How much does a CR-1 spouse visa cost?
A CR-1 spouse visa costs $1,355 in government fees from the I-130 petition to the green card, $1,900 less than a K-1, and about $4,700 with a typical lawyer and the medical exam.
The saving comes from skipping the I-485: a CR-1 holder enters the US as a permanent resident, so there is no adjustment of status, no work permit and no travel document to pay for. The price is time and order. You marry abroad first, and the case runs 12 to 24 months from filing to her arrival against 12 to 20 for a K-1.
USCIS, National Visa Center and Department of State fee schedules, 2026 · US citizen petitioner, one applicant
Facts to plan around
- $1,355Government fees through the green card: I-130, DS-260, I-864 review and the immigrant fee
- $0Adjustment of status, work permit and travel document; none apply, she arrives as a resident
- 16 monthsTypical time from filing the I-130 to her arrival; some posts run to 24
- Day oneShe can work and travel from the day she enters; the card arrives within 2 to 3 weeks
- $750I-751 two years later if you were married under 2 years at entry; IR-1 holders skip it
Spouse visa USA cost, fee by fee
Four government payments, in this order. If you have been married more than two years when the visa is issued, it is an IR-1 instead and the last line disappears.
| Form / fee | Amount | When you pay it |
|---|---|---|
| Form I-130 petition (USCIS) | $675 | Day one, filed with USCIS online or by mail; the online filing is $50 cheaper. |
| DS-260 immigrant visa application (NVC) | $325 | After USCIS approval, when the case reaches the National Visa Center; paid online before uploading documents. |
| Affidavit of Support I-864 review fee (NVC) | $120 | With the DS-260, for the I-864 review; a joint sponsor's affidavit costs the same again. |
| USCIS Immigrant Fee (green card production) | $235 | After the visa is issued, before she travels; it pays for the physical green card. |
| Form I-751 remove conditions (if married < 2 years at entry) | $750 | Two years after entry, only if the marriage was under two years old on the day the visa was issued. |
| Total government fees | $2,105 | $1,355 through the green card; $2,105 including I-751 |
Form I-130, the petition
Day oneThe petition that proves the marriage is real: the certificate, photos, joint accounts or leases if you have them. USCIS takes 8 to 14 months to approve it in 2026, which is where most of the CR-1 timeline goes. The $675 is not refunded on denial.
DS-260 and the NVC stage
After approvalThe National Visa Center collects the $325 visa application fee and the $120 affidavit review fee, then the civil documents and the I-864. Expect two to four months here, mostly waiting for document review, before the file goes to the embassy.
The medical exam and the interview
Month 12 to 18Same panel physicians as a K-1, $200 to $700 plus missing vaccines. The interview is at the embassy for her country; Ukrainian and Russian applicants go to Warsaw or another third-country post.
The USCIS immigrant fee
Before she flies$235 paid online after the visa is stamped and before she boards. It covers producing the green card, which arrives at your US address within a few weeks of her entry. Skip it and the card is not produced until you pay.
What the government fees leave out
- Marrying abroad first: registry or notary fees and a wedding in her country$100–$3,000
- Certified translations of her civil documents$150–350
- Medical exam with a panel physician$200–$700
- Immigration lawyer, flat fee for the I-130 through the interview$1,500–$6,000
- Travel to the interview city and courier fees$200–500
CR-1 or K-1, side by side
Same destination, different order. K-1 gets her to the US sooner and then charges you $1,440 to adjust; CR-1 makes you wait and hands her the green card at the border.
| CR-1 spouse | K-1 fiancé | |
|---|---|---|
| Government fees | $1,355 | $3,270 |
| Time to her arrival | 12 to 24 months | 12 to 20 months |
| Status on arrival | Permanent resident, can work and travel | Fiancée; must marry in 90 days, then file I-485 |
| When it makes sense | You can marry abroad and wait | You want her in the US before the wedding |
Add this to your full budget
Switching the typical Ukraine path to CR-1 saves $5,400, most of it from marrying abroad rather than from the fees.
Questions people ask about CR-1 fees
How much does a CR-1 visa cost?
$1,355 in government fees: I-130 $675, DS-260 $325, affidavit review $120 and the $235 immigrant fee. Add the medical exam at $350, translations and a lawyer if you hire one, and a typical case lands between $2,000 and $6,000 depending on whether you hire one.
How much is a spousal visa?
For a US citizen sponsoring a spouse, $1,355 in government fees through the green card. The same route from Canada costs $970, from the UK $6,982 including the health surcharge, and from Australia $8,399, the most expensive partner visa in the English-speaking world.
How long does it take to get a CR-1 visa?
12 to 24 months from filing the I-130 to her arrival in 2026, with the USCIS petition stage taking the longest. Some embassies run past 20 months. That is roughly four months longer than a K-1, offset by arriving with a green card instead of filing an I-485.
What is the income requirement for a CR-1 visa?
125% of the federal poverty guideline for your household size on the I-864, about $26,000 a year for a couple with no children in 2026. Assets worth three times the shortfall count, and a joint sponsor can sign a second I-864 for another $120 review fee.
What are immigration lawyer fees for a spouse visa?
$1,500 to $6,000 as a flat fee for the I-130 through the interview, $3,000 being typical. It buys form preparation, evidence review and interview prep; government fees, translations and the medical exam stay on top. Clean cases with a documented marriage are filed without one every day.
Sources and date
Every figure on this page was checked against the source on the date shown.
- USCIS fee schedule, Form G-1055 ↗Checked Sep 11, 2026
- Department of State, visa fees ↗Checked Sep 11, 2026
- USCIS Immigrant Fee ↗Checked Sep 11, 2026