Beginning October 28, 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) stopped accepting paper checks and money orders for filing fees. All payments must now be made electronically, either by ACH debit using Form G-1650 or by credit or debit card using Form G-1450. This change follows a federal initiative under Executive Order 14247 to modernize government payment systems and eliminate paper transactions.

In theory, the shift makes sense. USCIS has long struggled with lockbox delays, lost checks, and returned filings caused by minor clerical errors. ACH and card payments should reduce those issues and speed up intake. But while the system seems more efficient, it’s also far less transparent.

Under the previous system, however, each paper check was physically stamped with the receipt number of the corresponding application, creating a clear record that linked the payment to a specific filing. That simple step provided an audit trail now missing under the electronic model. An ACH debit now appears on a bank statement as “U.S. Dept of Homeland Security” with no case number, form type, or applicant name. There’s no way to confirm which withdrawal corresponds to which petition, and no way to link a payment directly to the I-797C receipt that eventually arrives. For employers or firms filing several cases at once, reconciliation becomes guesswork.

The alternative, credit-card payments via Form G-1450, has its own complications. Banks often flag government charges as possible fraud, and even minor mismatches in billing address or name can cause automatic declines. Some filers have reported cards being charged but their cases rejected anyway, with refunds taking weeks. These experiences have made credit cards unreliable for time-sensitive filings, while ACH offers speed but no visibility.

Accuracy is critical under the new system. A single typo in a routing number or insufficient funds will cause a rejection. Once a debit clears, it can’t be easily disputed or reversed; any refund must come directly from USCIS, and those are rarely granted.

The new payment rule also poses a challenge for applicants without U.S. bank accounts, such as F-1 students, dependents abroad, or newly hired foreign nationals. ACH debits must come from a U.S.-based account, while foreign accounts, even those supporting international ACH, are not accepted. Applicants in that position must rely on a U.S. employer or family member to process payment, or take their chances with a credit-card transaction.

Ultimately, USCIS’s modernization effort prioritizes efficiency over accountability. Payments now move faster, but the process leaves filers without a reliable way to confirm where their money went. Until the agency develops a system that ties each electronic debit or charge to a specific receipt number, applicants, employers, and attorneys will need to maintain their own documentation. The transition may make USCIS faster, but it also makes it harder to hold the agency accountable when something goes wrong.

By: Adena Bowman

Adena Bowman is a Senior Associate Attorney at Reddy Neumann Brown PC with over 12 years of experience in U.S. immigration law. She helps clients ranging from small businesses to large multinational corporations bring workers to the U.S. and stay compliant with immigration regulations. She also guides individual clients through employment, investment, and family-based immigration matters. Clients rely on her for clear guidance, strategic planning, and personalized support in navigating complex immigration challenges.