A Major Step Toward Full Digital Processing
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced in October 2025 that it will now require all immigration application fees to be paid electronically through its official online platforms. This change applies to both individual applicants and organizational filers, marking a key milestone in USCIS’s broader modernization initiative aimed at reducing paper-based inefficiencies and processing delays.
Beginning in early 2026, USCIS will phase out the acceptance of paper checks, money orders, and other manual payment methods for most form types, including family-based, employment-based, and humanitarian applications.
From Optional to Mandatory Digital Payments for Immigration Application Fees
For years, USCIS has encouraged applicants to submit forms and pay filing fees online through myUSCIS, the agency’s secure digital portal. However, physical checks and money orders were still accepted for paper-based filings.
The new rule makes electronic payment mandatory for nearly all filings, whether submitted directly online or by mail. Paper submissions will now include a payment code generated through the online portal, ensuring that every transaction is electronically traceable.
According to USCIS, the policy aims to:
- · Increase security and transparency in fee handling
- · Eliminate mail-based payment errors and lost checks
- · Reduce the time between filing receipt and case acceptance
- · Support agency-wide goals to move all immigration benefit requests into digital format by 2027
Who Is Affected by the New Rule
Individual Applicants:
Anyone filing common forms such as the I-485 (Adjustment of Status), I-765 (Employment Authorization), I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative), or N-400 (Naturalization) must now pay fees electronically via the myUSCIS portal or a linked payment link provided during submission.
Employers and Attorneys:
Organizational filers using the USCIS Organizational Account system for employment-based petitions, such as H-1B, L-1, or EB preference categories, will need to link their business accounts to approved payment methods such as ACH transfers or verified debit systems.
Exceptions:
Certain humanitarian programs, including asylum, refugee, or fee-waiver-eligible filings, will continue to allow non-electronic submission under specific guidance. However, even those applicants will eventually be transitioned to digital payment once integration is complete.
Timeline and Implementation Details
- October 2025: Policy announced and guidance published in the Federal Register
- January–March 2026: Phase-one rollout for high-volume forms including I-130, I-485, and N-400
- April–June 2026: Expansion to employment-based filings (I-140, I-129, and related forms)
- Late 2026: Full enforcement across all USCIS form types except humanitarian exceptions
During the transition, USCIS will continue to accept older payment methods only for filings mailed before each phase’s cutoff date.
