What the 2026 USCIS fee changes mean for your family

USCIS, the agency that decides citizenship, green card and family petition cases, pays for most of its work with the fees people pay when they file. Its fee schedule changes from time to time, and the latest update took effect this fall. Here is how to make sure your application is not sent back, and how to find out whether you can pay less.

The fee that counts is the one on the day you file

Always pay the fee listed on the form's page on uscis.gov on the day you send your application. The agency's fee schedule, Form G-1055, lists every fee in one place. Citizenship (Form N-400), green cards (Form I-485) and family petitions (Form I-130) are each priced separately, and a package sent with the wrong amount is usually rejected and returned, which means starting again.

• Find your form at uscis.gov/forms and read the filing fee on its page.

• Use the USCIS fee calculator when your fee depends on your age or your category.

• Check whether filing online costs less. For several forms it does.

• Read the payment instructions on the form's page, because accepted ways to pay can change too.

• Keep a copy of everything you send, and watch for your receipt notice.

Fee waivers and reduced fees

If your household income is low, or you, your spouse or the head of your household receive a means tested benefit such as Medicaid or SNAP, you may be able to ask USCIS to waive the fee for some applications, including citizenship, with Form I-912. Some citizenship applicants who do not qualify for a full waiver may pay a reduced fee instead. Not every form can be waived and the proof rules are strict, so ask us before you count on one.

Our own fees have not changed. Screening calls are free, and a full consultation is $50, waived for anyone who cannot pay. USCIS fees are separate from ours and are paid to the government.