How Much Is the USCIS Immigrant Fee for CR1

For a CR1 spousal immigrant visa, the USCIS immigrant fee is $235 according to a USCIS-related embassy notice that took effect on April 1, 2024. You pay this fee online after the immigrant visa is issued.

The confusing part is that some pages and search results still show $220. That older amount is still easy to find, but it may not be the amount USCIS asks you to pay now. USCIS calculates the fee during the online payment process, so check the amount shown there before you submit payment.

What the USCIS immigrant fee means for a CR1 visa

The USCIS immigrant fee is a separate charge connected to producing and sending your green card after you enter the United States with an immigrant visa.

For a CR1 applicant, this fee comes after the visa process has reached the approval and issuance stage. It isn't the fee paid to file the initial spousal petition, and it isn't the same as the visa application charge or the medical examination fee.

A spouse applying for a CR1 visa will usually see several different charges during the process. Keeping them separate helps prevent a common mistake: treating the USCIS immigrant fee as the full price of the visa.

The person immigrating generally pays the USCIS immigrant fee. However, a spouse, family member, or another person can usually help complete the online payment if needed. The key point is that the fee must be paid through the USCIS online payment process using the immigrant's case information.

Why some pages say $220 and others say $235

The $220 figure is an older amount that still appears in online information. A USCIS-related embassy notice says the fee increased from $220 to $235 on April 1, 2024.

That creates two possible answers when someone searches for “how much is the USCIS immigrant fee for CR1?” The older answer is $220. The newer amount identified in the notice is $235.

For practical purposes, don't rely only on a search result, an old checklist, or advice from someone who completed the process before April 2024. Go into the USCIS payment process and review the amount USCIS calculates for your case.

The safest way to handle the difference

Use this simple rule:

• Treat $235 as the current amount identified in the available fee information.
• Expect older pages to mention $220.
• Before paying, check the exact amount displayed by USCIS.
• Don't submit payment until the amount and case details look correct.

USCIS automatically calculates the cost before you finish the payment. That calculated figure is the one to pay attention to, especially if you are completing the process in 2026 or later and have found conflicting older information.

What this fee covers—and what it doesn't

The USCIS immigrant fee belongs to the green card production part of the process. It is not a general CR1 visa charge that covers every service connected with immigration.

Here is the basic split:

The fee table is meant to show the categories, not to give one total for every CR1 case. Costs can vary depending on the steps involved and the amounts in effect when you file.

The I-130 petition fee is listed as $675 in the provided fee information. That is paid for the petition filed for the foreign spouse. It is not part of the $235 USCIS immigrant fee.

Medical examination costs are also separate. One CR1 cost result lists them at about $100 to $500. The actual amount depends on the required exam and the provider handling it.

So, if you see a page describing a CR1 visa as costing several hundred dollars or more, that number may combine the petition, medical exam, visa charges, and immigrant fee. It should not be mistaken for the USCIS immigrant fee alone.

Other CR1 expenses to plan for

The CR1 process has more than one payment point. Think of it as a set of separate charges rather than one single bill.

The I-130 petition

The U.S. citizen spouse or other eligible petitioner starts the family immigration process by filing Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative. The provided fee information lists this petition at $675.

That fee is paid when the petition is filed. It happens earlier than the USCIS immigrant fee, which comes after the immigrant visa has been issued.

The medical exam

The immigrant visa applicant must complete a medical examination as part of the visa process. The research provided lists a possible range of $100 to $500.

Because the exam charge is separate, don't add it into the USCIS immigrant fee when checking whether you have paid the green card fee.

Visa-related charges

There can also be charges tied to processing the immigrant visa itself. Those payments belong to the visa application stage. They are different from the fee USCIS collects online after visa issuance.

This is why the answer to “how much does a CR1 visa cost?” can't be reduced to one confirmed total based on the information here. The process includes several separate costs, and the USCIS immigrant fee is only one of them.

The provided information also does not give a combined amount for filing an I-130 and I-485 together. If you need current form fees, check USCIS's fee schedule, known as Form G-1055, rather than relying on an old total from a search page.

When the fee is paid after visa approval

The USCIS immigrant fee is paid after the immigrant visa has been issued. It is not normally the first payment in the CR1 process.

At that point, the applicant or the person helping them should use the USCIS online payment system. The payment process is separate from the earlier I-130 filing and from the visa interview or medical examination payments.

Keep the visa paperwork and USCIS instructions nearby while paying. The online process uses case information to connect the fee with the right immigrant. A mistake at this stage can create avoidable delays, so take a moment to compare the information on the screen with the applicant's documents.

If the visa has not yet been issued, you may not be ready to pay this particular fee. Follow the instructions given for your case rather than sending the fee early based on a general checklist.

How to pay the CR1 green card fee online

The USCIS immigrant fee is paid online. You don't pay it by adding the amount to the I-130 petition fee, and you shouldn't treat it as part of a payment made to the medical exam provider.

To pay the green card fee online:

1. Open the USCIS immigrant fee payment page.
2. Enter the case information requested for the immigrant.
3. Review the amount USCIS calculates.
4. Check that the applicant and case details are correct.
5. Submit the online payment.
6. Save the payment confirmation and related records.

The most important step is number three. USCIS calculates the amount before payment is submitted. This is where you can resolve the $220 versus $235 problem instead of guessing.

If the page shows $235, that matches the newer amount described in the USCIS-related embassy notice. If the amount differs from what you expected, pause and check the current USCIS fee information before continuing.

Can someone else pay?

The applicant doesn't have to be the person sitting at the computer. A spouse or another trusted person may help with the online payment. The payment still needs to be linked to the correct immigrant visa case.

The person making the payment should carefully review every detail before submitting it. Save a copy of the confirmation afterward. Don't assume that a bank or card record alone is enough to document the USCIS payment.

What to review before you click submit

Before completing the USCIS immigrant fee payment, use this short check:

• Visa status: Confirm that the immigrant visa has been issued.
• Applicant details: Make sure the payment is tied to the correct spouse.
• Fee amount: Look at the amount USCIS calculates on screen.
• Old information: Remember that $220 may appear in older material.
• Current amount: The newer notice identifies $235 as effective April 1, 2024.
• Separate costs: Don't include the I-130, medical examination, or visa charges in this payment.
• Records: Save the confirmation after payment.

If you're asking how much the USCIS immigrant fee is in 2026, the available information points to the $235 amount, but the online USCIS calculation should still be your last check. Fees can change, and old pages can remain available long after an increase.

Before submitting payment, verify the amount shown in the USCIS online payment system and review the current USCIS fee schedule, including Form G-1055, so you don't confuse the green card fee with the other costs in the CR1 process.