EB-1A Filing Fees 2026: What You Need to Budget For

EB-1A filing fees cost around $1,015 for self-petition without premium processing. With employer-sponsorship, the cost goes up to $1,615 and more when you also consider Adjustment of Status (AOS), Employment Authorization, Advance Parole, and a medical exam. 

The EB-1A Visa is an immigrant visa option for individuals with Extraordinary ability, recognized by the United States. It is a self-petition visa, which means you typically don’t need an employer, a job offer, or a PERM labor certification to file for it. 

However, while it offers various benefits, the costs soon rack up when you consider other forms that may be required as part of your application. This article highlights the Eb-1A visa filing fees, what fees are optional, and what the total cost is by scenario. 

What is an EB-1A Visa? 

An EB-1A visa is an employment-based visa for professionals with extraordinary ability. USCIS categorizes them as having “Extraordinary Ability” because they can prove that they are significantly in the top 1-3% in the field. 

The EB-1A visa is a self-petition visa, meaning you do not need a sponsor, a job offer, or a PERM labor certification. It is the most direct and straightforward path to a green card provided you can demonstrate your extraordinary ability. 

Learn more about the EB-1A visa, eligibility, and requirements in this article. 

EB-1A Filing Fees Cost Breakdown

You must pay all EB-1A filing fees to USCIS, not to any immigration attorney or third-party law firm. Below are all the fees associated with the EB-1A visa. 

How Much Does EB-1A Premium Processing Cost? 

Premium processing for EB-1A costs $2,695. This ensures you receive an action from USCIS within 15 business days. Premium processing does not guarantee that your visa will be approved. It only guarantees that you will receive priority action from USCIS about your petition; whether it’s an approval, denial, or a Request for Evidence (RFE). If you do not get a response from USCIS in 15 days, you will receive a full refund, and your case will still be processed following the standard timeline. Without premium processing, the EB-1A petitions take about 12 to 20 months processing time depending on the USCIS service center. 

When to Pay For Premium Processing

According our Beyond Border attorney’s, these are the most common scenarios when paying for premium processing is worth it; 

• When your non-immigrant visa is expiring soon and you need to get an I-140 approval to make certain employment decisions. 
• Your priority date is current or soon to be current and you need to get a quick I-140 approval so as to not delay filing Form I-485. 
• You are within the 180 days of AC21 portability and you need to confirm your I-140 status before changing jobs. 
• Your employer needs to see that your I-140 is approved to support your visa extension, HR purposes or any other lawful endeavours. 

Paying for premium processing is not a substitute or cover-up for a poor petition. The fee of $2,965 only accelerates a review of whatever you file. If you don’t submit a strong application or there are gaps in your documents, USCIS will issue an RFE or even denial within 15 days. The only thing premium processing changes is the speed of the outcome. This is where professionals like Beyond Border, come in to guide you in preparing your documents and filing your petition. 

With a 98% approval rate, and over 4,000 cases handled, Beyond Border helps applicants build well-documented petitions that meet USCIS requirements and strengthens your petition.

Learn More About I-140 Premium Processing and Whether It Is Worth It

How to Pay USCIS Fees

USCIS no longer accepts payments made by personal or business checks, money order, or cashier’s check for forms filed by paper unless you qualify for an exemption. 

Here’s the updated process on how to pay your USCIS fees; 

• Online filings: Pay via myUSCIS account using a credit or debit card processed directly through the portal
• Paper filings: Fill a Form G-1450 (for credit/debit card authorization) or Form G-1650 ( ACH bank transfer). 
• Refunds: USCIS will refund you via check within six to eight weeks if you overpay. 
• You can file Form I-140 alone via your USCIS portal. However if you are filing together with Form I-485, you must submit them both via mail. 

EB-1A Filing Fees by Scenario

The final amount you pay for your EB-1A visa processing depends on different factors such as whether you are inside or outside the U.S., whether you opt for premium processing, if you work with a professional service, etc. 

Nonetheless, here are the cost of some common scenarios; 

Adjustment of Status vs Consular Processing: Fee Breakdown

Once your Form I-140 is approved and your priority date is “current” in the visa bulletin, you have two options for a green card; Adjustment of Status or Consular processing. 

Here’s what each path costs; 

How Beyond Border Supports EB-1A Applicants

Beyond Border is an immigration firm that works exclusively with highly-skilled professionals on self-sponsored employment-based visas, such as; EB-1A, EB-1B, EB-2 NIW, O-1, and L-1 visas. We have a 98% approval rate, across 4,000+ cases that have been handled. We provide same-day advice to our clients, helping you every stage of the process. In addition, we; 

• Prepare and file petitions within one month of receiving all supporting documents.
• Offer a transparent service fee of $8,000 to $10,000, excluding government fees. All government fees are paid directly to USCIS. 
• Offer visa or green card approved guarantee. If the petition is unsuccessful, you will receive a full refund. 

Our client base include professionals from Google, Salesforce, Visa, Mastercard, and Yelp. For Indian professionals in the EB-2 queue while filing for EB-1A, we evaluate your eligibility and provide you with the most actionable strategy. 

Book a consultation today to speak with an expert and begin your EB-1A petition.