Guidance on Paying Fees and Completing Information for Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers
Be sure to provide the correct payment and complete information when filing Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers. Since publishing both a new edition of this form and a new fee rule in April 2024, we have had to reject an unusually high number of Form I-140 petitions at intake because of incorrect fees and missing information.
When you file Form I-140, provide a payment with your petition for the full $600 Asylum Program Fee, unless you qualify for a reduced Asylum Program Fee of either $300 or $0. If you do not provide the correct Asylum Program Fee, in addition to the $715 filing fee, we may reject your filing. Also, because your answers in Part 1 of the form to questions 5 and 6 tell us whether you qualify for a reduced fee, they cannot be left blank.
If you do not provide the correct payment with your petition, or if you do not provide a response for questions 5 and 6 in Part 1, we may reject your form. Refer to the chart below for guidance on how to complete questions 5 and 6 and determine the correct payment.
Petitioner Type | In Part 1 of the I-140Question 5 | In Part 1 of the I-140Question 6 | Asylum Program Fee | Filing Fee | Total Payment |
Non-profit or Small Business | |||||
A nonprofit business, institution, or government research organization. | Yes | Yes or No | $0 | $715 | $715 |
A small business or organization employing 25 or fewer full-time employees in the United States | No | Yes | $300 | $715 | $1,015 |
Individual Self-Petitioner | |||||
A self-petitioner employing 25 or fewer (or zero) full-time employees in the United States | No | Yes | $300 | $715 | $1,015 |
All Other Petitioners | |||||
All petitioners who do not qualify for a reduced Asylum Program Fee and answer “No” to both questions 5 and 6. | No | No | $600 | $715 | $1,315 |
Provide separate payments for the $715 filing fee and the Asylum Program Fee, using the same type of payment, either check/money order or Form G-1450 to pay with a credit card. Packages filed with more than one type of payment may be rejected.
For additional guidance on filing paper-based forms at the Lockbox and how to avoid or correct common errors before you file, including what and how to pay the fees required, visit our Five Steps to File at the USCIS Lockbox webpage.
See the Form I-140 instructions or 8 CFR 106.1(f) for more detailed definitions of nonprofit and small employer.