Adults will typically pay approximately $1,800 by the time they have met all of the costs associated with becoming green card holders. Additional costs may include lawyer fees, transportation to green card interviews, and preparation of documents and materials.
Moving to the United States is a time-consuming and costly process. However, applicants are often rewarded in the long run with higher salaries and a better standard of living than in their own country. Our immigration lawyers are often asked what is the cost of adjustment of status.
Adjustment of status is an important step for anyone who sees their future in the United States. It allows residents who arrived in the United States on family-based visas, and employment-based visas, as refugees, asylees, and others to qualify for green cards and become permanent residents.
The cost of adjustment of status depends on your circumstances and age at the time of filing. You must file Form I-485 to register permanent residence or adjust your status. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) details the filing fees.
Applicants under the age of 14 who are filing the I-485 application for adjustment of status with at least one parent must pay a form fee of $750. However, there is no biometric services fee.
If you are under 14 and not filing with the I-485 application of at least one parent, you will pay $1,140 for the form fee. The cost of adjustment of status rises to a total of $1,225 if you are aged 14 to 78. You will pay $1,140 for the form fee and $85 for biometric services. Applicants in this age group have their fingerprints taken by USCIS officials to carry out a criminal record check.
Applicants aged 79 or older do not have to pay biometric services fees. They pay a form fee of $1,140. There is no cost to filing form I-485 if you are filing for adjustment of status because you were admitted to the United States as a refugee.
You may pay the USCIS fees via money order, a cashier’s check, or a personal check. You can pay by credit card if you use a USCIS lockbox. USCIS notes acceptable credit cards on its website as well as instructions on completing Form G-1450 to authorize credit cards.
People seeking adjustment of status often face additional costs. You will need to pay for a medical exam which typically costs between $200 and $500. Applicants who entered the United States on student visas or visa waivers, or their sponsors, will have paid $535 for the I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative) form that precedes adjustment of status.
Overall, adults will typically pay $1,760 by the time they have met all of the costs associated with becoming green card holders. Additional costs include transportation to green card interviews, preparation of documents, and materials. Many applicants also pay for an immigration attorney to guide them through this complicated process.
Qualifying for a green card is a painstaking and expensive process, even if you entered a genuine marriage with a U.S. citizen. There are numerous pitfalls. It is a multi-step process that includes paying large sums of money for adjustment of status. Our Virginia Beach-based immigration lawyers have assisted thousands of clients through this process and helped them avoid costly mistakes. Please contact us at (757) 464-9224.
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