USCIS ACH Payments for Filing Fees: What Applicants Need to Know

USCIS now requires electronic payment for every mail filing. Paper checks and money orders are no longer accepted as of October 28, 2025, and applicants filing by mail must pay with either an ACH debit from a U.S. bank account using Form G-1650 or a credit, debit, or prepaid card using Form G-1450.

The shift followed USCIS's August 29, 2025 rollout of Form G-1650, which implemented Executive Order 14247, "Modernizing Payments To and From America's Bank Account," signed March 25, 2025. The order directed federal agencies to move off paper disbursements and collections, and USCIS was among the first to comply across its mail filing workflow.

If you are preparing a petition package in 2026, the rules below tell you exactly how to pay and which form to use. LegalOS prepares mail filings with the correct authorization the first time.

What Changed and When

• August 29, 2025: USCIS began accepting ACH debit payments for mail filings through Form G-1650.
• October 28, 2025: USCIS stopped accepting paper checks and money orders for mail filings.
• Today: Mail filers must pay by ACH (Form G-1650) or credit, debit, or prepaid card (Form G-1450). Online filers pay through Pay.gov at the time of submission.

Form G-1650 applies only to mail filings. Online filers pay inside their myUSCIS account and do not use Form G-1650. See the USCIS Pay by ACH Transaction guidance for the official instructions.

Payment Methods: Mail vs. Online

Mail Filings

• ACH debit from a U.S. bank account using Form G-1650
• Credit, debit, or prepaid card using Form G-1450

Online Filings (myUSCIS / Pay.gov)

• Credit, debit, or prepaid card
• ACH debit from a U.S. bank account entered directly at checkout

Do not submit Form G-1650 with an online filing. It will not be processed and can delay review of your application, which in some cases produces a Request for Evidence or rejection.

How to Pay by ACH Using Form G-1650

Form G-1650 is the Authorization for ACH Transactions. One form authorizes USCIS to debit a single benefit request fee from your U.S. checking or savings account. Follow these steps for every mail filing:

• Download Form G-1650 directly from the USCIS website and use the current edition.
• Complete one Form G-1650 per benefit request. USCIS recommends a separate authorization for each form in your package so a defect in one does not cause rejection of the entire filing.
• Type or print legibly in black ink, fill every section, and sign the authorization. Unsigned forms are rejected.
• Confirm your U.S. bank account supports ACH debits. Some banks apply an ACH debit block by default and require you to whitelist the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as an authorized originator.
• Place Form G-1650 on top of your application package so it is the first document USCIS sees when the envelope is opened.
• Mail the complete package to the USCIS address listed on the form's filing fees and lockbox instructions.

There is no fee for Form G-1650 itself. You pay only the underlying filing fee for the petition or application you are submitting, which you can confirm using the USCIS Fee Calculator.

ACH Eligibility Requirements

To pay by ACH, you need an active U.S.-based checking or savings account at a financial institution that clears ACH debits. Foreign accounts are not eligible.

Applicants without a U.S. bank account have three practical options:

• Have a U.S.-based sponsor, employer, or immigration attorney pay the fee from their account. LegalOS can coordinate payment on behalf of clients.
• Pay by credit, debit, or prepaid card using Form G-1450. Prepaid cards are widely available and can be loaded with the exact fee amount.
• Request a paper payment exemption using Form G-1651 if you meet the eligibility criteria below.

Paper Payment Exemption: Form G-1651

USCIS recognizes that some applicants cannot access electronic payment systems. Form G-1651, Exemption for Paper Fee Payment, lets eligible filers continue to use a personal or business check, cashier's check, or money order drawn on a U.S. financial institution.

To qualify, you must certify at least one of the following:

• You do not have access to banking services or an electronic payment system.
• Using electronic payment would cause undue hardship.

USCIS reviews each exemption request and may reject the filing if the certification is not supported. Do not treat Form G-1651 as a default option. It is narrow relief for applicants with a genuine barrier to electronic payment.

Common Mistakes That Delay or Reject Filings

• Combining multiple benefit requests under a single Form G-1650. File one authorization per form.
• Using an outdated form edition. USCIS rejects prior editions without notice, so always pull the current version from the USCIS forms page.
• Failing to remove an ACH debit block at the bank, which causes the payment to bounce and the filing to be rejected for insufficient funds.
• Sending Form G-1650 with an online filing, where it has no effect.
• Leaving the authorization unsigned or incomplete.