Green Card After a K-1 Fiancé Visa
Adjustment of Status Costs and Filing Fees for 2026
After a K-1 fiancé visa holder enters the United States and marries the U.S. citizen petitioner within 90 days, the foreign spouse normally applies for permanent residence through adjustment of status. The current government filing cost is no longer the $1,325 total shown on the old version of this page.
Quick Answer
How Much Does Adjustment of Status Cost in 2026?
For one adult applicant filing a typical K-1 adjustment of status package by mail, the required Form I-485 filing fee is currently $1,440.
The work permit and advance parole applications are optional and now have separate filing fees. When both are included with a paper-filed adjustment package, the total USCIS filing fees are $2,330.
Required Application
Form I-485 Only
Paper filing: $1,440
This is the application to register permanent residence or adjust status.
Common Full Package
I-485 + Work Permit + Advance Parole
Paper filing total: $2,330
These totals do not include civil surgeon, vaccination, document, translation or VisaCoach preparation costs.
USCIS Filing Fees
Current Adjustment of Status Fee Breakdown
Form I-485: Green Card Application
Paper filing fee: $1,440
Form I-485 is the required application used by an eligible applicant inside the United States to request lawful permanent residence.
Form I-765: Optional Work Authorization
Filing fee with a pending or concurrently filed I-485: $260
This application requests an Employment Authorization Document while the green card case is pending. Filing Form I-765 does not authorize employment by itself; the applicant must wait until work authorization is approved.
Form I-131: Optional Advance Parole
Paper filing fee: $630
Advance parole may allow an adjustment applicant to request permission to travel while Form I-485 is pending. Leaving the United States without the proper travel authorization can cause serious immigration problems and may result in USCIS treating the adjustment application as abandoned.
Biometrics
No separate I-485 biometrics fee
USCIS may still schedule the applicant for fingerprinting, a photograph and a signature at an Application Support Center. The former separate $85 biometrics charge is not added to the current standard I-485 fee.
Compare Your Options
Government Filing Fee Totals
Paper Filing Totals
- I-485 only: $1,440
- I-485 plus work permit: $1,700
- I-485 plus advance parole: $2,070
- I-485 plus both optional applications: $2,330
Medical and Vaccination Records
Is There a Separate Medical Examination Cost?
USCIS does not charge a filing fee for Form I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record. However, a designated civil surgeon may charge for reviewing records, completing the form, administering missing vaccinations, performing tests or conducting a new medical examination.
There is no single government-set price. Civil surgeon charges vary by doctor, location, required vaccinations, laboratory tests and whether the applicant needs a full examination or only completion of the vaccination portion.
USCIS generally requires the completed Form I-693, or the required partial Form I-693, to be submitted with Form I-485. Because the civil surgeon cost is variable, it should be budgeted separately from the government filing fees.
K-2 Children
Adjustment of Status Fees for a Child Under 14
When a child under age 14 files Form I-485 at the same time as the Form I-485 of one parent, the current fee is $950 by paper. Each family member normally needs a separate application and filing fee.
Children who do not qualify for the reduced concurrent-child fee may be charged a different amount. Confirm the current USCIS fee schedule for every applicant before submitting the package.
VisaCoach Preparation
VisaCoach Adjustment of Status Preparation Fee
VisaCoach helps eligible couples prepare and organize the adjustment of status application, supporting documents and relationship evidence.
VisaCoach Preparation
$995
This is the VisaCoach document-preparation and personal-support charge. It is separate from all USCIS filing fees, civil surgeon expenses, vaccinations, translations, photographs and other third-party costs.
What the Government Fees Cover
USCIS fees pay the government to receive, process and decide the applications. Government filing fees are generally nonrefundable, even when an application is denied or withdrawn.
After Marriage
Why the Adjustment Application Matters
The K-1 fiancé visa is intended for entry into the United States to marry the U.S. citizen petitioner. The marriage must occur within 90 days of entry. The K-1 visa and admission do not automatically produce a green card.
After the marriage, the foreign spouse normally files Form I-485 to request permanent residence. A properly filed application may allow the spouse to remain in the United States while USCIS processes the case, but filing eligibility depends on the individual immigration history and facts.
Applicants should not assume that marriage alone creates permanent status, work authorization or permission to travel internationally.
Before You File
Confirm the Exact Fee on the Filing Date
USCIS may reject an application submitted with the wrong payment amount, an incorrect payment method or a fee that does not match the filing method. Fees can also change.
Before sending or submitting the application, confirm the current fee using the official USCIS fee schedule and fee calculator. When filing multiple forms by mail, follow the current USCIS payment instructions for each form.
Related Green Card Guides
More Help With Adjustment of Status
What Is Adjustment of Status?
Learn how an eligible applicant inside the United States may apply for lawful permanent residence.
Green Card After a K-1 Fiancé Visa
Review the steps that follow arrival, marriage and the decision to apply for permanent residence.
Adjustment of Status Support
See how VisaCoach helps organize the forms, documents and evidence for a marriage-based adjustment case.
Concurrent Filing Adjustment of Status
Understand when related marriage-based applications may be filed together in one coordinated package.
How to Apply for a Green Card
Review the general green card application process and the documents that may be required.
Green Card Resource Center
Explore VisaCoach guidance on adjustment of status, marriage-based green cards and permanent residence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Adjustment of Status Cost Questions
What is the current Form I-485 fee for an adult?
The current standard adult fee is $1,440 for paper filing.
Is there still a separate $85 biometrics fee?
No. The standard Form I-485 filing no longer has the old separate $85 biometrics fee, although USCIS may still require the applicant to attend a biometrics appointment.
Is the work permit free when filing adjustment of status?
No. Form I-765 based on a pending or concurrently filed Form I-485 currently has a reduced filing fee of $260.
Is advance parole free with Form I-485?
No. The current Form I-131 advance parole fee is $630 for paper filing.
What is the total when filing I-485, I-765 and I-131 together?
The current total is $2,330 for a paper filing. Medical, vaccination, translation, document and preparation costs are separate.
Does every K-1 applicant need a new medical examination?
Not necessarily. A K-1 applicant who files adjustment within one year of the overseas immigration medical examination may not need to repeat the entire examination, but may need a civil surgeon to complete the vaccination portion of Form I-693.
Official Information
USCIS Fee and Form Sources
- USCIS Form G-1055 Fee Schedule
- USCIS Fee Calculator
- USCIS Form I-485
- USCIS Form I-765
- USCIS Form I-131
- USCIS Form I-693
Government fees and procedures shown on this page were reviewed on August 5, 2026. Always verify the current USCIS requirements immediately before filing.
Prepare Carefully
Get Personal Help Preparing the Green Card Application
VisaCoach helps couples prepare an organized adjustment of status package and understand the forms, supporting documents and practical steps involved after marriage.
