G-1651 Exemption for Paper Fee Payment
Claims an exemption from the electronic-payment requirement so a filer can still pay by check or money order. USCIS requires a stated reason. Without an approved exemption, a paper check attached to a filing is grounds for rejection.
- Fee
- $0
- Fee waiver
- Not available
- Who files
- Filers who cannot use a card or ACH - typically people without bank accounts or cards.
- Where to file
- Filed with the form and the paper payment it covers.
Part of these processes
What changed in 2025 and 2026
- Introduced in 2025 when USCIS moved to electronic-only fee payment. This is the only route left for a paper check on a lockbox filing.
Official page. https://www.uscis.gov/g-1651. Download the form there, never from a third-party site; check the edition date and fee before filing.