What the K-1 fiancé(e) route costs from petition to green card
Set the number of K visa applicants and the optional permits to total every fee from the I-129F to the adjustment of status.
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and past error
Fiancé(e) visa K-1, then I-485
$3,270
Edition 10/07/26 of the USCIS fee schedule
| I-129F · Petition for alien fiancé(e) | $675 |
|---|---|
| DS-160 · K visa application (State Department) | $265 |
| I-485 · Adjustment of status, age 14 or older | $1,440 |
| I-765 · Work permit with a pending I-485 | $260 |
| I-131 · Advance parole with a pending I-485 | $630 |
| I-864 · Affidavit of support (no USCIS fee) | $0 |
| I-693 · Medical exam form (no USCIS fee; the doctor bills separately) | $0 |
| Paid to USCIS | $3,005 |
| Paid to the State Department | $265 |
| Total government fees | $3,270 |
How this was calculated
- Amounts from USCIS Form G-1055, edition 10/07/26, and the State Department fee page, read on October 13, 2026.
- Not counted because no agency sets them: the civil surgeon’s medical exam, translations, photos and any lawyer.
Estimate from public data, not legal advice. Your case may differ (cross-chargeability, CSPA, waivers). For advice, see a licensed immigration attorney or a DOJ-accredited representative. Not affiliated with USCIS or the Department of State. Method and past error
The K-1 fiancé(e) route costs $3,270 in government fees for one person who files the work permit and advance parole after the wedding, or $2,380 without them. It starts with Form I-129F, $675 on paper under the USCIS fee schedule G-1055 dated 10/07/26, which lists no online price for it. After approval, the State Department charges $265 for the K visa application at the consulate. Once in the United States, the couple marries and the foreign spouse files Form I-485, at $1,440, plus $260 for a work permit and $630 for advance parole if wanted. Because the K-1 is a nonimmigrant visa, the $235 USCIS Immigrant Fee does not apply. Marrying first and applying for a spousal immigrant visa through a consulate costs $1,355 in fees, $1,915 less than the K-1 route with its permits, but it means a wedding abroad.
Paid before and after the flight
The K-1 bill splits around the plane ticket. Before arrival, the couple pays $940: the I-129F at $675 to USCIS and the K visa at $265 to the State Department. After the wedding, the bill starts again inside the country with the I-485 and, for most couples, the work permit and travel document. The I-129F is the only form in this path that the G-1055 lists at a paper price alone.
Why the fiancé route costs more than a spousal visa
| Route | Before arrival | After arrival | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| K-1, then I-485 with permits | $940 | $2,330 | $3,270 |
| Spousal immigrant visa abroad | $1,355 | $0 | $1,355 |
The K-1 is a nonimmigrant visa, so the fiancé(e) arrives without a green card and pays a full adjustment of status to get one. A spouse who receives an immigrant visa abroad pays the I-130, the immigrant visa fee, the affidavit review and the Immigrant Fee, and enters as a resident. What the $1,915 difference pays for is, in practice, a wedding in the United States.
The medical exam twice?
The K visa requires a medical exam with the embassy’s panel physician, and the I-485 has its own medical form, I-693, with no USCIS fee. Neither doctor’s price is official, so neither is in our total; read the I-485 instructions on whether the earlier exam can be reused.
After the green card
A couple married less than two years when the green card is approved receives a two-year conditional card, and the I-751 petition to remove conditions has its own fee. See the I-129F processing time for the first step.
Fees line by line, paper and online
| Form | What it is | Paper | Online |
|---|---|---|---|
| I-129F | Petition for alien fiancé(e) | $675 | $675 |
| DS-160 | K visa application (State Department) | $265 | $265 |
| I-485 | Adjustment of status, age 14 or older | $1,440 | $1,390 |
| I-765 | Work permit with a pending I-485 | $260 | $260 |
| I-131 | Advance parole with a pending I-485 | $630 | $580 |
| I-864 | Affidavit of support (no USCIS fee) | $0 | $0 |
| I-693 | Medical exam form (no USCIS fee; the doctor bills separately) | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $3,270 | $3,170 |