Every consult starts with the same question. Every price-shopping call starts with the same question. Nobody publishes the answer clearly, so here it is — the real fee landscape for U.S. immigration counsel in 2026, plus the USCIS filing fees you'll owe on top and the pricing structures to run from.
How immigration attorneys charge
The overwhelming majority of reputable firms bill immigration matters as a flat fee — the whole matter, from strategy through USCIS decision, quoted up front in writing. Hourly is unusual outside of complex litigation. Contingency is essentially unheard of and should raise a red flag if offered.
- Flat fee: agreed price in writing before filing. What you should almost always see.
- Hourly: $350-$600 an hour depending on market. Reasonable only for federal-court mandamus or unusually complex appeals.
- "Payment plans": most flat fees can be split across the case's milestones. Ask.
- Refund-or-refile: some firms offer to refund fees or refile at no cost if a case denies. Worth checking eligibility rules — refunds usually apply only when the case was pre-approved by the firm's own screening.
Real flat-fee ranges by matter
These reflect current market rates from firms with actual immigration specialty (not general-practice attorneys). U.S. average, ranges wider in NYC/SF/LA on the top end.
- EB-1A Extraordinary Ability: $7,500–$12,000
- EB-2 NIW: $6,500–$10,000
- H-1B (cap-subject): $2,500–$4,500 employer-paid, plus DOL / USCIS fees
- O-1A extraordinary ability visa: $5,500–$9,000
- K-1 fiancé: $3,000–$4,500
- Marriage-based adjustment (I-130 + I-485 concurrent): $3,500–$6,000
- N-400 naturalization: $1,500–$2,500
- F-1 reinstatement: $2,000–$3,500
- Asylum (I-589): $5,000–$10,000
- RFE or NOID response: $2,000–$5,000 depending on complexity
- AAO appeal: $4,000–$8,000
- Federal-court mandamus: $6,000+, sometimes hourly
USCIS filing fees — the other half of the check
USCIS revised the fee schedule in April 2024. These are the fees your applicant pays directly to the government, on top of attorney fees. Don't let a quote hide them.
- I-140 (EB-1, EB-2, EB-3): $715
- I-485 (adjustment of status): $1,440
- I-130 (family petition): $675 online / $625 paper
- N-400 (naturalization): $760
- I-129 (H-1B, L-1, O-1): $780 base + $600 asylum-program fee for larger employers
- Premium processing (I-907): $2,805
- I-751 (remove conditions): $750
Pricing red flags
Extreme low-end quotes almost always signal either inexperience or hidden charges. A $500 EB-1A quote is a $500 template plus a bill that grows through the case. Similarly, quotes that refuse to itemize what's in the flat fee (RFE response? I-140 vs I-485 both included?) are worth walking away from.
Our fees page publishes flat rates for every matter we handle, including what's bundled and what's separate. If the case doesn't fit the typical scope, we quote after a free 20-minute consult — never after the retainer's signed.
