Green Card Calculator: What Will Your Green Card Really Cost?
Most green card cost pages stop at the filing fee. This free tool adds up the whole bill for your exact path, then checks whether your sponsor clears the I-864 income line. No sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere: all maths runs in your browser.
| I-130 petition 脳 1 | $625 |
| I-485 (biometrics included) 脳 1 | $1,390 |
| Government fees | $2,015 |
| Medical exam (paid to doctor) | $300 |
Excludes translations, photos, courier, travel to interview and attorney fees. Fee waivers (I-912) can remove some USCIS fees but never State Department fees.
Adjustment of status vs consular processing: the money view
Applying from inside the US swaps cheap consular fees for the I-485 ($1,440 on paper). In return you can file for a work permit and advance parole. Abroad, you pay the State Department and then a one-time $235 Immigrant Fee that is easy to forget. Flip the switch in the calculator and compare both totals for your family size.
Costs that never show up in a fee table
Budget separately for the immigration medical exam (each clinic sets its own price), certified translations, passport photos, courier fees, and travel to the interview. If you qualify only through section 245(i), add $1,000 per applicant. Filing fees are not refunded after a denial, so a small mistake can mean paying twice.
Who counts in your I-864 household size?
You, your spouse, your dependents, anyone you claim on taxes, the relatives you sponsor now, and anyone you sponsored earlier whose obligation has not ended. Use current income, not just last year鈥檚 tax return, and read the figures from official Form I-864P.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a green card cost in 2026?
For one person adjusting status inside the US, the I-130 and I-485 add up to $2,115 by paper or $2,015 online. Abroad, a single applicant pays about $1,355 in government fees (I-130, DS-260 $325, I-864 review $120, Immigrant Fee $235). The medical exam, translations and travel are extra.
Is consular processing really cheaper?
On government fees, yes: roughly $760 less per person. But adjusting status lets you request a work permit and travel document while you wait, and those carry their own fees ($260 and $630).
How much income do I need to sponsor a green card?
Most sponsors need 125% of the federal poverty guideline: $27,050 for a household of two, $34,150 for three, $41,250 for four, plus $7,100 per extra person (48 states + DC). Active-duty military sponsoring a spouse or child need 100%.
Can assets replace income?
Yes. Assets you can turn into cash within a year can cover a shortfall at 5脳 the gap, or 3脳 when a citizen sponsors a spouse or child.
Does the I-485 fee include biometrics?
Yes. Since the 2024 fee rule the biometrics charge is built into the I-485 fee.
Is this legal advice?
No. It is an estimator built on published USCIS and HHS figures. Fees change, so confirm on USCIS Form G-1055 and I-864P before filing.
Figures: USCIS Form G-1055 (Sept 2026 edition) and Form I-864P (2026). This site is not a law firm and not affiliated with USCIS.