Washington, D.C., August 29, 2025 — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that paper checks and money orders will no longer be accepted for immigration filing fees after October 28, 2025. This marks the end of an era for traditional fee processing and signals a complete transition to electronic payments.
USCIS introduces ACH debit option
To replace paper checks, USCIS has introduced a new payment method: electronic debit (ACH) directly from a U.S. bank account. Applicants can now complete and sign Form G-1650, Authorization for ACH Transactions, and file it with their applications, petitions, or requests.
The agency explained that over 90 percent of the payments it currently receives come through checks and money orders, which contribute to longer processing times, higher fraud risks, and issues with lost or stolen payments. According to USCIS, moving to electronic transactions will reduce these risks and allow for faster, more secure handling of fees.
Until October 28, 2025, USCIS will continue to accept checks, money orders, credit card payments (Form G-1450), and the new ACH debit option. After that date, checks and money orders will be phased out entirely, leaving only ACH debit and credit card payments as acceptable forms of payment.
Executive order drives federal shift
This transition is in line with Executive Order 14247, “Modernizing Payments to and from America’s Bank Account,” which was issued in March 2025 and published in the Federal Register shortly after. The order directs federal agencies to adopt electronic payments wherever legally possible and sets a goal of eliminating paper-based disbursements by September 30, 2025. The administration has framed this move as necessary for improving government efficiency, safeguarding transactions, and reducing taxpayer costs associated with outdated payment methods.
Credit card payments will continue
Even before this change, USCIS had been accepting credit card payments. That option remains in place and continues to be processed through Form G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions. Applicants can pay using Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, or U.S.-issued prepaid cards. The form must be signed and placed on top of the application package when filing. USCIS processes payments securely through the U.S. Treasury’s Pay.gov system and destroys the form after use, protecting applicants’ financial information.
Requirements for Form G-1650
Applicants choosing the ACH debit option must follow strict requirements when completing and filing Form G-1650:
- Place Form G-1650 on top of your application, petition, or request package.
- The bank account must be with a U.S. financial institution.
- You may need to contact your bank to permit the Department of Homeland Security to debit funds by ACH from your account, including removing any ACH Debit Block.
- Submit all fees in the exact amounts. Overpayments or underpayments will result in rejection.
- Each Form G-1650 must be properly signed and filed. Stamped or typewritten names are not acceptable. Unsigned or invalidly signed forms will be rejected.
- USCIS will use the information on Form G-1650 to process the ACH debit payment securely through the Pay.gov platform.
- The form must clearly indicate:
• Whether it is a business or personal account
• Whether it is a checking or savings account
• The authorized payment amount
• The routing number
• The account number
Accuracy is critical for electronic payments
In the past, when multiple checks were submitted with a filing and one of them turned out to be unnecessary, USCIS had the ability to return the extra check while keeping and processing the required one. This flexibility will no longer exist under the electronic system. Now, applicants must be especially careful to list the correct payment amount on Form G-1650 and ensure that their bank accounts have sufficient funds. If an ACH debit transaction is declined or if the wrong amount is authorized, USCIS may reject the entire filing.
A turning point for immigration fee processing
USCIS emphasized that this change is part of a broader modernization strategy that aligns the agency with other government entities moving toward fully electronic systems. By reducing reliance on paper, USCIS aims to improve processing efficiency, cut administrative overhead, and reduce fraud and security risks.
For applicants and petitioners, the key message is clear: after October 28, 2025, only electronic options—ACH debit using Form G-1650 or credit card payments using Form G-1450—will be available. Those still relying on traditional checks or money orders should begin preparing now for this transition.
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