U.S. visa fees range from $160 to $265 for most visitor and work visas, and they are nonrefundable

The cost of a U.S. visa depends on what you are coming to do — tourism, employment, study, or family sponsorship — and which visa category you fall into. A B-1/B-2 visitor visa costs $160. Work visas range from $190 to $265. Student visas cost $160, and exchange visitor visas cost $180. The fee covers only the consular review of your process; it does not cover travel, medical exams, police certificates, or other documents you may need to gather separately.

You pay the visa fee when you submit your process, not when you receive the visa. Most visa fees are nonrefundable even if your process is denied. Some visa types carry additional costs beyond the process fee — for example, family-based green card sponsorship requires a separate $120 I-864 Affidavit of Support filing fee, and work visa petitions filed with USCIS cost $460 to $1,055 depending on the category. A few visa categories, such as diplomat visas and NATO visas, have no fee at all.

Key Takeaways

  • Visitor visas (B-1/B-2) cost $160, and work visas (H-1B, L-1, O-1, E-2) cost $190 to $265 depending on the category.
  • Student visas (F-1) cost $160 and exchange visas (J-1) cost $180, and you pay these fees after your school or program has approved you.
  • Some countries charge a reciprocity fee on top of the U.S. visa fee; the amount varies by your country of citizenship and is paid separately at the consulate.
  • Work visa employers typically pay the consular visa fee, but they also file a separate petition with USCIS that costs $460 to $1,055.
  • Visa fees are nonrefundable regardless of whether your process is approved or denied.

Visitor and tourist visa fees

A B-1/B-2 visitor visa costs $160 and is used for tourism, business meetings, or short-term visits of less than six months. You pay this fee when you submit your process at a U.S. embassy or consulate in your home country. The fee covers the cost of processing your process and the visa interview.

Some countries charge a reciprocity fee on top of the $160 U.S. fee. Australia, Brazil, Mexico, and several other nations impose this additional charge based on their agreement with the U.S. The reciprocity fee amount depends on your country of citizenship and is set by that country, not by the U.S. government. You can find your country's reciprocity fee on the State Department website for your specific consulate. This fee is paid separately at the consulate, usually at the time of your interview or when you submit your process.

Work visa fees

Work visas cost between $190 and $265 depending on the category. An H-1B visa (specialty occupation worker) costs $190. An L-1 visa (intracompany transferee) costs $190. An O-1 visa (individual with extraordinary ability) costs $190. An E-2 visa (treaty investor) costs $205. These are the fees you pay at the consulate for the visa itself.

Your employer typically pays the work visa consular fee, though some employers ask you to reimburse them. Before you begin the process process, confirm with your employer or immigration attorney who will cover this cost. The consular visa fee is separate from the petition fee your employer files with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The petition fee for Form I-129 (temporary worker) ranges from $460 to $1,055 depending on the visa type and your employer's size. Form I-140 (immigrant worker) costs $715. Your employer pays these petition fees to USCIS, not to the consulate.

Student and exchange visitor visa fees

An F-1 student visa costs $160. A J-1 exchange visitor visa costs $180. You pay these fees after your school or exchange program has issued you a Form I-20 (for F-1) or DS-2019 (for J-1), which confirms your institution has approved your enrollment. You pay the visa fee at the consulate when you attend your visa interview.

The visa fee covers only the consular processing of your process. It does not cover the SEVIS fee (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System), which is a separate $200 fee paid to the Department of Homeland Security. You must pay the SEVIS fee before you can attend your visa interview. Some schools pay this fee for you as part of your enrollment; others require you to pay it yourself. Check with your school's international student office to find out who covers this cost.

Family-based immigration and green card fees

If a family member is sponsoring you for a green card, the sponsor must file an I-864 Affidavit of Support with USCIS. This filing costs $120 and is paid by the sponsor, not by you. This fee is separate from any visa fee you may owe. The sponsor pays this fee to USCIS when they file the sponsorship petition.

If you are adjusting status to a green card while already in the U.S., you pay an I-485 process fee of $640 and a biometric services fee of $85, for a total of $725 to USCIS. If you are obtaining your green card through consular processing abroad, you pay the visa fee at the consulate (usually $160 for family-based cases) plus the I-864 filing fee ($120) paid by your sponsor to USCIS. The total cost depends on whether you adjust status in the U.S. or process through a consulate.

Visa types with no fee

A few visa categories have no consular fee. These include A visas (diplomats and government officials), G visas (international organization employees), and NATO visas. If you hold a passport from a country with a visa waiver agreement with the U.S., you do not need a visa at all — you can enter for tourism or business for up to 90 days with just a valid passport and an approved ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization), which costs $14.

The ESTA is not a visa; it is an electronic travel authorization that allows citizens of 40 countries to enter the U.S. without a visa. You explore for an ESTA online, and approval usually takes minutes to hours. The $14 fee is paid to the U.S. government when you submit your ESTA process. If you are not from a visa waiver country, you must obtain a visa and pay the applicable consular fee.

Additional costs beyond the visa fee

The visa fee itself does not cover medical exams, police certificates, or document translation. If your visa category requires a medical exam (common for work and family-based visas), you pay a civil surgeon directly; costs range from $100 to $300 depending on your location and the complexity of the exam. Police certificates, if required, are obtained from your home country and may cost $20 to $100 depending on the country and how quickly you need them.

If your documents are in a language other than English, you may need certified translations. Translation costs vary by language and document length but typically run $50 to $200 per document. Some consulates have a list of approved translators; others allow any certified translator. You are responsible for obtaining and paying for these translations before you submit your process.

Travel to the consulate for your visa interview is also your responsibility. If you live far from the nearest U.S. consulate, factor in airfare, lodging, and time off work. Some consulates allow you to explore by mail or through a visa process center in your city, which may reduce travel costs. Visa process centers are private companies that collect applications on behalf of the consulate and may charge a service fee of $20 to $100 in addition to the consular visa fee.

How visa fees are paid

Payment methods vary by consulate. Most U.S. embassies and consulates accept bank transfers, credit cards, or payment through a visa process center. Some require payment before your interview; others collect payment at the time of your interview. Check your specific consulate's website for accepted payment methods and the payment important date.

If you use a visa process center, you pay the consular visa fee plus a service fee set by the process center. This service fee is not set by the U.S. government and ranges from $20 to $100 depending on the center and country. The process center fee is separate from and in addition to the consular visa fee. Some process centers also offer expedited processing for an additional fee, though this is optional.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get my visa fee back if my process is denied?

No. Visa fees are nonrefundable regardless of the outcome. You pay the fee when you submit your process, and it is not returned if your visa is denied. The fee covers the cost of processing your process, not the outcome.

Do I have to pay the visa fee before my interview?

This depends on your consulate. Some require payment before your interview appointment; others collect payment at the time of your interview. Check your consulate's website or your appointment confirmation letter for the payment important date and accepted payment methods.

What is a reciprocity fee and how much does it cost?

A reciprocity fee is an additional charge imposed by certain countries on U.S. visa applicants from that country. The amount varies by country and is set by that country's agreement with the U.S. You can find your country's reciprocity fee on the State Department website for your specific consulate. It is paid separately from the U.S. visa fee at the time of your interview.

Who pays the visa fee for work visas?

Usually your employer pays the work visa consular fee, though some employers ask the employee to reimburse them. Confirm with your employer or immigration attorney before you begin the process process. Your employer also pays the separate petition fee (I-129 or I-140) filed with USCIS, which is a different cost from the consular visa fee.

Is the visa fee the same at every U.S. consulate?

The U.S. visa fee is the same worldwide for each visa type. However, some countries charge a reciprocity fee on top of the U.S. fee, and visa process centers may charge a service fee. Your country of citizenship may affect the total cost you pay, but the base U.S. consular fee does not change by location.