Harshita Prakash – Legal Professional at Malik Law PLLC
Starting October 28, 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will accept only electronic payments for paper-filed forms.
Payment Options:
Form G-1450 – Pay by credit or debit card
Form G-1650 – Pay via ACH debit (directly from a U.S. bank account)
This major change is part of the federal government’s modernization initiative under Executive Order 14247 — “Modernizing Payments to and from America’s Bank Account.”
By shifting to electronic payments, USCIS aims to:
Eliminate the need to bring funds to field offices
Reduce fraud, lost payments, and check-processing delays
Improve efficiency and security across all benefit transactions
“Over 90% of our payments come from checks and money orders, causing delays and increasing the risk of fraud and lost payments. America deserves better, and we intend to deliver,” said USCIS Spokesman Matthew J. Tragesser.
Applicants should ensure their accounts have sufficient funds before submitting.
If you don’t have a U.S. bank account, you may continue to use Form G-1450 with a prepaid or standard credit card. For limited exemptions, USCIS has introduced Form G-1651, Exemption for Paper Fee Payment. Updated policy guidance is now available in the USCIS Policy Manual (PDF).
USCIS continues to encourage applicants and accredited representatives to file online through the secure myUSCIS account portal for faster, guided processing.
This update marks a major step toward modernizing financial transactions in U.S. immigration improving efficiency, transparency, and user experience across the system.
Starting Oct. 28, all USCIS fees must be paid via an ACH debit transaction from a U.S. bank using Form G-1650, or a credit/debit card using Form G-1450. Failure to use accepted payment methods may result in rejection.
These changes reduce the risks of fraud, lost payments, and… pic.twitter.com/lBqNJt7Mjz
— USCIS (@USCIS) October 28, 2025