LATEST NEWS ALERT: Changes to USCIS Fee Payment Options (09/02/2025)
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that it will discontinue accepting paper check and money order payments after Oct. 28, 2025, and will accept only ACH transactions from a U.S. bank account using a new Form G-1650, or by credit card, debit card, and prepaid credit card payments using the existing Form G-1450.
Effective immediately, the new ACH payment option is available by completing and signing Form G-1650, Authorization for ACH Transactions, and filing it with petitions. Applicants may alternatively choose the existing option of paying by credit card, debit card, or prepaid credit card using Form G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions.
The ACH transaction process is reflected in updated guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual. According to USCIS, “applicants and petitioners should ensure their accounts have sufficient funds to cover all filing fees. USCIS may reject any application, petition, or request if the transaction is denied. If you do not have a U.S. bank account you cannot use Form G-1650, but you may submit, and use prepaid credit cards to pay filing fees.”
Some filing tips, thanks in part to the American Immigration Lawyers Association:
- The Organization name, if it is not an individual serving as petitioner, should be listed in the Given Name field where Applicant’s/Petitioner’s/Requester’s Information is sought. This field must match the petitioning party listed on Form I-129.
- Place the form (G-1450 or G-1650) on top of your application, petition, or request package when you are ready to mail your package to USCIS.
- For Credit Card, it is strongly recommended to use a company credit card (U.S. issued), rather than a personal card. If the company card is issued in someone’s name, that name should be entered in the Credit Card Billing Information area as normal.
- The credit card holder must use a wet signature, meaning not a digital stamp or typewritten one. A digital scan of a wet signature may be accepted but best practice would be to physically sign the form in pen. The name on the credit card does not need to match the petitioner or beneficiary.
- For ACH payments, ensure the bank account has sufficient funds, and the account does not have a debit block for USCIS ACH withdrawals. If the transaction is declined, USCIS may reject the entire filing.
- Submit a separate form for each application, petition, or request—even when using the same bank account.
- As safe practice until advised otherwise, Premium Processing fees through filing a Form I-907 should be paid via a separate Form – that is, don’t combine the I-129 and I-907 fees into one payment and one form. Petitioners who must pay the Asylum fee are advised to separate that as well, until or unless otherwise directed.
- Only one payment method may be used per application, petition, or request (ACH or credit card, for example). This same method must also be used when filing concurrent requests in the same mailing to USCIS (for example if filing multiple petitions for a large ensemble exceeding 25 beneficiaries, or filing an O-1B and O-2 together).
- As extra insurance against USCIS confusion, you may wish to hand-write the name of the beneficiary, visa category (O-1B, P-1B, etc.), and the purpose of the fee at the bottom of each form. Although this is not required by USCIS, adding this additional detail might help in case papers get separated.