The visa fee for a USA visa can vary depending on the type of visa that you are applying for. In a lot of cases, there may be several additional fees to pay.
The USA Visa fee is also known as a Machine Readable Visa (MRV) fee.
USA visa fees (MRV) are:
1. Non-refundable:
The United States Department of State does not give refunds for visa application fees.
2. Non-transferable:
Visa application fees cannot be transferred or sold to another applicant.
3. Used for a single application:
The visa application fee may only be used to submit a single visa application, if the visa application is denied, a new application and fee must be submitted to reapply.
4. Valid for one year
Visa application payments are valid for 365 days from the date of purchase. After this time, the fee will expire, and you will lose the opportunity to use it to apply for a visa.
Note:
As a result of the suspension of routine consular operations due to COVID-19 in early 2020, the validity of visa application fees has been temporarily extended until September 30, 2023, for all fees paid on or before September 29, 2022. If you have not arranged a visa appointment by the fee’s expiration date, you will lose the right to utilize the fee to apply for a visa.
Visa application payments paid in one country cannot be transferred to another country. Once the payment has been made in one country, it cannot be used to book an appointment in another country.
Breakdown of United States visa (MRV) fees:
Visa Fee of USD 160
- (B) Visitor: Business, Tourism, or Medical Treatment
- (C) Transiting through the United States
- (D) Academic Student Crew Member
- (M) Non-Academic/Vocational Student
- (I) Media or Journalists
- (J) Exchange Visitor (TD/TN) NAFTA Professional
- (T) Victim of Trafficking
- (U) Victim of Criminal Activity
Visa Fee of USD 190
- (H) Temporary Employees or Trainees
- (O) Persons of Extraordinary Ability
- (P) Athletes, artists, and performers
- (Q) International Participant in Cultural Exchange
- (R) Religious Activist
- (L) Intra-Business Transferee
Visa Fee of USD 205
- (E1) Trader in Treaties
- (E2) Investor in Treaties
- (E3) Australian Expertise in the Profession
Visa Fee of USD 265
- (K) Fiancé or Spouse of a United States Citizen
Additional visa application fees
Non-immigrant visa applicants may have to pay additional fees above the price of the visa application (MRV). The following types of additional fees may apply to your visa application:
SEVIS fee
Applicants for Student (F or M) and Exchange Visitor (J) visas must pay a separate SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) fee. Before issuing a student or exchange visitor visa, proof of payment is necessary.
Reciprocal charges
Depending on the applicant’s country of citizenship and the kind of visa, the applicant may be asked to pay a reciprocity charge in addition to the visa issuing fee.
