This week we will cover recent updates from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services which have direct effect on your applications and petitions before the service. Here are a couple:
USCIS has implemented a new way to pay fees using electronic debit from a U.S. bank account. Effective immediately, individuals can make transactions directly to USCIS by completing and signing Form G-1650, Authorization for ACH Transactions, and filing it with their applications, petitions, or requests.
The move aligns with Executive Order 14247, Modernizing Payments to and from America’s Bank Account, and is aimed at reducing the time and manpower required to process checks and money orders, as well as reducing the risks of fraud, lost payments, and theft.
This new ACH debit payment option is in addition to the existing option of paying by credit card using Form G-1450, giving individuals multiple options to pay required fees.
USCIS will continue to accept paper check and money order payments in addition to credit and debit payments until Oct. 28, 2025. After October 28, USCIS will accept only ACH debit transactions using Form G-1650 or credit card payments using Form G-1450.
USCIS has also issued updated guidance in the Policy Manual (PDF, 495.95 KB) to include ACH debit transactions using Form G-1650 as an acceptable form of payment.
Applicants and petitioners should ensure their accounts have sufficient funds to cover all filing fees. USCIS may reject any application, petition, or request if the transaction is denied. If you do not have a U.S. bank account you cannot use Form G-1650, but you may submit Form G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions, and use prepaid credit cards to pay filing fees.
* * *
The Department of Homeland Security is publishing a Federal Register notice to implement a new immigration parole fee required by the H.R. 1 Reconciliation Bill. The fee is $1,000 for FY 2025 and is subject to annual adjustments for inflation. You must pay this fee when you are paroled into the United States, unless you qualify for an exception.
Our critical work does not stop during the Democrats’ government shutdown. We remain steadfast in protecting our homeland by upholding lawful immigration.
The Federal Register notice explains when the immigration parole fee takes effect, exceptions to the fee, and consequences if you do not pay.
USCIS will collect the immigration parole fee if you are physically present in the U.S. and we are granting you parole or a new period of parole (also known as re-parole). Beginning on Oct. 16, 2025, if we determine that we can approve your request for parole or re-parole and that it requires payment of the immigration parole fee, we will notify you that you must pay this fee before we can approve your request. The notice will have payment instructions and a deadline. We will not grant parole unless you pay the immigration parole fee as instructed and within the specified time period.
Do not pay the immigration parole fee when you submit Form I-131, Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records. The immigration parole fee will be collected when you are paroled into the United States. For more information about when Customs and Border Protection or Immigration and Customs Enforcement will collect the immigration parole fee, see the Federal Register notice.