Nonimmigrant Visa Application Fee

The Department of State implemented a tiered structure for nonimmigrant visa application processing fees (also called the Machine-Readable Visa (MRV) fee), with different fees for different visa categories. The tiered structure and fees are outlined in the detailed chart below.  

Fees are payable only by bank draft or postal order to the "U.S. Embassy" in the exact amount as noted below.  We cannot accept payment by credit card, cash or personal checks for the nonimmigrant visa fee.  No exceptions can be made to these policies. 

The U.S. Embassy is not authorized to accept bank drafts or postal orders that are not in the exact amount as noted.  Applicants who appear for their interview with a bank draft or postal order in the wrong amount will be required to leave and return with a bank draft or postal order in the correct amount in either U.S. dollars or euros, which will delay their case processing. 

Currently Nonimmigrant visa application processing fees (per person). The fee payable is listed in the chart below:

*Petition-based visas

PLEASE NOTE: Effective March 26, 2013, the official exchange rate for all consular services changed to $1.00 = €0.80. All applicants who apply for their visas on/after March 26, 2013, are required to pay fees at this exchange rate, regardless of when the visa appointment was made.

More information on the fee structure may also be found on the Department of State’s Travel.State.Gov internet site, on the Fees for Visa Services webpage.  

All individual applicants for a nonimmigrant visa must pay the application fee, even if that person is travelling with others on the same passport and regardless of whether the person is determined to be eligible for a visa or the visa is issued.  No refund of this fee is authorized, even if the applicant is not eligible for a visa.

Please Note:

Blanket L-1 visa applicants are required to pay a $500.00 Fraud Prevention and Detection Fee, and $2,250.00 Border Security Act Fee, if applicable. 

The Fraud Prevention and Detection (FPD) Fee(s) must be paid to the Embassy's cashier on the day of the visa interview.  The FPD fee may be paid in cash or bank draft made payable to "U.S. Embassy" in U.S. dollars only, or by Credit Card - Visa, MasterCard, Diners Club, Discover or American Express. The Embassy does not accept any other credit or debit (Laser) cards, or personal checks. Reciprocity Fee:

In some cases, nationals of certain countries must ALSO pay a "reciprocity fee" once the visa has been authorized, but before the visa can be issued. Reciprocity fees vary by type of visa and the nationality of the applicant. This is based on what your government charges American citizens for an equivalent visa.

To find out whether or not you will be required to pay an issuance fee, you should visit the Department of State Reciprocity Schedule for your country of nationality and visa classification. If you qualify for the visa and are subject to a reciprocity fee, you must pay this fee at the Embassy before the visa can be issued.

Payment options for reciprocity fees:

The fee must be paid to the Embassy's cashier on the day of the visa interview. Fees may be paid in cash or bank draft made payable to "U.S. Embassy" in U.S. dollars only, or by Credit Card - Visa, MasterCard, Diners Club, Discover or American Express. The Embassy does not accept any other credit or debit (Laser) cards, or personal checks.