New York USCIS
Fee Calculator

New York residents file immigration applications with USCIS and are typically served by the New York City (also Buffalo, Albany) Field Office. New York City is the largest immigration destination in the U.S.

The NYC office has among the longest wait times nationally. Buffalo serves significant refugee and asylum communities.

USCIS fees are set by federal law and apply uniformly across all states. However, processing times, interview wait times, and the availability of local USCIS offices vary significantly by state and can affect your overall timeline and experience.

The most common USCIS applications filed by New York residents include: N-400 (naturalization/citizenship), I-485 (adjustment of status to permanent resident), I-130 (petition for family members), I-765 (employment authorization), and I-131 (advance parole/travel document).

New York does not mandate E-Verify for all private employers; state agencies must use E-Verify. New York's Green Light Law (2019) allows all residents, regardless of immigration status, to obtain New York driver's licenses.

New York offers in-state tuition to undocumented students (DREAM Act, enacted 2019). New York's Executive Order 41 significantly limits state agency cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

New York has a formal Office for New Americans (ONA), established in 2012, with community navigators across the state and partnerships with legal service providers offering free USCIS legal assistance. New York is home to the largest concentration of immigration lawyers and nonprofit legal services organizations in the United States.

Naturalization (Form N-400) applicants in New York currently wait approximately 15 months for an interview at the New York City (also Buffalo, Albany) Field Office. This includes the time from filing to receiving your interview notice.

After the interview, the oath ceremony typically follows within 1–3 months.

Adjustment of status (Form I-485) applicants in New York can expect approximately 22 months from filing to interview. This varies significantly based on your priority date (for family and employment categories) and current USCIS workload at the New York City (also Buffalo, Albany) office.

Processing times are updated regularly on the USCIS website. If your case has exceeded the posted processing time, you may submit a service request through your USCIS online account.

In urgent situations (impending naturalization ceremony for military deployment, medical emergency), expedited processing may be requested.

• USCIS fees are uniform nationally regardless of your New York residence. Current key fees include: N-400 (Naturalization) general filing — lower online than paper, with reduced-fee and fee waiver categories for qualifying applicants
• I-485 (Adjustment of Status) — separate paper and online amounts for most applicants age 14 and older
• I-130 (Family Petition) — $675 paper / $625 online
• I-140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers) — $715 paper / $665 online plus any applicable statutory surcharges
• I-765 (Employment Authorization) — category-specific pricing
• and I-131 (Travel Document / Advance Parole) — category-specific pricing.

Biometrics fees are now bundled into most primary application fees. Filing fees paid to USCIS are generally not reimbursable, even if the application is denied.

Use the USCIS fee calculator on the USCIS website to determine the exact fees for your specific application combination.

Fee waivers are available for many applications for applicants who receive means-tested benefits, meet USCIS income rules, or can document financial hardship. Immigration attorneys in New York can help determine if you qualify and assist with the waiver request.

Some additional statutory fees are not waivable, so a $0 filing-fee result does not always mean the total USCIS payment is $0.

Payment rules matter as much as the fee amount. Depending on the form and filing location, USCIS may accept credit card, debit card, prepaid card, ACH payment, cashier's check, personal or business check, or money order.

If you use Form G-1450 for credit card transactions, Form G-1650 for ACH transactions, Pay.gov, or a USCIS lockbox payment, confirm the authorization, separate payment, and correct fee amount before mailing or submitting the form.

A New York USCIS fee calculator should flag payment-method risk. USCIS can reject your application if the credit card is declined, the ACH authorization is invalid, the payment is returned as unpayable, or the filing and biometric payment does not match the current form instructions.

Use a separate payment when USCIS requires one and check whether the form is filed online, by mail, at a USCIS lockbox facility, or at an international office.

Common payment forms include Form G-1450 Authorization for Credit Card Transactions, Form G-1650 Authorization for ACH Transactions, Pay.gov for eligible online filings, cashier's check, money order, personal check, business check, debit card, and prepaid card. Do not assume every USCIS service accepts every form of payment.

Fee waiver, reduced fee, asylum program fee, I-129, I-140, I-765, I-131, N-400, and adjustment-of-status filings can each have different instructions.

Use the official gov website, USCIS form instructions, and G-1055 fee schedule before you file your form. HR-1, TPS, embassy or consulate filings, a form at an international office, and forms filed through secure websites can all have different payment rules.

Some applicants cannot pay by card, some need ACH payments with sufficient funds, and some must use personal or business check, Mastercard, American Express, or another accepted form of payment. USCIS may reject your application for an incorrect payment amount, incorrect filing, or a missing separate payment.

If household income is low, check fee waiver and reduced-fee rules against the federal poverty guidelines before mailing. Biometric services and biometric service fees are final in many cases, even when a case is denied.

A Nevada applicant who is unable to pay should confirm the correct amount, whether the page or webpage has been updated for 2026, whether certain forms require a separate filing and biometric payment, and whether the selected payment method works for the filing location.

A New York USCIS fee calculator should separate federal filing fees from state-specific cost drivers. Federal form fees do not change because you live in New York, but local civil surgeon prices, attorney rates, document retrieval costs, translations, courier expenses, and travel to biometrics or interview appointments can change the practical total.

For green card applicants, include Form I-130 or I-140, Form I-485, the civil surgeon medical exam, work authorization if needed, travel authorization if needed, translations, passport photos, and any inadmissibility waiver. For naturalization applicants, include Form N-400, biometrics logistics, certified court records, tax transcripts, translations, and passport costs after the oath ceremony.

For employment-based cases, the cost estimate should also distinguish employee-paid USCIS fees from employer-side costs such as PERM recruitment, legal fees, I-140 preparation, premium processing, and statutory employer surcharges. Mixing these together can make a personal budget look much higher or lower than what the applicant actually pays.

New York applicants should budget for civil surgeon pricing, vaccination records, certified birth or marriage certificates, certified court dispositions, translations, photos, and trackable mailing. These are not USCIS filing fees, but they can delay an application if they are missing when you are ready to file.

Attorney fees in New York depend on case type. A straightforward N-400 or family petition may be quoted as a flat fee, while adjustment cases with overstays, criminal history, prior removals, public-charge questions, or waiver issues generally require more legal review.

Employment cases add a separate employer-side budget for PERM, I-140, premium processing, and compliance support.

New York's local cost picture depends on where the applicant lives relative to the New York City (also Buffalo, Albany) Field Office and nearby Application Support Centers. Rural applicants may face higher travel costs, while metro applicants may face higher attorney and medical exam prices.

Approximately 22.6% of New York's population is foreign-born — well above the national average of 13.9%. The largest immigrant group originates from Dominican Republic.

New York's immigrant community contributes significantly to the state's economy. Immigrant workers are disproportionately represented in healthcare, agriculture, technology, construction, and hospitality sectors.

Many immigrants in New York are LPRs (lawful permanent residents) pursuing naturalization, while others are on work visas or seeking family reunification.

New York has strong state-level protections for immigrants, including access to state services and driver's licenses regardless of federal immigration status. Consult a licensed immigration attorney for advice specific to your situation and New York law.

Immigration law is complex and mistakes on USCIS applications can have serious consequences, including denial, delays, and in some cases, removal proceedings. An experienced immigration attorney in New York can review your application for completeness, advise on potential issues, prepare you for your interview, and represent you if problems arise.

To find a qualified immigration attorney in New York, search our attorney directory, contact the New York State Bar Association's referral service, or use the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) attorney finder. Nonprofit legal aid organizations in New York may offer free or low-cost immigration services for qualifying individuals.

Be cautious of notarios and unauthorized immigration consultants who may charge fees but cannot provide legal advice. Only licensed attorneys or accredited representatives can provide legal immigration services in New York.

Unauthorized practice of immigration law is a federal crime.

• To become a U.S. citizen through naturalization in New York, you must: (1) be a Lawful Permanent Resident for 5 years (3 years if married to a U.S. citizen)
• (2) have continuous residence and physical presence in the U.S.
• (3) be a resident of New York for 3 months before filing
• (4) demonstrate good moral character
• (5) pass English language and civics tests
• and (6) take the Oath of Allegiance.

The civics test consists of 10 questions selected from 100 official questions about U.S. history and government.

You must answer 6 of 10 correctly. Free study materials are available on the USCIS website, and many public libraries and community organizations in New York offer free citizenship preparation classes.

After your N-400 interview at the New York City (also Buffalo, Albany) office, if approved, you will be scheduled for an Oath of Allegiance ceremony. In New York, these ceremonies are held periodically at federal courts and USCIS field offices.

The ceremony is a meaningful milestone — bring family and be prepared to surrender your permanent resident card.

Immigration legal fees are just one component of the cost picture. If you are also dealing with a personal injury claim while navigating immigration status, the New York Personal Injury Settlement Estimator estimates settlement value and can help you understand whether to pursue a claim.

For immigrants who have been in the U.S. workforce and may have unpaid wage claims, the New York Overtime Pay Calculator calculates back-pay amounts owed under federal law — undocumented workers retain FLSA rights.

And if you need to understand deadlines for any civil claim, the New York Statute of Limitations Lookup covers the key filing windows by cause of action.