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General

Information

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How do I pay the

USCIS Immigrant Fee?

If you are immigrating to the United States and will be admitted as a lawful

permanent resident, you must pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee online.

We strongly encourage you to pay this fee after you receive your

The USCIS Immigrant Fee is used to process your immigrant visa packet

once you arrive in the United States. The fee also covers the cost for

USCIS to produce your Green Card.

Please note: You have to pay an immigration visa application fee to

U.S. Department of State (DOS). This is a separate fee from the USCIS

Immigrant Fee.

How do I pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee?

1. Attend your appointment at a U.S. embassy or consulate

• The U.S. embassy or consulate will give you and your family

members:

DOS Case ID. Please make sure to write your A-Number and

DOS Case ID at the top of your USCIS Immigrant Fee handout.

You should record these numbers before you travel because

you will turn in your immigrant visa packet and Immigrant Data

Summary sheet when you enter the United States.

• Your A-Number is the letter "A" followed by 8 or 9 numbers; for

example, "A012345678."

° Your DOS Case ID is 3 letters followed by 9 or 10 numbers; for

Please note: For Diversity Visa (DV) immigrants, the DOS Case ID will

• Next, select “USCIS Immigrant Fee.”

• Enter your A-Number and DOS Case ID, found at the top of your

USCIS Immigrant Fee handout. If you are paying for additional

family members, you can add their A-Numbers and DOS Case IDs

and pay all the fees in one transaction.

• Provide a valid credit card (Visa, Master Card, American Express,

or Discover Card), debit card, or U.S. bank checking account

information (account number and bank routing number).

If you are unable to pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee yourself, you may

choose someone to pay the fee for you; for example, a family member,

• Change your address online; and

• Receive electronic notifications and case updates.

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To create a USCIS online account, you will need to answer a series of

questions based on your personal biographic information and immigration

history. These are questions that only you should be able to answer.

During this process, you may find it helpful to refer to documents such as:

• Your passport;

• The visa issued to you by the DOS; and

• Your visa application or petition.

What happens after you arrive in the United States?

Card to the U.S. address you provided to DOS at the time of your

immigrant visa interview or to CBP when you were admitted to the

United States.

• If USCIS does not have a record showing you paid the USCIS

Immigrant Fee, USCIS will send you a notice with instructions on

how to pay the fee.

• If you have any questions, contact us through our online help form

at egov.uscis.gov/cris/contactus.

• You can also schedule an appointment with your local office if

you have a question or need further assistance with your case. To

or to the CBP officer when you are admitted to the United States.

• If you plan on living at a different U.S. address immediately

after you enter the United States, please give that address to

the CBP officer or update your address (after taking the identity

verification quiz and creating your USCIS online account) to

ensure that your card arrives at your new home.

• If you move after you arrive in the United States, please update your

address with USCIS by visiting www.uscis.gov/addresschange or by

calling the National Customer Service Center at (800) 375-5283.

Also, we recommend that you update your address with the U.S.

2. A-Number. If your A-Number is fewer than 9 digits, insert a zero

after the “A” and before the first digit to create a 9-digit number.

For example, “A12345678” would become “A012345678.”

3. Navigating on your computer while paying the fee. Do not use

your computer’s “Back” button when paying the USCIS Immigrant

Fee. This may cause errors. Instead, use the navigation buttons in

the system to go forward or backwards.

4. Submitting your payment. Click on the “Submit Payment”

button only one time for each USCIS Immigrant Fee you are

paying. If you click the button more than one time, you may end

for the United States?

If you are unable to pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee before you leave to

come to the United States, you must pay this fee after you are admitted

to the United States. If USCIS does not have a record showing you paid

the USCIS Immigrant Fee, USCIS will send you a notice with instructions

on how to pay the fee.

Please note: You will not receive your Green Card until you have paid the

USCIS Immigrant Fee.

How do I know if I have to pay the fee or if I am exempt from

paying the fee?

Hague adoption programs;

• Iraqi and Afghan special immigrants;

• Returning residents (SB-1s); and

• Individuals who are issued K visas.

What happens if I fail to pay the fee?

USCIS will not issue your Green Card until you have paid the USCIS

Immigrant Fee. Once the fee is paid, USCIS will process your payment

and issue you a Green Card.

After you arrive in the United States, you will receive a stamp in your

passport that validates your admission as a lawful permanent resident.

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