Starting October 28, 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will only accept electronic payments for all paper-filed applications, petitions, and requests. Payments must be made by credit or debit card using Form G-1450 (Authorization for Credit Card Transactions) or by ACH debit from a U.S. bank account using Form G-1650 (Authorization for ACH Transactions).

This change is part of the government’s move toward electronic payments under Executive Order 14247, Modernizing Payments To and From America’s Bank Account. USCIS has stated that over 90 percent of its payments currently come from checks and money orders, which cause delays, processing errors, and higher fraud risk. The new policy aims to improve efficiency and reduce lost payments.

Applicants who file on paper must include the correct payment authorization form with their filing. USCIS may reject applications submitted without an approved electronic payment form. General practice for USCIS is to run payments only once.  Accordingly, if a bank puts a hold on charges to make fraud verifications or the payment does not go through for other reasons, the application will be rejected.  Those who file online can continue to pay through the pay.gov system using their USCIS account. 

In limited cases, certain applicants may qualify for an exemption from this requirement by submitting Form G-1651 (Exemption for Paper Fee Payment), but such exemptions will be rare.

We recommend that clients review upcoming filings to ensure payment forms are correctly completed and funds are available. Rejections for improper payment may cause significant delays. If you need help understanding how this rule affects your case, contact us at 703-348-1663.

‍