September 22, 2025

EB-3 Visa Cost: A Breakdown of the Fees

One of the first questions overseas workers ask about the EB-3 employment-based green card is simple: what does it cost? The honest answer is that there is no single fixed price. EB-3 cost is made up of several separate fees paid to different agencies at different stages, and some of those fees are the responsibility of your U.S. employer rather than you.

This guide breaks the costs into categories so you know what to expect. One rule matters above all others: government fees change. A U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) fee rule took effect April 1, 2024, and USCIS updates its fee schedule periodically. Every dollar figure below is listed as of July 2026 and must be confirmed against the live source before you rely on it. Always check the official USCIS fee schedule at uscis.gov/g-1055 and use the uscis.gov/feecalculator tool for your specific forms.

Government filing fees

The largest and most visible EB-3 costs are the government filing fees paid to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The two central forms are:

• Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers — filed by your employer with USCIS after the labor certification is approved. As of July 2026 — verify current at uscis.gov/g-1055: approximately $715 paper / $665 online. Employers may also owe an Asylum Program Fee on top of the base I-140 fee in some cases.
• Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status — filed if you are already inside the U.S. and adjusting status. As of July 2026 — verify current at uscis.gov/g-1055: approximately $1,440 paper / $1,390 online for applicants age 14 and older.

If you are applying from outside the U.S. through consular processing rather than adjustment of status, you will pay different immigrant-visa and processing fees to the U.S. Department of State instead of the I-485 fee. Confirm those separately.

Fee snapshot (verify every figure before relying on it)

Item	Who typically files	Fee (as of July 2026 — verify at uscis.gov/g-1055)
Form I-140	Employer	~$715 paper / $665 online (+ possible Asylum Program Fee for employers)
Form I-485 (age 14+)	Applicant	~$1,440 paper / $1,390 online
Medical examination	Applicant	Set by the doctor — not a government fee

Do not add these into a single “total” and treat it as your final price. The correct total depends on your path (adjustment vs. consular), your age, which optional forms you file, and the current fee schedule on the day you file. Run your exact forms through uscis.gov/feecalculator.

Who pays what

A key feature of the EB-3 process is that certain costs are the employer’s legal responsibility, not yours.

The EB-3 process begins with a PERM labor certification through the U.S. Department of Labor. By law, the employer must pay the costs of the PERM/labor certification process — including recruitment advertising and the certification itself. The employer is the petitioner/sponsor and is the party who files the I-140.

By contrast, costs tied to your personal green-card application — such as the I-485 (or consular immigrant-visa fees) and your medical exam — are generally the applicant’s responsibility. Because arrangements can vary and the rules are specific, always confirm who pays each fee with a licensed immigration attorney before assuming.

Other costs

Beyond government filing fees, budget for:

• Medical examination. Every applicant must complete an immigration medical exam — Form I-693 with a USCIS-designated civil surgeon inside the U.S., or the DS-7794 exam with a panel physician abroad. The doctor sets this price; it is not a government fee and varies by provider and country. Any required vaccinations add to it.
• Optional premium processing (Form I-907). This does not speed up the whole green-card timeline, but it can shorten USCIS’s decision window on certain petitions. It carries its own fee — verify current at uscis.gov/g-1055.
• Travel, documents, and translations. Passports, civil documents, and certified translations are personal costs that fall outside the government schedule.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there one fixed total for an EB-3 green card? No. EB-3 cost is a set of separate fees paid to different agencies at different stages, and government fees change over time. Never treat any total as fixed. Confirm current figures at uscis.gov/g-1055 and price your exact forms at uscis.gov/feecalculator.

Do I have to pay the PERM labor certification fees? No. By law, the costs of the PERM/labor certification process are the employer’s responsibility, because the employer is the sponsor who files it. Personal application costs such as the I-485 and the medical exam are generally yours. Confirm specifics with a licensed attorney.

Why do the fees show two prices — paper and online? USCIS charges a lower fee for some forms filed online than for the same form filed on paper. The I-140 and I-485 figures above reflect that, as of July 2026. Verify the current amounts at uscis.gov/g-1055.

How do I find the exact fee for my situation? Use the official USCIS fee calculator at uscis.gov/feecalculator, which reflects the current schedule for the specific forms you are filing, and review the fee schedule at uscis.gov/g-1055.

Sources

• USCIS — Form G-1055, Fee Schedule: https://www.uscis.gov/g-1055
• USCIS — Fee Calculator: https://www.uscis.gov/feecalculator
• USCIS — Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers: https://www.uscis.gov/i-140
• USCIS — Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status: https://www.uscis.gov/i-485
• U.S. Department of Labor — PERM / Permanent Labor Certification: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/foreign-labor/programs/permanent

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This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Fees, forms, and rules change — a DHS fee rule took effect April 1, 2024 — so always verify current amounts at uscis.gov/g-1055 and uscis.gov/feecalculator. Overseas Job Solutions does not provide legal services and makes no guarantees regarding jobs, visas, green cards, or timelines. Consult a licensed U.S. immigration attorney about your specific situation.