Application for a US visa is unfortunately not free, and various fees apply depending on the type of visa the applicant is applying for. The cost also largely depends on the country the applicant is applying from. A fee must be paid for US immigrant and non-immigrant visas. There are not only application fees but also reciprocity fees (which are paid by foreign countries depending on their relationship with the US).
US Nonimmigrant Visa Application Fees
Non-immigrant visas to the U.S. have many categories, and therefore many different fees apply. To get a grasp of how the visas are divided, they can be classified into petition based and non-petition based visas. The applicable fee for a non-immigrant visa are as follows:
| Visa type | Visa fee |
|---|---|
| Petition Based | $190 |
| Non-Petition Based | $160 |
| K Visas (nonimmigrant Visa for a Fiance) | $265 |
| E Visas (temporary workers) | $205 |
Fees for Non-Petition and Petition Based Visas
Non-petition based visas are the ones that do not demand an employer or a citizen from the US to petition for a person who wants to temporarily travel to the US. The application process is simple as you only have to fill in the DS-160 form which is found online. Then, standard steps have to be followed: fee, scheduling an interview, providing supporting documents, and attending the scheduled interview.
Non-Petition Based Visas:
| Visa Type | Visa Fee |
|---|---|
| US Visitor Visa (b-1, b2). | $160 |
| C-1 Visa for Transit to the US. | $160 |
| D Visa for the airline of ship staff. | $160 |
| F Visa for students and academic staff. | $160 |
| I Visa for writers (journalists) and media workers. | $160 |
| J Visa for exchange visitors (does not include sponsored applicants). | $160 |
| TN TD Visa for NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) Professionals | $160 |
| T Visa for victims affected by human trafficking | $160 |
| U visa for victims of criminal activity | $160 |
| M Visa for vocational students | $160 |
In contrast, petition-based visas are the ones that do demand an employer or a citizen from the US to petition for applicants who want to travel on a temporary basis to the US. This typically includes temporary living and working. Before a DS-160 application is being made, employers must first submit a petition to USCIS (US Citizenship and Immigration Services), Department of State or US Homeland Department. This petition must be covered (paid for) by the employer. Fees depend on the visa type.
Petition based visas are:
| Visa type | Visa fee |
|---|---|
| H visas for temporary workers (H-1B visa, H-1B1 visa, H-2A visa, H-2B visa, H-3 visa, H-4 visa) | $190 |
| L visas for intracompany transfers (L-1 visa, L-2 visa) | $190 |
| O visas for individuals with extraordinary skills and abilities (O-1 visa, O-2 visa, O-3 visa) | $190 |
| P visa for those that are athletes, entertainers, and artists | $190 |
| Q visa for travels associated with international cultural exchanges | $190 |
| R Visa for Religious individuals who travel for work purposes | $190 |
| E visa for traders and investors (e-1, e-2, e-3 visas) | $205 |
| K visa for finance or spouse of US national | $265 |
Apart from the petition and non-petition based nonimmigrant visas, there also other types of visas and fees that must be paid including:
- Border Crossing Card for Mexican Citizens (application only apply for those over the age of 15, the fee is equal to $160.00, in comparison for those under the age of 15 fees is $16)
- For petitioners for the L visas, the fee is $500 for fraud detection and prevention
- For petitioners for H visas, the fee is $4,500 or petitioning to the US institutions to bring a foreign temporary individual (worker) into the US.
Fees that are not Applicable for US Nonimmigrant Visas
There are also situations where a fee is not applicable. These situations are: when an application for A, G, C-2, C-3, NATO and diplomatic visas are made. Another exception applies to J type visas that are sponsored by the US government, or for US government staff members that are travelling for official business. Charity event travels are also fee exempt, along with family members of US government officials that are travelling for funeral purposes. Other exemptions apply to individuals who travel to replace a machine-readable visa when the original was not properly stamped, and for applicants who are part of international agreements.
Nonimmigrant Visa Reciprocity Fees
Next, we have non-immigrant visa categories that are affected, in terms of price, by reciprocity fees. Fees refer to issuing (of US visa) and border crossing cards. Immigrant visa holders do not have to worry about reciprocity fees, as it only applies to non-immigrant visas.
Reciprocity fees differ depending on which country the applicant is applying from. The reciprocity fee range is roughly $80-$300 depending on the visa classification. The fee must be covered before obtaining a passport back from the US Embassy. Yet, like with any other fees, there are some exemptions. Exemption to reciprocity fee applies if the applicant is:
- Part of an international agreement – a staff member of the UN Headquarters or the UN General Assembly, and their families
- Transiting to the UN Headquarters
- Part of a US government-sponsored program
- Travelling for charity reasons
Immigrant Visa Fees
The US immigrant visas are those that permit their holder to permanently stay within the US for work and living purposes. The fees for the immigrant visa include petitions and processing fees. The fee for the petition include:
- Form I-130, Immigrant Petition for Relative. The fee is equal to $535
- Form I-600 or Form I-800, Orphan Immediate Relative Petition. The fee is equal to $775
Processing fees (that depend on the visa type) are as follows:
- Immediate Relative or Family Preference Immigration Applications. The fee is equal to $325 on top of the petition
- Employment-Based Immigration Applications. The fee is equal to $345 on top of the petition
- Other immigration applications (such as self-petitioning). The fee is equal to $205
- K visa for a fiancé or spouse of a US citizen. The fee is equal to $265
- Some Afghan or Iraqi special immigrant applications. No fee applies.
Another common fee for major immigrant visas is the Affidavit of Support, which is equal to $120. The fee is paid from US citizen sponsors who support candidates financially until they start earning money themselves within the US.
