Do USCIS Accept Personal Checks as Payment Method

USCIS does not accept personal checks for certain types of payments, such as Form I-901 SEVIS fee payments.

If you're planning to file a petition or application with USCIS, you'll need to know the accepted payment methods. Unfortunately, personal checks are not always an option.

USCIS accepts various payment methods, including credit cards, debit cards, and online payment systems like Pay.gov.

USCIS accepts payment through a check, money order, or credit card authorization form. The payment method must be attached to the front of the application when submitted.

You can pay by check or money order, and both personal and cashier's checks are accepted. Make sure to update the check amount and memo line for the correct form.

The check or money order must be made payable to the US Department of Homeland Security, and not abbreviated as "USDHS" or "DHS". This is a crucial detail to ensure your payment is processed correctly.

Personal checks must be associated with a bank located in the United States and payable in US currency. Any payment from a foreign institution will be rejected by USCIS.

If you're paying by check, the original will not be returned to you. USCIS will keep a copy on file and destroy the original document after converting the payment into an electronic funds transfer (EFT).

USCIS will add the receipt number to the back of the check before cashing it with the bank. This can be a way to access the receipt number more quickly.

Here are the payment requirements summarized:

USCIS accepts fee payments through a check, money order, or credit card authorization form. These payment methods must be attached to the front of the application when submitted to USCIS.

To make a payment, the money must come from a bank or other financial institution in the United States and be payable in US currency. This ensures that the payment is legitimate and can be processed by USCIS.

Checks and money orders must be made payable to the US Department of Homeland Security, and not abbreviated as "USDHS" or "DHS". This is a crucial detail to get right, as USCIS will not accept payments made to the wrong entity.

If you need to make multiple payments, they must be paid via the same payment type. USCIS will not accept a mixture of various payment types, such as one form paid via check and another via credit card.

Here are the accepted payment methods and their requirements:

Some organizations have a maximum amount for a single money order (frequently $1000). If this is the case, you are welcome to request 2 money orders totaling the filing fee. However, USCIS will only accept one type of payment for each form filing fee.