How Much Is It to Get a Green Card

There isn’t one fixed answer to how much is it to get a green card. Your total depends on the route you use, where you apply, your age, and whether you need extra services such as a medical exam or legal help.

A family-based case can have a very different price from an employment-based case. A marriage case filed inside the United States may also involve different costs from one handled through an immigrant visa at a U.S. consulate.

The best way to budget is to split the bill into two parts:

1. Government filing and immigration fees
2. Separate costs, such as the medical exam, translations, travel, and a lawyer

The figures below are estimates from the available cost information. They are not a replacement for checking the current fee for your exact form and route before you pay.

Why green card costs vary by application route

A green card is the same document, but people reach it through different immigration paths. Each path can require a different application, a different processing system, and different fees.

The main routes discussed here are:

• Family-based applications
• Marriage-based applications
• Employment-based applications
• Immigrant visa cases handled outside the United States

Even within one route, your cost can change based on details such as:

• Whether you apply from inside or outside the United States
• Whether a child is applying with a parent
• Whether the case needs an immigrant visa
• Whether a medical exam is required
• Whether you hire a lawyer
• Whether you need translations, document copies, or travel

That’s why a broad number can be misleading. A fee listed for an immigrant visa case may not apply to someone filing Form I-485 inside the United States. A medical exam is also not the same thing as a government filing fee.

Typical government fees for family-based green card applications

One available estimate puts family-based government fees at about $1,355 to $3,005.

That is a wide range because “family-based” covers several different relationships and filing routes. The estimate refers to government charges, not necessarily the entire cost of the case.

Your family-based budget may include:

• The main green card application form
• A family petition or related filing
• A possible immigrant visa fee if the applicant is outside the United States
• A possible post-visa immigrant fee
• Fees for children or other family members
• A medical exam, which is separate
• Lawyer fees, if you choose legal help

Do not add every possible charge automatically. Some fees apply only to a certain route. For example, someone applying for adjustment of status inside the United States may not have the same visa-related charges as someone applying through a consulate abroad.

The $1,355-$3,005 range is an estimate, not a universal family green card price. Use it as a planning range, then match each charge to the forms your case actually requires.

Marriage green card costs: applying inside or outside the United States

A marriage green card case is usually discussed in one of two ways:

• The spouse applies from inside the United States.
• The spouse applies from outside the United States through an immigrant visa process.

One available estimate lists marriage green card government filing fees at about $1,200 to $1,760.

That range is for government filing costs. It may not include the following additional expenses:

• The required medical exam
• The immigrant fee after visa processing, if that fee applies
• Lawyer fees
• Translation or document preparation costs
• Travel to an interview or medical appointment

The location of the applicant matters. An inside-the-United-States case generally uses an adjustment-of-status application. An outside-the-United-States case usually involves immigrant visa processing before the person enters the country as a permanent resident.

These routes can have different forms and payment points. So if you search for a “marriage green card cost,” check whether the quoted figure is for an adjustment-of-status case, an immigrant visa case, or both.

A simple way to compare the two routes

The table is a budgeting guide, not a fee notice. Your exact forms decide which charges apply.

Employment-based green card costs in 2026

Employment-based cases are often more expensive because they can involve several stages and filings. One available estimate places 2026 government fees alone at roughly $3,000 to $6,000.

That figure is an estimate for government charges. It does not automatically include:

• Medical exam costs
• Lawyer fees
• Translation or document costs
• Travel expenses
• Other employer or employee expenses that may arise during the case

The phrase “government fees alone” matters here. A $3,000-$6,000 estimate should not be treated as the full amount you will spend from start to finish.

Employment-based cases can also involve costs paid by different people. Some expenses may be handled by an employer, while others may be paid by the worker or applicant. The available information does not establish a standard split, so you should ask your employer or lawyer who is responsible for each charge.

If you are building a 2026 budget, keep the employment-based estimate separate from personal expenses. That makes it easier to see what the government may charge and what your case may cost beyond those filings.

Immigrant visa fee, medical exam, and other costs beyond filing fees

Government filing fees are only one part of the total. Some costs come from the process around the application.

Immigrant visa fee

If your case uses an immigrant visa, there may be a separate visa-related charge. This is different from a domestic green card filing fee.

The available cost information refers to an immigrant fee of $220 or $325. Those figures should be treated as listed fee amounts from the available results, not as a single charge that applies to every applicant.

Check the instructions for your exact immigrant visa case before paying. The correct amount can depend on the fee notice and the route you are using.

Medical exam

A medical exam is another separate cost. One available estimate lists the exam at about EUR 500 as of October 2022.

That is an additional cost estimate, not a U.S. government filing fee. It is also tied to an older date, so you should not assume the same amount applies now. The price can depend on the approved doctor, country, and local medical charges.

Other possible expenses

Your total may also include:

• Document translations
• Copies and passport-style photos
• Travel to a medical appointment
• Travel to an interview
• Mailing or delivery costs
• Help from a lawyer or other professional

The supplied cost information does not give standard amounts for these items. Avoid adding a made-up average to your budget. Instead, list them as separate items and get a price for each one if they apply to your case.

Green card fees for children and applicants under 14

Children can have different government fees from adults. One available result lists:

• $950 for each applicant under 14 who files with a parent’s Form I-485 application
• $1,440 for each applicant under 14 in another filing situation

Both figures are government fee amounts listed for specific situations. They are not interchangeable.

The key detail is how the child files. A child applying with a parent may fall under the lower listed amount. A child filing in another situation may face the higher amount. Do not choose the fee based only on age.

Before submitting payment, confirm:

• The child’s age when filing
• Whether the child is filing with a parent
• Which application form is being used
• Whether the child has a separate case
• The fee shown in the current official instructions

This is one area where copying an adult fee onto a child’s application can lead to a serious mistake.

When the $220 or $325 immigrant fee applies

The $220 or $325 immigrant fee is associated with an immigrant visa route, not every green card application.

In simple terms, an applicant who is completing the process through an immigrant visa may have a post-visa immigration fee to pay. Someone filing a green card application from inside the United States may not have that same charge.

The available information does not explain why one case would show $220 and another would show $325. Treat the two amounts as route-specific possibilities rather than picking one at random.

How to pay the $220 Green Card fee

If your official instructions show a $220 immigrant fee, follow the payment directions tied to your immigrant visa case. Do not use a payment method or amount found on a general checklist if your own notice gives different instructions.

Before paying, match these details:

1. The applicant’s name
2. The immigrant visa case information
3. The fee amount shown for that case
4. The official payment page or instructions
5. Any payment deadline stated in the notice

Save the receipt or confirmation after payment. You may need it later when checking the status of the case.

Because the available figures include both $220 and $325, the safest answer to “how to pay the $220 Green Card fee” is: confirm that $220 is the amount assigned to your case, then use the current official immigrant fee instructions. Don’t assume every immigrant visa applicant pays $220.

How to find the correct Form I-485 and pay the right fee

Form I-485 is the application used by some people applying for permanent residence from inside the United States. But the correct form and fee depend on the person’s situation.

Start by identifying your route:

• Family-based
• Marriage-based
• Employment-based
• Another eligible adjustment-of-status category

Then check the current instructions for the form that matches that route. Look for the fee tied to the exact filing, not a general “green card fee” listed on a third-party page.

Before you submit, make a small fee checklist:

• Application form: Confirm that you are using the correct Form I-485 version and any related forms your route requires.
• Government fee: Check the current amount for your exact filing and applicant category.
• Payment timing: Pay when the form instructions require it. A fee may be due when the application is filed, while a separate immigrant fee may come later in an immigrant visa case.
• Post-visa fee: If you receive an immigrant visa, check whether the $220 or $325 fee applies.
• Medical exam: Budget this as a separate cost, not part of the government filing fee.
• Lawyer: Add legal fees only after you understand what work the lawyer will handle and what government charges remain your responsibility.

Payment rules can change. A form fee that appeared on an older checklist may not be correct for a 2026 filing. Before sending money, use the current official immigration fee guidance for the form and route you identified.

Questions to check before budgeting for a green card lawyer

People often ask, “How much does it cost to get a green card with a lawyer?” The available information does not provide a standard lawyer fee, so there is no supported amount to add to the government estimates above.

Lawyer costs can depend on the type of case and the amount of work involved. Before hiring someone, ask:

• Is the fee flat-rate or hourly?
• Which forms are included?
• Are government filing fees included or separate?
• Are translations included?
• Is interview preparation included?
• Will the lawyer respond to requests for more evidence?
• Are travel or courier costs extra?
• What happens if the case becomes more complicated?

Ask for the agreement in writing. A lawyer’s fee is an additional professional cost. It does not replace USCIS, Department of State, medical, or immigrant visa charges unless the agreement clearly says otherwise.

For quick budgeting, the available estimates show:

• Marriage-based government fees: about $1,200-$1,760
• Family-based government fees: about $1,355-$3,005
• Employment-based government fees in 2026: about $3,000-$6,000
• Possible immigrant fee: $220 or $325
• Medical exam estimate: about EUR 500 in one October 2022 estimate
• Applicants under 14: $950 or $1,440, depending on the filing situation

Those numbers are route-specific. They are not one combined bill, and you should not add every figure unless each charge applies to your case.

Before paying or filing, confirm the current fee for your exact form and application route through official immigration guidance.