Going through the US Immigration Process is a long and tough process, especially, if it is for Green Card. Not only is it difficult to wait that long, but it is also very expensive. You need to fill the I-485 form to apply for your Green Card, which includes an application fee payable to the Department of Homeland Security.
If you have hired an immigration attorney, which you should, ideally, you need to pay the fees for consultation followed by filing. Once you’re through this, there is the immigration medical exam waiting right around the corner. You will need to pay fees to the USCIS civil surgeon for conducting the medical and signing the I-693 form once the exam is completed. You will need to submit this form in a sealed envelope to USCIS with your I-485 form.
Pay the fee online as instructed on the website of USCIS. The fees for filing I-485 with the USCIS $985 per person along with $85 per person biometric fee. For those younger than 14 years of age or older than 79, this fee is waived.
Immigration attorneys usually charge the initial consultation; they charge a fee later on once the USCIS approves your application. The total fee can range from anywhere between $6000 to $15000 depending on your situation and attorney.
The civil surgeon will charge anywhere between $200 and $1000 depending on where you live for conducting the immigration medical exam. Medical Insurance does not cover the cost of the exam.
The medical examination can easily take 4-6 hours of your time so you may need to skip a day at work. This can easily cost you $150 for the skipped day. There is a follow up to check the result of some tests and certain vaccines require follow-up dose. So, you may need to skip a few hours again easily costing you $75.
The total conveyance charges will cost you $500 approx. which again depends on the geographical area. The total expenditure can easily range between $8000 and $18000.
In order to save money, you should hire an immigration lawyer near you to save up on the conveyance and time. Likewise, you must find USCIS approved civil surgeon near you. You can do this on easyIME.com for free. You can also compare their charges and schedule an appointment with them for your desired date and time. All it takes is a click. You can do all this for free!
