I sent the wrong filing fee to USCIS — what happens?
An incorrect filing fee is a rejection trigger — USCIS returns the package unprocessed rather than adjudicating it, and you refile with the right amount. The two things that catch people out are that fees differ between paper and online filing for most forms, and that some forms have a different fee depending on your category or age, so the headline number is not always yours. Verify your amount against the current G-1055 schedule on the day you mail.
Correct fees for 2026
From USCIS Form G-1055, edition 10/07/26, last verified 2026-10-08. Filing fees only — these do not include attorney fees, translation, medical exams or postage.
| Form | What it is | Paper | Online |
|---|---|---|---|
| I-485 | Green card (adjust status) (General filing, applicant 14 or older) | $1,440 | $1,390 |
| I-130 | Petition for a relative | $675 | $625 |
| I-765 | Work permit (EAD) (Standalone application) | $520 | $470 |
| I-131 | Travel document / advance parole (Advance parole / travel authorization) | $630 | $580 |
| N-400 | Citizenship (naturalization) | $760 | $710 |
| I-90 | Replace green card | $465 | $415 |
| I-751 | Remove green card conditions | $750 | $700 |
| I-140 | Employment green card petition | $715 | $665 |
| I-539 | Extend / change status | $470 | $420 |
| N-600 | Certificate of citizenship | $1,385 | $1,335 |
| I-129F | Fiancé(e) visa petition | $675 | $675 |
| I-129 | Nonimmigrant worker petition (H-1B/H-1B1 petition, regular petitioner) | $780 | $730 |
| I-864 | Affidavit of support (sponsor) (No USCIS filing fee) | $0 | $0 |
| G-28 | Attorney / rep notice of appearance (No filing fee) | $0 | $0 |
| I-589 | Asylum / withholding of removal | $0 | $0 |
| I-130A | Spouse beneficiary supplement (No separate fee) | $0 | $0 |
| I-864A | Household member income contract (No filing fee) | $0 | $0 |
| I-539A | I-539 co-applicant supplement (No separate fee) | $0 | $0 |
| I-693 | Medical exam & vaccination record (No USCIS filing fee) | $0 | $0 |
| I-912 | Fee waiver request (No fee to request a fee waiver) | $0 | $0 |
| I-526 | EB-5 standalone investor petition (For an investment made outside a designated regional center) | $3,675 | $3,675 |
| I-526E | EB-5 regional center petition | $3,675 | $3,675 |
Where an online fee is lower, that difference is the saving for filing through a USCIS online account instead of on paper. Where the two are equal, the form is paper-only or priced the same either way.
Fees that change with your category
Several forms are not a single price. Filing the standard amount when a different one applies to you is the same rejection as underpaying — and two of these are added to the filing fee rather than replacing it.
$950 — Under 14 and filing with a parent's I-485
$260 — Filed with, or while you have a pending, I-485 (filed on/after Apr 1, 2024)
$0 — No filing fee for a long list of humanitarian and adjustment categories — (a)(3) refugee, (a)(5) asylee, most (c)(9) adjustment applicants, (c)(10), (c)(14), (c)(25), (c)(31), (c)(40), T and U nonimmigrants, VAWA self-petitioners, and current or former U.S. armed forces service members. See G-1055 for the full list
$630 — Reentry permit (paper only)
$380 — Reduced fee — household income not more than 400% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (paper only)
$0 — USCIS issued the card with an error, or it was never delivered
$3,675 — Amendment request (not an initial petition) — the EB-5 Integrity Fund fee does not apply
Fees charged on top of the filing fee
These are not alternatives and not discounts. Where one applies, it is added to the filing fee above and submitted as a separate payment, and it cannot be waived. Sending only the filing fee is an underpayment.
+$570 — Pub. L. 119-21 fee on an INITIAL EAD under (a)(4), (a)(12) TPS, (c)(8) asylum applicant, (c)(11) parolee, (c)(19) TPS applicant or (c)(34) — submitted separately from the filing fee, and cannot be waived
+$280 — Pub. L. 119-21 fee on a RENEWAL EAD under (a)(4), (a)(12) TPS, (c)(11) parolee, (c)(19) TPS applicant or (c)(34) — submitted separately from the filing fee, and cannot be waived
+$275 — Pub. L. 119-21 fee on a RENEWAL EAD under (c)(8) as an asylum applicant — submitted separately from the filing fee, and cannot be waived
+$100 — Asylum Application Fee under Pub. L. 119-21 — due at filing, principal applicant only, cannot be waived
+$105 — Annual Asylum Fee under Pub. L. 119-21 — principal applicant only, billed by USCIS notice for each year the application is pending and paid online at my.uscis.gov within 30 days; cannot be waived, and the amount is adjusted each year by law
+$1,000 — EB-5 Integrity Fund fee — an additional, separate fee required with an INITIAL Form I-526E filed on or after October 1, 2022 (not required for an amendment request)
The concurrent-filing discount people miss. Form I-765 filed together with — or while you already have pending — an I-485 filed on or after 1 April 2024 is $260 rather than the standalone $520. Overpaying is not automatically fatal, but it is money you did not need to send.
The I-765 surcharge people miss. If you are filing for an EAD under a TPS, asylum or parole category, Pub. L. 119-21 adds a separate fee on top of the $520 — $570 on an initial EAD, $275-$280 on a renewal — which cannot be waived and is paid as a separate payment. Unlike overpaying, missing this one is an underpayment, and an underpayment is a rejection. Check which category you are filing under before you write the cheque.
Before you write the cheque
- Confirm the amount against the official USCIS fee calculator on the day you mail — it is authoritative and always current.
- Check whether your category or age changes the fee for your form.
- Check whether you are filing more than one form together, which can change what each one costs.
- Confirm the payment method and payee your form instructions specify — this differs by form and filing location.
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Frequently asked questions
What happens if I send the wrong amount to USCIS?
An incorrect fee is a rejection trigger: the package is returned unprocessed and you refile with the correct amount. The delay is the real cost, particularly where a deadline or a priority date is involved.
Do I get my money back if my form is rejected?
A rejected package is returned without being adjudicated, and USCIS publishes how payment is handled per filing type. FormGuard does not assert a refund outcome for your case — check your form instructions and any notice you receive at uscis.gov. Note that a fee paid on a filing that is adjudicated and denied is a different situation, and generally not refundable.
Is filing online cheaper?
For most forms in the table above, yes — the online fee is lower than the paper fee. Online filing also removes the wrong-edition failure mode entirely, because the system always serves the current version.
Why does the fee calculator on this site show a different total?
The calculator totals a whole package including any concurrent-filing discounts, so its number is usually a multi-form total rather than one form. Both are built from the same verified G-1055 data. For the authoritative amount, use the official USCIS calculator.
Check a specific form
Related
Form editions, signature blocks, required-field areas, date rules and filing fees on this page come from USCIS Form G-1055 (edition 10/07/26) and the published USCIS form instructions, last verified 2026-10-08. Written by FormGuard from that data — there is no individual byline because no individual wrote it. USCIS changes forms and fees frequently; always confirm against uscis.gov before you file.
FormGuard is a private, independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) or any U.S. government agency. FormGuard is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. This page provides general information only; form requirements come from published USCIS sources and change frequently — always verify current details at the official government website, uscis.gov, and consult a licensed immigration attorney for complex matters.