A gift to the U.S. government plus a processing fee, in amounts published on the official program page. Because those amounts have changed, confirm them on the day the decision is made.
Two payments that behave differently
The current official FAQ describes a nonrefundable US$15,000 DHS processing fee for an individual application and, after successful vetting, a US$1 million gift to the U.S. government. Each eligible spouse or unmarried child under 21 included in the initial application requires the same additional fee and gift. The gift is not an investment: it buys no asset and promises no investment return. Do not state a refund outcome for the gift beyond the current official instructions. Add any applicable professional, document, medical and State Department costs separately, and re-verify the official amounts, payment sequence and refund terms immediately before any transfer.
Hypothetical example: an independent grain-elevator operator can raise the stated amount only by prepaying a lender and selling stored grain early. The first review should compare the official payment, processing fee, liquidation discounts, lender charges, taxes, exchange costs, and household reserves. Government terms settle what is paid to the U.S. government; financial records settle the cost of making funds liquid. Price that decision before signing a sale. The common error is treating asset value as spendable cash and forgetting that the payment is not an investment that can later be recovered.