Published filing fees from the USCIS fee schedule, plus professional fees that reflect the corporate evidence work, plus the cost of putting company records in order. For a new U.S. entity, premises and early payroll commitments start before any approval.
Corporate housekeeping is the invisible line item
Read fees from the USCIS fee schedule, Form G-1055, at the time of filing, including any optional premium request. The predictable surprise for a closely held group is the cost of tidying corporate records: issuing shares that were only ever agreed, recording transfers, preparing registers, obtaining certificates of good standing, and having accountants produce statements for entities that have never needed audited figures.
Legal fees for the petition reflect that same evidentiary work rather than form-filling. If the American entity is new, a lease and initial hires are usually committed before a decision is made, which is a genuine financial exposure and should be stated to the owners plainly at the beginning rather than described as a formality.