TLDR

• What changed? USCIS announced on August 29, 2025, that it will stop accepting checks for government filing fees starting October 29, 2025.
  
• New options: Payments must be made electronically by credit card (Form G-1450) or ACH (Form G-1650).
  
• The problem: Without canceled checks, it’s harder to tie payments back to specific cases and keep trust accounts accurate.
  
• The solution: Virtual cards simplify reconciliation by allowing you to add a reference code to each transaction, while adding real-time visibility and stronger compliance.
  
• Benefits: Earn more rewards and cashback from your existing card, reduce the risk of fraud or misuse, and automate reconciliation and close at the end of the month.
• Use cases: Use them for recurring filing fees, employee expenses, vendor payments, and client reimbursements.

Starting October 29, 2025, immigration law firms will no longer be able to pay government filing fees by check. Under the new U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) policy, all payments must be made electronically through either a credit card (Form G-1450) or ACH (Form G-1650).

For firms handling multiple applications each week, this is more than a simple change in payment method; it’s a major shift in how you manage case tracking, trust accounting, and compliance. 

Not easily knowing which cleared payment ties to which client application is a major problem resulting from these changes. And when clients use their own credit cards, up to one in five payments (20%) can fail due to bank fraud protections or authorization issues. With strict filing deadlines and time-sensitive cases, a single rejected charge can delay submissions and put immigration outcomes at risk.

The question now is: What options are there for a simple solution to help you know which payments tie to which clients?

The answer: Extend. If you have an eligible business credit card, such as American Express, Extend provides the ability for you to create individual virtual cards, each trackable to a single client or single transaction.

The core challenge: Tracking and reconciling filing fees

For years, canceled checks provided a straightforward way to confirm when a filing fee cleared and to match that payment directly to a client’s case. With checks off the table, that clarity disappears.

Electronic payments bring efficiency in some ways, but they also introduce new challenges. Credit card and ACH charges don’t automatically show which case or client they belong to. If you file dozens of cases in a single day—each requiring several separate fees—your statement will show dozens of nearly identical charges. You’re left painstakingly piecing together which payment belongs to which client or if a payment has even cleared in the first place.

And it’s not only an administrative burden, but a compliance one too. Trust accounts depend on accurate recordkeeping, and any mismatch in linking payments to the right client can lead to delays, reconciliation errors, and added hours of back-office work. For firms already stretched with high caseloads, this change adds another layer of complexity to an already demanding workflow.

How virtual cards solve key pain points

There is a simple solution: using virtual credit cards tied to the business credit card you already have.

Virtual cards are digital card numbers that can be generated instantly from your existing card account. They work the same way as your physical card; the only difference is that there is no plastic. You can use virtual cards online, over the phone, and in person by loading them into mobile wallets for contactless payments. 

Because they’re digital, they provide way more flexibility, efficiency, and control. You can create as many as you need, send them instantly to anyone who needs one, tailor them to individual matters, and track them separately. You can even group virtual cards under client-specific budgets, so all related payments and transactions are visible in one place. Meaning you can turn a standard credit card into a powerful tool that simplifies payment workflows and brings clarity back into reconciliation. 

Unique card numbers for each case filing

When you create a virtual card, you’re essentially generating a new card number that you can either use once for a specific case or keep active for recurring payments. Instead of charging every filing fee to the same firm card, you can issue a unique number for each matter. That way, when the transaction posts, it’s already tied to the right client. It’s a simple step that eliminates guesswork, gives you cleaner records, and makes trust accounting far easier to manage.

Real-time visibility & control

Traditional card statements leave you waiting until the end of the cycle to match charges back to cases. Virtual cards change that by giving you instant visibility into each payment as it happens. You can set strict spending limits, tag expenses, and see charges as they occur, not after the fact. You can also see when payments are fully cleared, giving you real-time assurance that your client’s application went through successfully. If you’re handling multiple filings in a single day, this level of control and visibility keeps your books accurate and reduces time spent reconciling later.

Reduced risk & compliance confidence

Because each virtual card is unique, you’re not exposing your firm’s main card number with every transaction. This reduces the risk of misuse or fraud and gives you a more secure way to manage payments. At the same time, every virtual card creates a detailed audit trail that shows exactly which payment was tied to which client or case. That means stronger compliance, greater confidence in your trust account records, and less stress during audits or client reviews.

Beyond filing fees: Other use cases for virtual cards in legal services

The benefits of virtual cards don’t stop at government filing fees. Because they can be generated instantly, tracked individually, and used anywhere a physical card works, they also make day-to-day firm expenses easier to manage.

• Employee expenses:  Whether it’s covering travel to immigration courts, paying for research tools, or handling office supplies, staff often need access to firm funds. Instead of handing over the firm’s main credit card, you can issue a virtual card with a set limit and purpose. This way, employees can pay for what they need, while you maintain full visibility into how and where it’s used. The result: fewer reimbursement requests, better spend control, and cleaner records tied directly to each employee or matter.

• Vendor payments:  Your firm likely works with a wide range of vendors—translation services, expert witnesses, courier companies, and more. By creating a dedicated virtual card for each vendor, you can isolate transactions to that relationship. If a card is ever compromised, you can cancel it in seconds without affecting payments to the rest of your vendor network. 

• Reimbursements for out-of-pocket costs:  Virtual cards are also helpful if you often cover expenses upfront on behalf of clients with the expectation of billing them back. Just issue a new virtual card number for each of these expenses and assign it to the right matter. The charge shows up with its own card number, making it simple to connect the payment back to the client file. This will not only streamline reimbursements but also ensure you have the documentation needed to keep trust accounts accurate and compliant.

Why immigration firms can’t wait to adapt

The deadline is set. Starting October 29, 2025, every government filing fee must be paid electronically. There’s no grace period, no gradual rollout. Once checks are gone, they’re gone.

Waiting to adjust your payment process means risking delays the moment you submit your next case. Without a reliable way to track charges back to clients, reconciliation will pile up, compliance gaps will widen, and trust account errors will become harder to avoid. If your firm is already managing heavy caseloads, even small mistakes will quickly snowball into bigger problems.

You need to get ahead of the change and put tools in place that bring order to an otherwise messy transition. Firms that move quickly will not only protect themselves from disruption but also gain an advantage in efficiency and client service when this policy takes effect.

How Extend supports immigration law firms

Adapting to the new USCIS payment requirements doesn’t have to be complicated. Extend makes it simple for legal firms to issue virtual cards from the business credit card they already have, giving them the tools they need to stay compliant, organized, and efficient.

• Easy virtual card issuance: Create virtual cards in seconds without opening new lines of credit or switching banks. 
• Case-by-case reconciliation: Assign a unique virtual card number to each matter so every charge is already linked to the correct client.
• Real-time tracking: Monitor spending as it happens, set limits before funds go out, and tag transactions to the right case for cleaner records.
• More rewards on your company card: All spending flows through your existing credit card, so every transaction helps you maximize points, miles, or cashback.
• Scalable support: Whether you’re a boutique firm handling a few cases a week or a large practice processing dozens daily, Extend gives you the flexibility to manage payments at any scale.

Ready to simplify USCIS filing fee payments?

The shift away from paper checks is here, and managing payments doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Ready to get the tools to reduce reconciliation headaches, strengthen compliance, and streamline how your firm handles every transaction?