United States Imposes New Requirement for Immigration Procedures

New USCIS Electronic Payment Requirement

USCIS Immigration Procedures Affected

Changes Effective Since October

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has implemented a new policy changing the payment method for all ongoing immigration procedures — a measure that will affect millions of permanent residents and citizenship applicants.

As of October 28, the federal agency will only accept electronic payments for paper-based forms, eliminating the use of checks, money orders, or cash for in-person or mail-in applications.

According to USCIS, the update aims to reduce administrative errors and delays, while modernizing the financial processes of the immigration system.

Only applications that comply with this new USCIS electronic payment requirement will be accepted for processing.

How the USCIS Electronic Payments Must Be Made

Starting Oct. 28, all USCIS fees must be paid via an ACH debit transaction from a U.S. bank using Form G-1650, or a credit/debit card using Form G-1450. Failure to use accepted payment methods may result in rejection.

These changes reduce the risks of fraud, lost payments, and… pic.twitter.com/lBqNJt7Mjz

— USCIS (@USCIS) October 28, 2025

From the effective date onward, applicants must make payments to USCIS using one of the following electronic options:

Credit or debit card, using Form G-1450.

Direct debit (ACH) from a U.S. bank account, using Form G-1650.

USCIS Implements Mandatory Electronic Payments

The United States has begun accepting only electronic payments for immigration application forms. The measure could create additional challenges for undocumented immigrants. Here’s the impact https://t.co/MVyYab46zI pic.twitter.com/nhwhxCVT4k

— Revista Vistazo (@revistavistazo) October 29, 2025

USCIS spokesperson Matthew Tragesser explained that the new policy is designed to “eliminate delays, reduce fraud, and modernize all financial operations.”

The change aims to prevent common payment errors — such as incorrect amounts or bounced checks — that often delay Green Card and naturalization applications.

Who Is Affected by the New System

What changes at USCIS starting today, October 28, and how to make your payments correctly. #EEUU #USCIS #Inmigracion pic.twitter.com/lRdTFkOdws

— Alma Rosa Nieto (@almarosanieto) October 29, 2025

The new requirement applies to all immigration benefit applications that require a fee, including:

Green Card renewal and replacement

Naturalization or U.S. citizenship applications

Work permits, adjustment of status, family petitions, and other fee-based forms

In exceptional cases, some applicants may continue using traditional payment methods by submitting Form G-1651, a special authorization allowing non-electronic payments under limited circumstances.

For applicants already managing their cases online, the process remains unchanged. Payments will continue to be made through Pay.gov, where users can complete fees, receive digital confirmations, and track their case status in real time.

USCIS noted that this update is part of a broader digital modernization plan aimed at migrating most immigration procedures to secure, traceable online platforms.

With this change, the federal government reinforces its goal of reducing administrative burdens and expediting immigration processing, an area long plagued by congestion and paper-based delays.