How to Pay CR1 Visa Fees

The main thing to know is that CR1 payments happen in two different systems. You may pay an Affidavit of Support Fee or IV Fee through CEAC while your visa case is being processed. After you receive the immigrant visa, you may need to pay the separate USCIS Immigrant Fee online.

These payments are not the same. The right payment page depends on where you are in the process.

Which CR1 visa fee are you trying to pay?

Use this quick guide before entering any payment details:

• Your CR1 case is still being processed: Sign in to CEAC and look for the PAY NOW button under Affidavit of Support Fee or IV Fee.
• You have received your immigrant visa: Use the USCIS Immigrant Fee payment system online.
• You are mailing a USCIS filing: A credit, debit, or prepaid card may be used with Form G-1450, when the USCIS filing instructions allow it. This is a different payment route from the online USCIS Immigrant Fee.
• You are unsure which fee applies: Stop before paying. Check the fee name shown in your official CEAC or USCIS instructions.

There is no single payment called “the CR1 fee” that covers every stage. The Affidavit of Support Fee, IV Fee, and USCIS Immigrant Fee belong to separate steps and systems.

The supplied fee information does not provide a reliable current total for the full CR1 process. Check the current official fee pages before paying rather than relying on an old dollar amount from another website.

How to pay the Affidavit of Support Fee or IV Fee in CEAC

The Department of State’s CEAC system is used for certain payments during immigrant visa processing. If your case shows an Affidavit of Support Fee or IV Fee that needs to be paid, start there.

Step 1: Open your case in CEAC

Go to the official CEAC site and sign in to your immigrant visa case. Use the case information requested by the system.

Make sure you are viewing the correct case before selecting a payment option. A CR1 case can include several people or documents, so do not assume that any payment screen belongs to the fee you need.

After you enter the case, look at the summary page. Find the section labeled Affidavit of Support Fee or IV Fee.

The fee name matters:

• Choose Affidavit of Support Fee if that is the payment shown for your case.
• Choose IV Fee if CEAC lists the immigrant visa fee there.
• Do not use the CEAC payment page for the later USCIS Immigrant Fee.

Step 3: Select “PAY NOW”

Under the applicable fee, select the PAY NOW button.

This button starts the payment process for the fee shown in CEAC. Follow the instructions displayed by CEAC, review the payment information, and submit it through that official system.

The available payment choices and instructions are controlled by CEAC. Use the options shown on the payment screen instead of assuming that a payment method accepted by USCIS will also work in CEAC.

Step 4: Save the payment information

After submitting the CEAC payment, save the confirmation or payment record shown by the system. Keep it with your case documents.

You may also want to record:

• The date you paid
• The type of fee
• The case number
• Any confirmation or reference number displayed

If the payment does not appear right away, avoid submitting a second payment immediately. First check the payment status in CEAC and follow the current CEAC instructions for a pending or missing payment.

How to pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee after receiving the immigrant visa

The USCIS Immigrant Fee is a separate online payment made after you receive the immigrant visa. It is not paid through the CEAC PAY NOW button.

This is the payment route people often mean when they search for “How to pay Green Card fee after visa” or “Pay Green Card Fee online.” Even so, use the exact name shown by USCIS so you do not confuse it with another USCIS filing fee.

Step 1: Go to the official USCIS payment page

Use the official USCIS website and its Immigrant Fee payment instructions. Do not use a payment link sent by an unknown person or a third-party website.

The official USCIS page will direct you to the online payment system for this fee.

Step 2: Enter the required case details

The USCIS Immigrant Fee payment requires two important identifiers:

• The applicant’s A-Number
• The applicant’s DOS Case ID

Enter both carefully. These details connect the payment to the immigrant visa case.

Check each character before continuing. A mistaken number or letter can send the payment information to the wrong record or stop the system from matching it correctly.

Step 3: Review the information shown

Before paying, compare the information in the USCIS system with the immigrant visa documents. Look for the correct applicant and the correct case.

If the information does not match, do not guess or replace one identifier with another. Check the current USCIS instructions for help with an incorrect or missing A-Number or DOS Case ID.

Step 4: Submit the USCIS Immigrant Fee

Follow the USCIS payment screen through the final review. Choose an accepted payment method, enter the requested details, and submit the payment once you are satisfied that the information is correct.

Save the payment confirmation after the transaction is complete.

Information and payment methods needed for the USCIS Immigrant Fee

For the online USCIS Immigrant Fee, have the following ready:

• The applicant’s A-Number
• The applicant’s DOS Case ID
• A supported payment card
• An email address or other contact information if the USCIS payment page requests it

USCIS lists these card types for the Immigrant Fee:

• Credit cards
• Debit cards
• Prepaid debit cards
• Visa gift cards

A prepaid or gift card still needs enough available balance for the payment. If the card is rejected, check the card provider’s rules and the USCIS payment instructions. Do not keep resubmitting the transaction without checking whether an earlier attempt went through.

A mailed USCIS filing is a separate situation. When the filing instructions allow card payment, a credit, debit, or prepaid card may be submitted with Form G-1450. That form is for an eligible mailed filing. It is not a replacement for the online USCIS Immigrant Fee payment page.

How to pay USCIS fees by card

If you are paying the USCIS Immigrant Fee online, use the official USCIS payment system and select the card option provided there.

The basic process is:

1. USCIS: Open the official Immigrant Fee payment page.
2. USCIS: Enter the A-Number and DOS Case ID.
3. USCIS: Confirm the applicant and case information.
4. USCIS: Enter the credit, debit, or prepaid card details.
5. USCIS: Review the payment before submitting it.
6. USCIS: Save the confirmation shown after payment.

If you are paying an eligible mailed USCIS filing instead, check that filing’s instructions first. If card payment is allowed, complete Form G-1450 and include it as instructed. Do not assume that every USCIS filing accepts the same payment method.

A Visa gift card may be used for the USCIS Immigrant Fee because USCIS lists Visa gift cards among the accepted prepaid card options. The card must still work for the transaction and have enough available funds.

What to check before submitting a payment

Take a short pause before clicking the final payment button. A few checks can prevent the two systems from getting mixed up.

Confirm the agency

Ask yourself which page you are using:

• CEAC: Payment during immigrant visa processing
• USCIS: Immigrant Fee payment after receiving the immigrant visa

If the page does not match the stage you are in, go back to the official instructions.

Confirm the fee name

Read the label carefully. It should identify the payment as an Affidavit of Support Fee, IV Fee, or USCIS Immigrant Fee.

Do not pay a fee simply because it contains the words “immigrant” or “visa.” Different fees can have similar-sounding names.

Confirm the identifiers

For the USCIS Immigrant Fee, check the A-Number and DOS Case ID character by character. Keep the immigrant visa documents nearby while entering them.

Confirm the payment method

For USCIS, the listed options include credit cards, debit cards, prepaid debit cards, and Visa gift cards. CEAC may show different instructions. Use the payment choices displayed by the system you are using.

Save proof

Keep a copy of the confirmation page, receipt, or reference number. A screenshot can help, but also save any downloadable or emailed record the system provides.

Common confusion between visa fees, the USCIS Immigrant Fee, and unrelated fees

Many payment problems start with treating every immigration payment as one fee. These are the key differences:

Affidavit of Support Fee: This is paid through CEAC when the case shows that fee and provides a PAY NOW button.

IV Fee: This is also paid through CEAC when it appears under the case summary page.

USCIS Immigrant Fee: This is paid online through USCIS after the immigrant visa has been received. It requires the A-Number and DOS Case ID.

Mailed USCIS filing fee: This may use Form G-1450 for a credit, debit, or prepaid card when the specific filing instructions permit it.

The USCIS annual asylum fee is unrelated to the CR1 visa payment routes described here. If you are searching for that fee, use the official USCIS instructions for the asylum fee instead of the CR1 or Immigrant Fee payment page.

The total cost of a CR1 case can include more than one payment, but the current total is not given here. Check the official fee pages for the amount that applies now.

What to do after payment is submitted

After a CEAC payment, return to the case page and check the payment status when the system allows it. Keep the CEAC confirmation with your visa records.

After a USCIS Immigrant Fee payment, save the USCIS confirmation and keep the payment details with the applicant’s immigrant visa documents. If the system shows an error, first check whether the payment was completed before trying again.

Do not pay through a third-party link just because it looks similar to a government page. Before submitting money, verify the current fee, the payment status, and the instructions on the official CEAC and USCIS websites.