The EB-1A green card cost starts at about $1,015 in USCIS fees if you file the petition yourself, and it climbs to roughly $5,420 once you add the green card application and premium processing. Attorney fees come on top of that, and they are usually the largest line.
The government number stays small because you can self-petition for an EB-1A green card. No employer has to file for you, so there is no sponsor fee. Below, we go through every line item and show where you can spend less without weakening your case.
All fees below are current at time of writing - verify them on uscis.gov before you file.
The 30-second answer
- The petition alone costs $1,015 in government fees on paper. That is the $715 Form I-140 filing fee plus the $300 Asylum Program Fee for self-petitioners.
- Moving to a green card from inside the U.S. adds $1,440 for Form I-485, plus a medical exam that you pay to the doctor.
- Premium processing is optional and costs $2,965. It gets you a decision on the petition within 15 business days, not an approval.
- Attorney fees are the largest and least fixed cost, and you should get written quotes from more than one firm.
You file an EB-1A green card yourself, so you pay the fees
Start with who files, because it decides which costs you carry.
USCIS says an EB-1A applicant does not need a job offer, and you can file the petition for yourself on Form I-140. That is a real saving, because nobody else has to take on the filing.
The O-1 visa works differently. USCIS states that an O worker cannot “self-petition”, so an O-1 visa always carries a petitioner cost. If you are weighing the two, we compare them in our guide to O-1 visa vs. EB-1A green card.
EB-1A green card cost: the government fees you cannot skip
These fees are set by USCIS and the State Department. Nobody can discount them. You can confirm every amount on the USCIS fee schedule (Form G-1055).
1. The Form I-140 filing fee is $715 on paper
The I-140 is the petition itself. It costs $715 if you file by paper and $665 if you file online, according to the fee schedule.
Online filing saves you $50, and it also makes it easier to track your case. If you plan to use an attorney, ask whether the firm files online.
2. The Asylum Program Fee is $300 for self-petitioners
Every I-140 filing carries a separate Asylum Program Fee. Self-petitioners pay the reduced $300 rate, employers with more than 25 employees pay $600, and nonprofits pay $0.
You pay it as its own payment, apart from the filing fee. Check the current amount in the USCIS Fee Calculator before you mail anything.
3. Premium processing costs $2,965 and is optional
Form I-907 asks USCIS to speed up your case. The fee is $2,965 for I-140 petitions, per the USCIS premium processing fee notice, and USCIS promises action within 15 business days for an EB-1A green card petition, per How Do I Request Premium Processing.
“Action” can mean a Request for Evidence, so premium processing buys you speed, not a better outcome. It makes sense if you have a job offer, a tour, or a status expiration date bearing down on you. If your timeline is flexible, skipping it is the easiest $2,965 you will save.
4. Adjusting status adds a $1,440 filing fee
An approved I-140 is not a green card yet. If you live in the U.S., you file Form I-485 to adjust status, and the fee is $1,440 for an adult applicant.
You can file the I-485 at the same time as the I-140 only when your priority date is current. Whether it is depends on your country of birth, so check the Visa Bulletin before you plan your budget. While the I-485 is pending, you may also file for a work permit (Form I-765) and a travel document (Form I-131). Their fees are on the fee schedule, and they are optional.
5. The medical exam goes to the doctor, not to USCIS
Most I-485 applicants submit a Form I-693 medical exam report completed by a USCIS-designated civil surgeon. The surgeon sets the price, and it varies by clinic and city.
Call two or three designated clinics before you book. The price gap between them can be large.
6. Consular processing replaces the I-485 if you live abroad
If you live outside the U.S., you do not file an I-485. You apply for an immigrant visa through the State Department instead, and you pay the application and processing fees listed on its Fees for Visa Services page.
Which route you take changes your total, so decide it with your attorney before you budget.
What the government fees add up to in four common cases
Here is the math for a standard paper filing. Subtract $50 from any row if you file the I-140 online.
| Case | I-140 | Asylum fee | Premium | I-485 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petition only, no premium | $715 | $300 | - | - | $1,015 |
| Petition only, with premium | $715 | $300 | $2,965 | - | $3,980 |
| Petition and I-485 in the U.S., no premium | $715 | $300 | - | $1,440 | $2,455 |
| Petition and I-485 in the U.S., with premium | $715 | $300 | $2,965 | $1,440 | $5,420 |
These totals leave out the medical exam, work permit and travel document fees, immigrant visa fees, and attorney costs. Current at time of writing - verify at uscis.gov.
Attorney pricing is the biggest number and the least fixed
Immigration firms set their own prices. We are not a law firm, so we do not quote legal fees.
We could not find an authoritative benchmark for EB-1A attorney pricing. One firm we reviewed lists a service fee of $8,000 to $10,000 before government fees. Treat that as one data point, not a rule. Complex profiles, prior denials, and unusual fields cost more.
4 questions to ask before you sign with a firm
Is the fee flat or hourly? Ask what triggers extra charges, so a flat fee does not turn into a surprise.
Does it include an RFE response? A Request for Evidence can add thousands of dollars if the firm bills it separately.
Does it cover the I-485 too? Many firms price the petition and the green card application as two separate jobs.
Who writes the petition letter? Ask whether the named attorney drafts it or a paralegal does, because the letter carries your argument that you are among the top in your field.
Evidence costs and coaching fees people forget to budget
The quiet line items rarely make it into a cost guide.
Foreign-language documents need a full English translation with a translator’s certification. Membership dues, judging or conference costs, and expert opinion letters can add up too. Our rough estimate is $500 to $2,500 for most candidates. That is our estimate from working with candidates, not a USCIS figure.
If you are 12 to 24 months from filing, the cheapest move is to fix your evidence plan first. A few hours of EB-1A strategy coaching at $100 an hour costs far less than an RFE or a denial.
Where you can lower the cost without weakening the case
These are in rough order of impact.
Skip premium processing if your timeline allows. That keeps $2,965 in your pocket.
Organize your own evidence before you hire anyone. Attorneys bill for chasing documents. Arrive with an indexed package mapped to the EB-1A criteria and you pay for fewer hours.
File the I-140 online. It saves $50 on the filing fee.
Fix a weak profile before you file. USCIS fees are generally nonrefundable, even when a petition is denied, so a thin filing wastes money. Our EB-1A green card guide book helps you self-prepare, and the EB-1A policy rules show what officers look for.
Frequently asked questions
Can I self-petition for an EB-1A green card to save money?
Yes. An EB-1A applicant can file Form I-140 without an employer. You still need strong evidence, and many applicants hire an attorney for the legal argument.
Is EB1A the same as EB-1A?
Yes. People search for it as “EB1A,” but the category is spelled EB-1A, and the fees in this guide apply either way.
Is premium processing worth $2,965 for an EB-1A green card?
It is worth it when timing matters, such as an expiring status or a job start date. It gets you action within 15 business days, not an approval, and an RFE can pause the clock.
Do I still pay the Asylum Program Fee if I file myself?
Yes. Self-petitioners pay the reduced $300 Asylum Program Fee as a separate payment. Confirm the current amount on the USCIS fee schedule.
Does USCIS refund the filing fee if my petition is denied?
Generally no. Filing fees are nonrefundable whatever the decision, so build the strongest petition you can before you file.
Is an O-1 visa cheaper than an EB-1A green card?
The O-1 visa petition alone carries $1,055 in base fees plus a $600 Asylum Program Fee for a standard petitioner, and it always needs a U.S. employer or agent to file. Our O-1 visa agent sponsorship costs $2,000 for the first year and $500 a year after that. We break down the rest in How Much Does an O-1 Visa Cost?
You may be pricing out an EB-1A green card and wondering whether your profile is strong enough to justify the filing fees and an attorney. We help with that exact gap. Our EB-1A strategy coaching is $100 an hour for people 12 to 24 months from filing who need to map their work to the criteria before they spend on a petition, and our guide books are for people who want to self-prepare. If you are not sure where you stand, book an initial consultation and we will tell you.
Top Immigrants is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. We provide O-1 visa agent sponsorship, strategy coaching, and referrals to independent immigration attorneys. This article is for general educational purposes only and is not a substitute for advice from a licensed immigration attorney about your specific situation. Government fees, forms, and processing times change - verify current details at uscis.gov.
