USCIS Requires Electronic Payments for Paper-Filed Immigration Forms

(WASHINGTON) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said on Tuesday it will begin accepting only electronic payments for all paper-filed applications starting Oct. 28, 2025, ending the agency’s long reliance on paper checks and money orders. The shift affects anyone who files a paper form with a fee, including families seeking green cards, employers sponsoring workers, students, and humanitarian applicants.

Under the policy, people must authorize a credit or debit card charge using Form G-1450 or approve a one-time ACH debit from a U.S. bank account using Form G-1650. USCIS said filings paid by check or money order after Oct. 27, 2025 will be rejected and returned.

Reason for the change

The agency framed the move as a major step to:
– Clean up backlogs tied to slow, error-prone paper payments
– Reduce risk from lost or counterfeit instruments
– Align with a government-wide shift to electronic payments ordered under Executive Order 14247

USCIS said this change avoids the need for requestors or third parties to bring payment instruments to field offices and aligns with broader Treasury and federal payment policies.

“Modernizing financial transactions to and from the federal government is a priority for the Trump administration,” USCIS spokesman Matthew Tragesser said. “Over 90% of our payments come from checks and money orders, causing processing delays and increasing the risk of fraud and lost payments. This is a no-brainer move.”

The agency said the policy will remove a chokepoint that often forces staff to track down mismatched fees, bounced checks, or unreadable money orders — any of which can freeze a case for weeks.

What stays the same for online filers

• The change does not alter how people pay when they file online.
• For forms that allow digital filing through a USCIS online account, payment will continue through the secure Pay.gov platform.
• USCIS is urging people who can file online to do so, noting the online account provides step-by-step prompts and status updates.
• Officials said the agency will keep expanding the number of forms available for online filing in the coming year.

Limited exceptions

USCIS said there are narrow exceptions for some applicants and third-party payors. To request an exemption, applicants must follow instructions on Form G-1651, which details eligibility and how to request it.

Important: People who submit paper checks or money orders without a valid exemption after Oct. 27, 2025 should expect their entire package to be returned as not properly filed.

Critical payment mechanics and risks

USCIS stressed the mechanics matter:
– Each application in a packet needs its own approved payment; if one fee fails, the entire filing can be rejected.
– For card payments, applicants must include a signed Form G-1450 authorizing the charge.
– For bank debits, they must include a signed Form G-1650 authorizing an ACH withdrawal from a U.S. account.

Warnings:
– Insufficient funds, ACH blocks, or card declines will lead to rejections that could cause applicants to miss filing deadlines tied to status, work authorization, or priority dates.
– USCIS said it will not attempt a second charge after a failure.

Advice from attorneys and employers

Immigration attorneys warned the timeline leaves little room for error. The American Immigration Lawyers Association confirmed there is no grace period for paper checks or money orders after Oct. 28.

Law firms advising corporate clients recommended:
1. Coordinate payroll teams and outside counsel now to prevent mixed payments in the same shipment.
2. Use the ACH debit option or card payments consistently for large sponsorship cases.

Ogletree Deakins noted the ACH debit complementing card payments will be useful for employers preferring controlled withdrawals over high-limit cards.

Guidance for people without U.S. bank accounts

• Card payments include debit, credit, and—when accepted—prepaid cards that process standard card transactions.
• Applicants should confirm card limits, address matching, and that the name on the authorization form matches the card profile to reduce declines.
• Banks may block first-time ACH debits by default; applicants using Form G-1650 should call their bank to remove any ACH blocks before filing.

Impact on low-income and rural applicants

Advocates said:
– The change could be a relief for those who live far from banks that issue money orders and cashier’s checks.
– However, people who share cards or have unstable access to a U.S. bank account may struggle.

Community groups urged USCIS to ensure lockbox contractors handle Form G-1450 and Form G-1650 securely and to provide clear, simple instructions for people who file without lawyers.

USCIS response:
– Payment authorization forms are handled under secure processing protocols and are shredded after use, consistent with federal records and payment security standards.

Fraud reduction and operational benefits

USCIS cited long-standing problems at lockboxes with counterfeit money orders, altered amounts, and checks that bounce weeks after intake. By moving to electronic payments, the agency expects:
– Cleaner data
– Faster fee confirmation
– Quicker intake and fewer costly manual reviews

USCIS reiterated that online payments for online filings remain the fastest route where available, but emphasized the new rule targets paper filings that still represent a large share of intake.

Capacity and surge concerns

Some applicants worried about failures during mail surges (e.g., year-end filings or visa-number openings). USCIS said:
– Payment processing ties into established federal gateways with capacity to handle high volumes.

Attorneys remain cautious:
– Any payment failure turns a filing into a rejection, not a receipt.
– Applicants should build in extra lead time, keep backup cards ready, and verify funds for ACH debits before sealing a packet (per analysis by VisaVerge.com).

Practical filing tips and lockbox rules

USCIS recommendations for paper filers:
– Use the latest form editions and read payment instructions closely.
– Keep photocopies of completed Form G-1450 or Form G-1650 for your records, since USCIS will not return originals.
– Track package delivery to confirm when payment attempts occur in case a quick refile is needed.
– Avoid writing card numbers elsewhere in a packet; use the exact payment authorization forms.
– Do not staple through magnetic strips or barcodes on cards.
– Place payment pages on top of each application according to the lockbox’s intake process.

USCIS said faster verification should reduce initial delays and cut down on rejections caused by payment mistakes, though it did not publish new processing time targets tied to this shift.

Forms and resources

Applicants can download the exact forms here:
– Form G-1450 (authorize credit or debit card charges): https://www.uscis.gov/g-1450
– Form G-1650 (authorize ACH debit from a U.S. bank account): https://www.uscis.gov/g-1650
– Form G-1651 (exemptions and eligibility): https://www.uscis.gov/g-1651

USCIS advised people to always confirm they are using the latest edition of each form and the correct filing address before sending a package. The agency’s homepage and full form library are at USCIS.gov, which hosts instructions, filing locations, and policy updates.

Final takeaway

The new rule is simple but strict: any paper filing sent with a check or money order after Oct. 27, 2025 will be treated as if it never arrived. Applicants and representatives should plan carefully — especially for filings tied to status expiration, cap windows, or medical exam validity — and prepare backup payment methods to avoid rejections that could cause lengthy delays.