How Much Does a Marriage Green Card Cost in 2026?

Most couples who file a marriage green card from inside the United States on their own pay about $2,700 to $3,300 in total: $2,375 in USCIS filing fees for Forms I-130, I-485, and I-765, plus roughly $300 to $950 for the medical exam, photos, postage, and documents. Hiring a lawyer adds $2,000 to $5,000 on top of that. If the immigrant spouse lives abroad and goes through consular processing instead, the government fees are lower, about $1,355.

Form-edition check, September 19, 2026: Correct payment does not prevent rejection of an outdated form. USCIS requires the 09/18/26 I-485 for filings postmarked or electronically submitted on or after September 18, 2026. Review its revised public-charge questions and regenerate any unfiled older PDF. Verify editions on the I-485 page separately from the fee schedule below.

The fees below come from the USCIS fee schedule (Form G-1055, edition 09/09/26) and were checked on September 11, 2026. The fee increase USCIS proposed in June 2026 covers only the N-400 citizenship application, so it does not change any of the marriage green card fees here. Fees still change from time to time, and a wrong amount gets the entire package rejected, so confirm each one on the official USCIS fee schedule on the day you file.

How much are the USCIS fees for adjustment of status?

For a spouse applying from inside the United States:

On paper, that comes to $2,115 for the I-130 and I-485 alone, $2,375 with the work permit, and $3,005 with both optional forms. Most couples include the I-765, because working while the case is pending usually matters.

The online prices are lower, but USCIS offers online I-485 filing only to certain applicants, so check uscis.gov/i-485 before counting on the discount.

How much does consular processing cost?

For a spouse applying from abroad, the fees after the I-130 are paid mostly to the State Department:

That is well below adjustment of status, though the process ends with an interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad, and the medical exam there is done by a panel physician at their own price. Current State Department amounts are listed on travel.state.gov.

What other costs should you budget for?

These are not government fees, but almost every couple pays them:

The medical exam is now an up-front cost. USCIS requires the sealed Form I-693 to be filed together with the I-485 and may reject the package without it, so you cannot put the exam off until later. The rules for translations are in our document list.

Lawyer, DIY, or software: what does preparation cost?

This is where totals diverge dramatically.

• Hiring an immigration lawyer. Full representation for a marriage-based case commonly runs $2,000 to $5,000 in attorney fees on top of all government fees, and adds weeks of back-and-forth. For genuinely complex cases this is money well spent; see DIY green card vs hiring a lawyer for when that is true.
• Pure DIY. Free in dollars, expensive in time: expect dozens of hours reading form instructions and reconciling conflicting forum advice, and you carry the full risk of a missed detail causing a rejection or denial.
• Guided software. ezgreen is a $299 one-time purchase that guides the entire application, fills every form from one plain-language interview, and assembles the print-ready package. It does not include government fees. Assured adds $400 for one 60-minute review of your application materials by a licensed immigration attorney and written feedback, for $699 total. See pricing for current availability.

What is the total? Three realistic budgets

For a typical adjustment of status case filed on paper, with the work permit and without advance parole:

Add $630 to any column if you also file the I-131 for advance parole, and $400 to the ezgreen column if you choose the Assured attorney review package. The do-it-yourself column is the cheapest on paper, but it is the one with the most time invested and no one checking the work.

What costs come later?

• Removing conditions. If the marriage is less than two years old when the green card is approved, the card is conditional. The couple later files Form I-751 to remove the conditions, currently $750 on paper or $700 online.
• Citizenship. Spouses of U.S. citizens can usually apply to naturalize after three years as a permanent resident. The N-400 fee is currently $760 on paper or $710 online, and a proposed rule would raise it; see what changed on the N-400 for 2026. ezgreen's N-400 software is free.
• Getting it wrong. Filing fees are not refunded, and USCIS can deny a case outright for missing required evidence instead of asking for it. A rejected or denied filing means new fees, refiling postage, expiring documents, and months of waiting.

The cheapest application is the one that is done right the first time. Our I-485 checklist and timeline guide show what "right" looks like end to end.