EB-2 green card costs $2,075-$4,740 in USCIS fees plus $10,000 attorney fees. See NIW vs PERM costs, premium processing, and hidden expenses for 2026.
As of 2026, EB-2 green card costs $12,000 to $20,000+ total, including $2,075-$4,740 in USCIS fees, medical examination expenses, and approximately $10,000 for complete legal services. EB-2 NIW applicants pay all costs themselves, while EB-2 PERM employers typically cover filing fees and legal expenses.
The total depends on your pathway. Self-petitioners pursuing EB-2 National Interest Waiver bear all costs personally. Employer-sponsored EB-2 PERM applicants typically pay only the adjustment-of-status fees and medical examination costs, while employers cover the petition fees and legal services.
Total EB-2 Cost Components:
Understanding which costs apply to your situation helps you budget accurately from petition filing through green card receipt.
USCIS EB-2 fees range from $2,075 to $4,740, depending on employer size and pathway. This includes the $715 I-140 filing fee, the $600 Asylum Program Fee ($300 for small employers, $0 for nonprofits), and the $1,440 I-485 adjustment of status fee. The biometrics fee is now included in I-485 filing costs.
As of March 2026, USCIS requires multiple fees at different stages of the petition process. The I-140 immigrant petition establishes your eligibility for EB-2 classification. After approval and when your priority date becomes current, you file an I-485 to adjust status to permanent resident.
Mandatory USCIS Fees:
Form I-140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers):
Form I-485 (Adjustment of Status):
Optional USCIS Fees:
Complete USCIS Total: $2,755-$3,155 for a single applicant filing both I-140 and I-485. Add $1,440 per derivative beneficiary (spouse or child under 21) for their I-485 applications.
Fees are subject to periodic adjustment. Check the official USCIS fee schedule before filing.
EB-2 legal services typically range from $8,000 to $15,000, depending on case complexity and service provider. Beyond Border charges $10,000 for complete EB-2 NIW legal services, covering petition strategy, document preparation, recommendation letter drafting, USCIS filing, and RFE responses if needed.
Legal services for employment-based green cards involve substantial work beyond form completion. Immigration firms prepare detailed legal briefs, organize hundreds of pages of evidence, draft letters of recommendation, and develop case strategies aligned with current USCIS policy. The investment protects against denials that would require restarting the entire process.
Legal Services Fee Structure:
EB-2 NIW (Self-Petition):
EB-2 PERM (Employer-Sponsored):
What Complete Legal Services Include:
Beyond Border uses flat-fee pricing rather than hourly billing, eliminating surprise costs. The firm also offers same-day response times and money-back guarantees for qualifying cases, providing cost certainty throughout the petition process.
For employer-sponsored PERM cases, employers typically bear all legal costs, including labor certification preparation, recruitment compliance, and I-140 filing. Applicants generally only pay for their personal I-485 adjustment costs.
Extra EB-2 costs beyond USCIS fees and legal services include medical examinations required for adjustment of status. USCIS does not regulate medical examination fees; they are set by designated civil surgeons. Additional expenses may include document translations, passport photos, and travel for biometrics appointments.
Form I-693 medical examination is mandatory for I-485 adjustment of status. Only USCIS-designated civil surgeons can perform immigration medical examinations. Fees vary significantly by geographic location and required services.
Additional EB-2 Expenses:
Medical Examination (Mandatory for I-485):
Document Costs:
Travel and Logistics:
Potential Additional Legal Work:
Budget for these ancillary costs when planning your EB-2 green card expenses. Medical examinations cannot be scheduled until you are ready to file or have filed Form I-485, as results have validity periods.
Yes, premium processing is available for EB-2 I-140 petitions at $2,965 (effective March 1, 2026), reducing processing from 20-21 months to 45 calendar days. Premium processing applies to both EB-2 NIW and EB-2 PERM I-140 petitions, but does not affect PERM labor certification or I-485 adjustment timelines.
USCIS guarantees a decision within 45 calendar days of receiving your premium processing request. The decision can be an approval, a denial, a Request for Evidence (RFE), or a Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID). If USCIS fails to adjudicate within 45 days, it must refund the premium processing fee.
Premium Processing Details:
What Premium Processing Covers:
What Premium Processing Does NOT Affect:
When Premium Processing Makes Strategic Sense:
Premium processing does not improve approval odds or substitute for strong evidence. Use it strategically when faster I-140 decision timing provides concrete benefits to your immigration timeline.
EB-2 NIW costs applicants $12,000-$18,000 in total, since they pay all fees themselves, while EB-2 PERM typically costs applicants $2,000-$4,000 (USCIS adjustment fees and medical examination only), because employers cover I-140 filing fees and legal services. NIW eliminates the 16+ month PERM labor certification stage but requires a higher personal investment.
The cost structure differs dramatically between self-petition and employer-sponsored pathways. Understanding who pays what helps evaluate which route makes financial and strategic sense.
EB-2 NIW Costs (Applicant Pays Everything):
EB-2 PERM Cost Allocation:
Applicant Typically Pays:
Employer Typically Pays:
Trade-offs Between Pathways:
EB-2 NIW Advantages:
EB-2 NIW Disadvantages:
EB-2 PERM Advantages:
EB-2 PERM Disadvantages:
Choose your pathway based on employer availability, financial resources, and career flexibility needs. Use the Beyond Border USCIS Fee Calculator to estimate your total government filing costs before beginning your petition.
EB-2 costs represent a significant investment, and mistakes can trigger costly RFEs or denials that require petition restarts. Beyond Border helps you get petitions right the first time with transparent flat-fee pricing of $10,000 for complete EB-2 NIW services.
We file complete I-140 petitions within one month of engagement, reducing the risk of delays that extend costly temporary visa maintenance. Our 98% approval rate minimizes denials that would waste filing fees and require restarting the process. Same-day response times and money-back guarantees for qualifying cases eliminate surprise costs.
Schedule your EB-2 cost consultation to understand total expenses and payment options for your specific situation.
No, USCIS does not offer fee waivers for employment-based petitions, including EB-2. The Asylum Program Fee ($300-$600) also cannot be waived, though nonprofit organizations are exempt from this fee. All required USCIS fees must be paid.
Health insurance typically does not cover immigration medical examinations as USCIS considers them distinct from routine medical care. Medical examination fees are established by individual civil surgeons, not regulated by USCIS. Budget for out-of-pocket medical examination costs.
If denied, you lose USCIS filing fees ($1,315-$3,155 for I-140 and I-485) with no refund. Some law firms offer refund guarantees or free refills for qualifying cases. Beyond Border offers money-back guarantees for eligible situations, protecting your investment in legal services.
Premium processing is worth the investment when you need fast priority date establishment, have urgent employment deadlines, or want to file a concurrent I-485 while the visa bulletin is current. It does not improve approval odds or affect visa bulletin wait times for backlogged countries.
Add $1,440 per derivative beneficiary (spouse or child under 21) for I-485 adjustment filing. Each family member also requires a separate medical examination. Calculate total family cost by multiplying dependent fees by the number of qualifying family members plus principal applicant expenses.
