Most mailed USCIS filings now need an electronic payment method
For benefit requests filed on paper, USCIS says it accepts an ACH debit from a U.S. bank account using Form G-1650 or a credit, debit or prepaid card using Form G-1450. The electronic-payment requirement for mailed filings took effect on October 28, 2025.
A personal check, business check, money order, bank draft or cashier's check is not an ordinary alternative. USCIS accepts those paper methods only when the payer qualifies for an exemption and submits a completed, signed Form G-1651 with the benefit request and payment.
Form G-1650 authorizes one ACH debit from a U.S. account
Form G-1650 authorizes USCIS to debit a checking or savings account at a U.S. financial institution. USCIS lists the June 3, 2025 edition as current on the page checked September 18, 2026, and charges no separate fee for the authorization form.
The payer must provide the exact account type, routing number, account number and authorized amount, then sign the form. Some banks block unfamiliar ACH debits; USCIS publishes its agency location codes so an account holder can ask the bank to allow the transaction before mailing. A declined debit can cause USCIS to reject the underlying filing for lack of payment.
Form G-1450 is the card route; G-1651 is a limited exception
Form G-1450 allows payment by credit, debit or prepaid card for an eligible mailed filing. Download a fresh copy from USCIS on filing day, confirm that the card can cover the full authorized amount and verify that the issuer will permit the government charge.
Form G-1651 does not waive the fee. It asks USCIS to accept a paper payment because electronic payment is not possible under a listed exemption, such as no access to banking or electronic payment systems or qualifying undue hardship. USCIS lists the June 3, 2025 edition, no filing fee for G-1651, and requires the payer's signature. It must travel with the underlying request and paper payment; it cannot be sent before or after the package.
Calculate the fee for the exact filing combination
The required amount depends on the form, filing reason, age or category, online-versus-paper method, and whether a separate statutory fee applies. Use the current Form G-1055 fee schedule and the USCIS Fee Calculator immediately before filing. An older checklist or a fee paid in a similar case is not enough.
USCIS recommends paying each benefit request with the same payment method and not mixing methods within one request. When using G-1650 or G-1450, the agency also recommends separate payment authorizations for multiple requests rather than combining unrelated fees. Follow any more specific instruction on the individual form page.
Put the payment authorization at the front of the package
- Confirm the current edition and filing fee for every benefit request on the day of mailing.
- Place G-1650, G-1450 or a qualifying G-1651 and paper payment on top of the package.
- Keep a secure copy of the signed authorization, but protect bank and card information from unnecessary sharing.
- Use the filing address for the exact form, eligibility category and delivery service—not a remembered lockbox address.
- Retain carrier tracking and monitor the account or card for the authorized debit.
Payment acceptance is not case approval
A successful debit or card charge means the fee transaction was processed; it does not establish eligibility or predict approval. Likewise, fees are generally final and nonrefundable regardless of the decision or processing time.
Information checked September 18, 2026. This guide covers USCIS mail-payment mechanics, not fee-waiver eligibility or the separate payment systems used for Department of State, immigration-court or online USCIS filings.