to see the whole picture before you begin. Beyond the USCIS filing fee, families in Miami typically budget for the required medical examination by a USCIS-approved civil surgeon, certified translations of foreign-language documents (common in our heavily Russian-, Ukrainian-, and Spanish-speaking community), obtaining vital records from abroad, and, where they choose it, attorney fees for guidance and representation. None of these is a USCIS fee, but all of them are real, and the smartest thing you can do at the start is map them out so nothing surprises you halfway through.
This is also where good planning pays for itself. Choosing the right filing route, capturing every online discount, avoiding a rejection, and sequencing ancillary forms correctly can easily offset the cost of getting sound advice up front. For a broader view of what quality representation looks like and how to evaluate it, our pillar guide on how to choose an immigration lawyer in Miami in 2026 is a useful companion to this fee breakdown.
At Fitenko Law PLLC, based in Hallandale Beach and serving Miami and South Florida, we treat the fee schedule as part of the strategy, not an afterthought. When you engage us, we price your specific package against the current schedule, tell you which forms belong online versus paper, capture every discount and reduced-fee option you qualify for, screen you for a fee waiver where it applies, and sequence your filings so you are never paying twice for something you could have bundled. That planning is a core part of our family-based immigration work and our broader USCIS case strategy practice.
As a Miami immigration attorney, I handle these cases personally and explain every dollar in plain language — often in Russian, Ukrainian, or Spanish for the families who prefer it. If you want a clear, itemized picture of what your case will cost the government and how to avoid the errors that waste money and time, the right next step is a focused conversation.
To get started, schedule a paid strategy session — $200 for 20 minutes, credited toward your retainer if you engage us. In that session we review your filings, price them against the 2026 schedule, and flag any discounts or waivers you should be using. Call (305) 315-3425, email fitenkolaw@gmail.com, or reach us through our contact page. You can also learn more about the firm and about me on our about page.
This article is general information about USCIS fees as of mid-2026 and is not legal advice. Fees change, and the amount that applies to your case depends on your specific forms and category. Always confirm current figures on the official USCIS Fee Calculator and consult a licensed attorney about your situation before filing.
The initial strategy session is a paid consultation of $200 for 20 minutes, and that amount is credited toward your retainer if you decide to hire the firm. In that session we review your intended filings, price them against the current 2026 USCIS fee schedule, identify online-filing discounts and any fee waiver you may qualify for, and outline your next steps. To schedule, call (305) 315-3425 or email fitenkolaw@gmail.com. Paying for focused attorney time means you leave with a concrete plan and an accurate budget rather than a rough guess.
As of the current fee schedule, the Form I-130 Petition for Alien Relative is $625 filed online or $675 by paper. That petition establishes the family relationship; the relative's separate green card step — either adjustment of status inside the U.S. or consular processing abroad — carries its own additional fees. Always confirm the current amount on the USCIS Fee Calculator before filing, and remember the $50 savings for online submission where it is available.
A common marriage-based concurrent package — I-130 ($675) + I-485 ($1,440, biometrics included) + I-765 work permit ($260 based on the pending I-485) + an I-131 travel document fee — lands in the low-to-mid $2,000s in government fees. The exact total depends on your specific ancillary forms and category, so price your package on the official fee calculator before mailing. These figures do not include attorney fees, the medical exam, or translations.
Yes, for many forms. USCIS charges $50 less per form when you file online through a free myUSCIS account on forms such as the I-130, I-765, N-400, I-90, I-539, and N-600, among others. Not every form or category can be filed online, and some documented cases are better on paper, so the discount should guide but not dictate your choice. When in doubt, confirm on the fee calculator whether your specific form offers an online option and price.
Possibly. USCIS grants fee waivers through Form I-912 for many family and humanitarian forms — including N-400, I-90, and certain I-765 and I-485 categories — when your household income is at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, when you receive a means-tested benefit, or when you can document financial hardship. Some forms also have reduced-fee options. Approval is not automatic and the request must be properly supported, so it is worth reviewing your eligibility with counsel before you file.
The Form N-400 Application for Naturalization is $710 filed online or $760 by paper under the current schedule, with biometrics included for most applicants. Fee-waiver and reduced-fee options exist for eligible applicants. Confirm the current amount on the USCIS Fee Calculator before filing, and consider whether you qualify for a waiver if cost is a barrier.
USCIS fees are set by regulation and updated periodically; the schedule in use as of mid-2026 is Form G-1055, Edition 05/29/26. Fees can and do change when USCIS issues a new edition or when new rules take effect, and premium-processing fees adjust on their own timeline. Because a rejected filing over an outdated fee can cost you weeks — or a deadline — always verify the exact amount for your form and category on the official USCIS Fee Calculator on the day you file.
No. Every figure discussed here is a government filing fee paid to USCIS. Attorney fees for preparing and representing your case are separate, as are costs like the medical examination, certified translations, and obtaining vital records from abroad. When we quote a case, we make the distinction clear so you can see the full picture — the fees you pay the government and the fee you pay the firm — before you commit.
Fitenko Law PLLC, 600 Three Islands Blvd, Hallandale Beach, FL 33009. Phone: (305) 315-3425. Email: fitenkolaw@gmail.com