CR-1 Government Filing Fees — What You'll Pay in 2026

What CR-1 Government Filing Fees Actually Cover

The CR-1 visa brings your spouse to the United States as a conditional permanent resident when your marriage is less than two years old at the time the green card is issued. The government divides the cost across three agencies—USCIS handles the initial petition, the Department of State processes the visa application at the consular post abroad, and approved panel physicians conduct the required medical exam. Each agency sets its own fee schedule, and those schedules change independently of each other.

As of 2026, USCIS charges a filing fee for Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative. The Department of State charges a separate immigrant visa application processing fee, paid before the consular interview. The medical examination fee is set by the physician or clinic and varies by country—there is no uniform global rate. USCIS publishes its fee schedule at uscis.gov/forms, the State Department lists visa fees at travel.state.gov, and consular posts maintain lists of approved panel physicians with their current rates.

Here's the honest answer: the government does not bundle these costs into a single payment. You pay USCIS when you file the petition, you pay the State Department when the case transfers to the National Visa Center, and you pay the medical provider before your consular interview. Missing any one of these payments stalls the process at that stage—there is no advancing to the next step without proof of payment for the prior one.

The I-130 Petition Filing Fee

Form I-130 establishes the spousal relationship that qualifies your husband or wife for immigrant status. USCIS charges a filing fee for this petition. The agency updates its fee schedule periodically through formal rulemaking published in the Federal Register, so the amount you pay depends on when you file, not when you married or when you plan to travel.

USCIS accepts payment by check, money order, or credit card (if filing online). Paper filers must include payment with the petition; online filers pay through the USCIS account portal at the time of submission. The receipt notice—Form I-797—confirms USCIS received the petition and the payment. Without that receipt, the petition is rejected as improperly filed, and the payment is returned.

Filing fees are non-refundable. If USCIS denies the petition, the fee is not returned. If you withdraw the petition before adjudication, the fee is not returned. If you refile after a denial, you pay the fee again at the rate in effect on the new filing date.

Confirm the current I-130 filing fee on the USCIS fee schedule at uscis.gov/i-130 before you mail or submit the petition. The amount listed there is the amount you must pay—outdated instructions or advice based on prior fee rules will cause a rejection.

Department of State Immigrant Visa Processing Fee

After USCIS approves the I-130 petition, the case transfers to the National Visa Center (NVC), operated by the Department of State. The NVC collects the immigrant visa application processing fee before scheduling the consular interview. This fee is separate from the USCIS petition fee and covers the consular officer's review of the visa application, the interview itself, and the issuance of the visa if approved.

As of 2026, the Department of State lists the immigrant visa processing fee on its Fee Schedule at travel.state.gov. The NVC sends instructions on how to pay this fee after the I-130 approval. Payment is made online through the Consular Electronic Application Center or by following the specific payment instructions provided by the NVC for your case. The fee must be paid before the NVC will schedule an interview date.

This fee is also non-refundable. If the consular officer denies the visa, the fee is not returned. If the applicant withdraws before the interview, the fee is not returned. The fee is valid for one year from the date of payment—if the case does not reach an interview within that window, the applicant may need to pay again.

Do not rely on unofficial sources for the current visa processing fee. The Department of State updates its Fee Schedule independently of USCIS, and the two agencies do not coordinate fee changes. Always verify the amount at travel.state.gov before you pay.

Medical Examination Costs

Every CR-1 applicant must complete a medical examination by a physician approved by the U.S. embassy or consulate where the visa interview will occur. The exam includes a physical assessment, review of vaccination records, and tests for communicable diseases of public health significance as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The results are documented on Form I-693 or the DS-2053 (depending on whether the exam occurs in the U.S. or abroad), and the sealed report must be brought to the consular interview.

The U.S. government does not set the price for this exam. Each panel physician or authorized clinic sets its own fee based on local operating costs, and those fees vary widely by country and even by city within the same country. A medical exam in Manila costs a different amount than one in London or Mexico City. Some consular posts publish a range of fees charged by local panel physicians; others list the physicians without pricing.

The exam fee typically includes the physician's consultation, required laboratory tests, any necessary vaccinations the applicant does not already have, and the preparation of the sealed medical report. Some physicians charge separately for vaccinations administered during the exam. Payment is due at the time of the exam, and most panel physicians accept only local currency or specific payment methods—confirm the accepted payment forms when you schedule the appointment.

To find the current list of approved panel physicians and their fees (if published), visit the website of the U.S. embassy or consulate where the visa interview is scheduled. Do not use physicians not on the approved list—USCIS and the consular officer will not accept results from unauthorized providers, and you will need to repeat the exam with an approved physician at your own expense.

Fee Payment Timing and Sequence

The bottom line: each payment unlocks the next stage. You cannot skip a fee and proceed—the process is structured to require proof of payment before the case advances. Plan the payments in sequence, and confirm the current amount for each one at the time you reach that stage, not months in advance when the amounts may have changed.

What If the Fee Schedule Changes Between Filing and Approval?

Fee rules apply based on the date you file or pay, not the date USCIS or the State Department adjudicates your case. If you file Form I-130 in January 2026 and USCIS approves it in August 2026, you pay the fee in effect in January—the approval date does not trigger a new fee. If the NVC sends its payment instructions in September 2026 and you pay the immigrant visa fee in October 2026, you pay the rate in effect in October, even if it increased since your I-130 was filed.

The agencies do not retroactively adjust fees for cases already in process. Once you have paid a fee and received a receipt, that payment stands regardless of later changes to the fee schedule. If a fee decreases after you paid the higher amount, you do not receive a refund of the difference. If a fee increases after you paid the lower amount, you do not owe the difference—your payment is valid.

Monitor the USCIS and State Department fee schedules if your case spans multiple months between stages. The surest way to avoid surprises is to check the current fee each time you are instructed to pay, rather than relying on information from when you started the process.

What If You Cannot Afford the Filing Fees?

USCIS offers a fee waiver for certain immigration benefits if the applicant meets specific financial hardship criteria. As of 2026, Form I-130 is not eligible for a fee waiver—USCIS does not waive the petition fee for family-based petitions filed by U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents. The immigrant visa processing fee charged by the Department of State is also not waivable.

If you cannot pay the required fees, the petition or visa application cannot proceed until payment is made. USCIS and the State Department do not offer payment plans or deferred payment options for these fees. The medical exam fee is a private transaction between the applicant and the physician, so the U.S. government has no authority to reduce or waive it.

Some petitioners save over several months to cover the total cost. Others seek assistance from family members who can help with the payments. There is no prohibition on someone other than the petitioner or applicant paying the fees, as long as the correct amount is submitted with the correct form or payment instruction.

What the Fees Do Not Include

CR-1 government filing fees cover only the government's processing costs. They do not include:

• Translation and document certification costs. Any document not in English must be accompanied by a certified English translation. Translation services charge per page or per document, and certification fees vary by provider.
• Travel to the consular interview. The applicant must travel to the U.S. embassy or consulate in the country where the interview is scheduled. Airfare, lodging, and meals are the applicant's responsibility.
• Courier or postal fees. Sending documents to USCIS, the NVC, or the consular post may require tracked shipping. Some consular posts return the visa and passport by courier at the applicant's expense.
• Photographs. Both USCIS and the State Department require passport-style photographs meeting specific dimensions and quality standards. Photo studios charge separately for these.
• Legal representation. Attorney fees for preparing the petition, reviewing documents, and advising on the process are separate from government filing fees.

Budget for these additional costs when planning the total expense of a CR-1 case. The government fees are the unavoidable baseline; the rest depends on your specific circumstances, the country where the applicant resides, and the complexity of the documentation.

Comparing CR-1 Fees to IR-1 Fees

The bottom line: the government charges the same fees for CR-1 and IR-1 cases. The difference is in the status granted—conditional versus permanent—not in what you pay upfront. The CR-1 visa leads to an additional cost later: the I-751 petition to remove conditions, which has its own filing fee. That fee is due before the two-year green card expires, so plan for it as part of the total cost of bringing your spouse to the United States.

Verifying Current Fees Before You File

Fee schedules change through formal rulemaking. USCIS publishes proposed fee changes in the Federal Register, accepts public comments, and issues a final rule that sets the effective date for the new fees. The State Department follows a similar process for visa fees. Both agencies post their current fee schedules online, and those schedules control—not what you read in a forum, not what a friend paid last year, not what a blog post says.

Before you file Form I-130, visit uscis.gov/i-130 and locate the filing fee listed there. Before you pay the NVC immigrant visa fee, visit travel.state.gov and confirm the amount on the current Fee Schedule. Before you schedule the medical exam, contact the panel physician listed by the consular post and ask the cost of the exam and any vaccinations you may need.

Outdated fee information causes rejected filings and delayed cases. The five minutes it takes to verify the current amount is time well spent.

Disclaimer: This article provides general information about CR-1 government filing fees and is not legal advice. It does not create an attorney-client relationship between the reader and the Law Offices of Peter D. Chu. Immigration filing fees are set by U.S. government agencies and change periodically. Outcomes in individual cases depend on specific facts, documentation, and the applicable law at the time of filing. Consult a licensed immigration attorney to discuss your situation and confirm current fees and procedures before you file any petition or application. For personalized guidance on spousal immigration cases, contact the Law Offices of Peter D. Chu to schedule a consultation.

Schedule a consultation with the Law Offices of Peter D. Chu — 4615 Convoy St, San Diego, CA 92111 · 858-268-8823 · Mon–Fri, 8:30 AM–5:30 PM. Consultation fee: $250.