How Much for Permanent Resident Card

There isn’t one price for a U.S. Permanent Resident Card. The amount depends on where you are in the process.

Someone arriving in the United States with an immigrant visa may need to pay a $235 USCIS Immigrant Fee. Someone replacing or renewing an existing card may pay $415 online or $465 on paper for Form I-90. A person applying for a Green Card through a family-based or another route may face a much higher total because several government fees can apply.

The key is to match the fee to your situation instead of looking for one universal Green Card price.

What a Permanent Resident Card is and why it is also called a Green Card

A Permanent Resident Card is the official document that shows a person has lawful permanent resident status in the United States. People commonly call it a Green Card.

So, when someone asks, “Is Permanent Resident a Green Card?” the short answer is that the terms are closely connected:

• Lawful permanent resident describes the person’s immigration status.
• Permanent Resident Card describes the physical card.
• Green Card is the common name for that card.

The fee question changes depending on whether you are getting the card for the first time, entering the country through an immigrant visa, or replacing a card you already have.

A card connected with a specific period, such as a two-year card, may have rules that differ from other cards. The information available here does not set out the fee or process for that situation, so check the USCIS guidance for your exact card and form.

The main costs when getting a Green Card

Think of the total cost in separate pieces. The most useful split is between initial immigration costs and card replacement or renewal costs.

These figures do not all apply to the same person.

For example, the $235 USCIS Immigrant Fee is tied to the process after an immigrant visa has been issued. It is not the total cost for every person seeking a Green Card.

The higher ranges describe initial Green Card applications where one or more application fees may apply. They also may not include a medical exam, document costs, translation, travel, or legal help.

Form I-90 is different again. It is generally the form used to renew or replace an existing Permanent Resident Card. It is not the main fee for someone starting a first-time Green Card application through a family or other immigration route.

The USCIS Immigrant Fee after an immigrant visa

If you are immigrating to the United States with an immigrant visa, the USCIS Immigrant Fee is listed as $235 for most people becoming lawful permanent residents.

This is best understood as a post-visa fee. It applies to the immigrant visa pathway and should not be confused with every other fee that might have been paid earlier in the immigration process.

A simple example:

• You receive an immigrant visa.
• You prepare to enter the United States as an immigrant.
• You pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee listed for most immigrant visa holders.
• The fee is connected with producing the Permanent Resident Card.

That $235 figure may be the main fee you are asking about if your visa process is already complete. But it does not answer “how much for permanent resident card” for someone applying inside the United States or filing a family-based application from the beginning.

The total can also depend on costs connected with the broader visa or immigration process. Keep the USCIS Immigrant Fee separate from earlier application fees so you do not treat every charge as one payment.

How much Form I-90 costs to renew or replace a card

If you already have a Permanent Resident Card and need to renew or replace it, the relevant form is usually Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card.

The listed fees are:

• $415 when filed online
• $465 when filed on paper

This creates a $50 difference between the two filing methods.

Form I-90 costs are separate from the larger estimates for an initial Green Card application. You generally should not add the $235 immigrant fee to an I-90 filing just because both involve a Permanent Resident Card. They belong to different stages and different situations.

Before filing Form I-90, make sure you are using it for the reason that matches your case. The form is for renewing or replacing an existing card. If your immigration status or card situation involves a different kind of application, the fee may not be the same.

Also check the fee shown by USCIS before you submit. Fees can change, and the amount can depend on whether you file online or by paper.

How family-based and other Green Card costs can differ

Initial Green Card applications can cost much more than a card renewal or replacement because the application may involve several separate government charges.

For family-based applications, the available estimates put government fees at about $1,355 to $3,005. Another estimate places initial Green Card filing fees at about $1,500 to $3,000 or more.

Those ranges are broad because the route matters. A family-based case may not use the same forms or payment structure as another type of Green Card application. The person applying from inside the United States may also face a different set of forms from someone completing an immigrant visa process abroad.

The practical point is this:

• First-time Green Card application: plan around the applicable forms and the government fees for that route.
• Immigrant visa already issued: look for the separate $235 USCIS Immigrant Fee listed for most immigrants.
• Existing card needs renewal or replacement: look at the Form I-90 fee, which is listed as $415 online or $465 on paper.

Do not use the family-based range as your personal bill unless your case follows that route. It is an estimate for a category, not a flat price for every applicant.

Additional costs such as a medical exam and legal help

Government filing fees are only part of the possible total.

A medical exam may be an extra cost in an initial Green Card process. The available figures do not give one standard medical exam price, so you should treat it as a separate expense rather than adding an invented amount to the USCIS fee.

Other possible expenses can include:

• Document preparation
• Translation
• Travel to appointments
• Mailing or printing
• Help from an immigration lawyer

People often ask, “How much does it cost to get a Green Card with a lawyer?” There is no single lawyer price shown here. The legal fee can depend on the type of case, how much paperwork is involved, and whether the case has complications.

A lawyer’s fee is also separate from the government filing fee. If you hire legal help, ask for a clear breakdown that shows:

1. The lawyer’s fee
2. Each USCIS or visa-related government fee
3. Medical exam costs
4. Any other expected charges

That makes it easier to compare the legal cost with the actual cost of filing.

How to pay the Green Card fee online or after a visa

The payment steps depend on which fee you are paying.

For an immigrant visa case, the $235 USCIS Immigrant Fee is paid as part of the USCIS process after the visa stage. Use the official payment instructions connected with your case. Do not assume that this payment is the same as the visa application fee or an initial Green Card filing fee.

For Form I-90, the payment amount depends on how you file:

• File online and check the payment amount shown for the online application.
• File on paper and use the payment instructions for the paper form.

The online and paper figures listed here are $415 and $465, respectively. Follow the current USCIS instructions for the payment method available with that filing. Enter your information carefully and keep the payment confirmation or receipt for your records.

If another person is helping you pay, make sure the payment is connected to the correct applicant and form. A payment sent for the wrong form or wrong amount can create delays.

What to check before submitting payment or a form

Before you pay, stop and identify your application stage. This one step can prevent the most common pricing mistake: using the right fee for the wrong process.

Use this quick check:

• Are you entering with an immigrant visa? Check the USCIS Immigrant Fee, listed as $235 for most people.
• Are you applying for a first Green Card through a family-based or another route? Check every required form and the current government fees. Family-based estimates are about $1,355 to $3,005, while broader initial estimates are about $1,500 to $3,000 or more.
• Are you renewing or replacing an existing card? Check Form I-90. The listed fee is $415 online or $465 on paper.
• Do you need a medical exam or legal help? Add those costs separately.
• Are you filing online or by paper? The fee may change with the filing method.

Common questions about the price

How much does it cost to get a U.S. Permanent Resident Card?

It depends on the route. Initial family-based government fees are described as about $1,355 to $3,005. A person immigrating with a visa may instead be looking at the separate $235 USCIS Immigrant Fee. Neither figure applies to every case.

How much is the Green Card fee in 2026?

The available figures describe initial government costs at about $1,500 to $3,000 or more, with family-based cases estimated at about $1,355 to $3,005. For an existing card, Form I-90 is listed at $415 online or $465 on paper. Confirm the current amount before paying.

How much does a Permanent Resident Card cost?

There is no single price. The answer depends on whether you are entering with an immigrant visa, filing an initial application, or replacing or renewing an existing card.

Before submitting a form or payment, confirm the current fee for your exact USCIS form and application stage.