Mostly the corporate evidence rather than the individual's file: assembling ownership documentation, financial statements, organizational charts and authority records across two entities, often in two countries. Government charges are separate and current amounts are published in the official USCIS fee schedule.
The expensive part happens inside the company
Employers budget for legal fees and then find that the real effort falls on their own finance and corporate secretarial staff, who are asked for ownership chains, audited statements and historic board minutes while doing their normal work. Naming an internal owner for that task at the start is the single most effective cost control available. Where a group has completed similar transfers before, much of the corporate package can be reused, which materially reduces the work for a second case.
Government amounts change, so read them from the current official fee schedule rather than from an older estimate, and ask any adviser to state clearly whether responding to a request for further evidence is included. Hypothetical example: Chen leads an industrial-ceramics manufacturer whose records sit with three overseas affiliates. An internal intake should name a records owner, list each requested corporate and personnel document, and identify whether translation, accountant support or expedited processing is genuinely needed.
Ownership records and foreign payroll history determine the core evidence; a tailored budget should state whether later evidence requests are included. Gather those records before authorizing travel or relocation vendors, because a missing ownership link can change timing and cost. The common waste is commissioning a polished business narrative while the basic share documents remain unavailable.
Check government charges directly from the current official fee materials.