Client Alert!
Paper Checks Phased Out
President Trump signed an Executive Order directing all federal agencies to stop issuing or accepting paper checks by September 30, 2025. This move is part of a broader government effort to modernize operations, reduce fraud, and cut costs related to paper check processing.
Some exceptions remain in place for:
- Those without access to banking or electronic payment systems
- Emergency payments requiring non-EFT (electronic funds transfer) methods
- National security or law enforcement–related situations
New and Increased Filing Fees
Under the H.R. 1 Reconciliation Bill, USCIS has imposed new mandatory fees for several common applications, effective July 22, 2025. These are in addition to the existing USCIS filing fees. USCIS will reject any application postmarked on or after August 21, 2025, if the new HR-1 fees are not included.
- Asylum Application (Form I-589) – Now $100
- Annual Pending Asylum Fee (yearly) – Now $100
- EAD (Form I-765, initial for asylum/parole/TPS) – Now $550
- EAD Renewal/Extension – Now $275
- Re-Parole EAD (via Form I-131) – Now $275
- Special Immigrant Juvenile (Form I-360) – Now $250
- TPS Registration (Form I-821) – Now $500
Click the link for more information.