How Much Are Us Visas
There isn’t one standard US visa price. The amount depends on what you’re applying for, whether a petition is needed, where you apply, and which processing steps apply to your case.
That’s why a family planning a holiday may see one fee, while someone moving for work sees several. A parent applying for a visitor visa might pay an application fee. An employer may also pay a separate petition fee for a worker. Those are different charges, handled at different stages.
The figures below come from different fee schedules and notices. Treat them as a fee map, not one universal price list. Always match the amount to your visa category and country before paying.
Why US visa costs vary by visa type and application stage
US visa expenses usually fall into four groups:
- Nonimmigrant application fee — for temporary visits, study, business, or work.
- Petition fee — paid for certain family or employment cases before the visa application can move forward.
- Immigrant visa fee — charged when someone applies for a visa to move permanently to the United States.
- Other processing charges — such as a reciprocity fee, a port-of-entry fee, or an optional premium service.
The person applying for the visa may not be the person who pays every fee. For example, in an employment case, a US employer may submit the petition. The worker may later pay the visa application fee at an embassy or consulate.
This separation matters. Adding every figure you find online can give you the wrong total. A $675 immigrant petition fee, for example, is not the same thing as the fee for the immigrant visa interview.
Nonimmigrant visa application fees
Nonimmigrant visas are for people who plan to stay in the US temporarily. This includes tourists, business visitors, students, and many temporary workers.
Some non-petition-based nonimmigrant applications are listed at $160. This is the type of amount often linked with visitor visa applications, including many B1/B2 cases.
A petition-based nonimmigrant application can have a different fee. The supplied fee information lists $190 for some petition-based categories. A later embassy notice says that certain temporary-worker categories increased from $190 to $205.
That does not mean every temporary worker pays $205. The category and current fee notice matter.
Other examples in the fee information include:
| Visa or service example | Amount shown | What the amount relates to |
|---|---|---|
| Some non-petition nonimmigrant visas | $160 | Visa application fee |
| Some petition-based nonimmigrant visas | $190 | Visa application fee for certain categories |
| Certain temporary-worker categories | $205 | Updated application fee in the stated categories |
| E visa | $205 | Visa application fee in the listed fee summary |
| K visa | $265 | Visa application fee in the listed fee summary |
The table is meant to show how the fees are grouped. It should not be used to pick a fee without checking your exact visa type.
Tourist and B1/B2 visa costs
If you’re asking, “How much is a tourist visa to USA?”, the relevant starting figure shown in the supplied results is $160 for some non-petition-based nonimmigrant applications.
B1/B2 visas cover:
- B1: temporary business travel
- B2: tourism, holidays, visiting family, or medical visits
- B1/B2: a combination of business and tourism purposes
For many applicants, the main charge is the visa application fee. But the total can change based on country-specific rules or optional services.
One result describes a pilot premium visa interview service for eligible B1 and B2 applicants. It costs an additional $750. This is not the ordinary visa application fee. It is an extra service charge for applicants who qualify and choose to use that service.
So a person using that service could see:
- Regular application fee: $160, where that fee applies
- Optional premium interview service: $750
- Possible total for those two charges: $910
That example is not a universal B1/B2 price. The premium service may not apply to every applicant, and other country-specific charges may also exist.
The length of the visa can cause confusion here. A visa that is valid for 10 years does not automatically have a separate “10-year visa price.” The fee is generally tied to the visa category and application type, not simply to the number of years printed on the visa.
Petition-based work visa fees
Some temporary work visas require a petition before the worker applies for the visa. In simple terms, a petition is a request asking the US government to approve the planned job or worker relationship.
The petition is often connected to the employer or another sponsoring party. It is separate from the worker’s visa application.
The supplied fee information shows these examples:
- $190 for some petition-based nonimmigrant visa applications
- $205 for certain temporary-worker categories after a later increase
- $205 for an E visa in one fee summary
The $190 or $205 amount should not automatically be treated as the entire cost of a work visa. A petition fee may be charged separately, depending on the category and the filing.
For a work assignment, ask two separate questions:
- What does the employer or petitioner pay to file the petition?
- What does the worker pay to submit the visa application?
Those amounts may appear in different fee tables. They may also be paid to different parts of the US immigration system.
An E visa has its own listed application amount of $205 in the supplied material. An E visa is not simply another name for every employment visa, so don’t use the general $190 figure for it without checking the category.
Immigrant visa and family petition fees
Immigrant visas are for people moving to the United States permanently. Family cases often include both a petition stage and a visa application stage.
One fee summary lists a family-based immigrant visa at $325. That is the immigrant visa application amount shown for the listed category. It is not necessarily the only charge in a family case.
Separate petition figures shown in the supplied results include:
- $535 for an I-130 immigrant visa petition filed overseas
- $675 for an immigrant petition for a relative
- $775 for an orphan intercountry adoption petition
These numbers should not be added together automatically. They refer to different petition descriptions or filing situations. The correct fee depends on which petition is being filed and where it is filed.
For example, a family applying for a child may face a different set of charges from a US citizen petitioning for a spouse or another relative. An intercountry adoption case also has its own petition category.
A practical way to read the fee map is:
| Stage | Example amount shown | Who or what it may relate to |
|---|---|---|
| Immigrant visa application | $325 | Family-based immigrant visa |
| I-130 petition filed overseas | $535 | A specific overseas petition filing |
| Petition for a relative | $675 | Another listed immigrant petition category |
| Orphan adoption petition | $775 | Intercountry adoption petition |
Before paying, confirm whether the amount is for the petition, the visa application, or another stage. Families applying together should also check whether each person needs a separate application and fee.
Other charges, including reciprocity and port-of-entry fees
The visa application fee is not always the last possible charge.
A reciprocity fee is a country- and visa-specific charge that may apply after an application is approved. It is linked to how a country treats US citizens applying for similar visas. Not every applicant pays one.
There can also be a fee connected with entering at a US port of entry. One result lists an $80 immigration fee for Canadian citizens paid at a US port of entry.
That is not a standard visa application fee for everyone. It is a separate charge tied to the applicant’s nationality and entry process.
Other costs can include optional services, such as the $750 pilot premium interview service described for eligible B1/B2 applicants. Because these extras can depend on your country and case, look beyond the headline application amount.
The key question is always: What service does this fee pay for?
How fees may differ by country, including India, the UK, Pakistan, and the Philippines
The basic visa category may be the same, but the payment process and extra charges can differ by country.
This is why searches such as “US visa cost for Indian”, “How much is US visa fee in UK?”, or questions about Pakistan and the Philippines may produce different answers. The applicant’s country can affect:
- The local payment method
- The appointment and delivery process
- Whether a reciprocity fee applies
- Whether special services are available
- The currency used to display or collect the charge
- Which embassy or consulate instructions apply
For India, the US visa fees India for B1/B2 question usually starts with the fee for the B1/B2 category. But the current local instructions still need to be checked before payment.
The same applies in the UK. There is no single “UK US visa fee” that covers every visa. A tourist application, an employment case, and an immigrant case can involve different charges.
The figures provided here do not establish one fixed amount for applicants in India, the UK, Pakistan, or the Philippines. They show why the country-specific table matters. Don’t convert a US dollar figure into local currency and assume that is the final amount. The official payment page for your location controls.
What the 2026 $250 nonimmigrant visa fee question refers to
Many people are asking about a possible $250 nonimmigrant visa fee starting in 2026.
The supplied information confirms that this is a question people are searching for. It does not confirm the fee, its start date, or which applicants it would cover.
That means you should not treat $250 as the confirmed price for every nonimmigrant visa. The figures listed elsewhere include $160 for some non-petition categories, $190 for some petition-based categories, and $205 for certain temporary-worker categories. Those amounts come from different fee information and may apply to different visa types.
If you see a $250 figure while preparing an application, check:
- The visa category named beside the fee
- The effective date
- The country where you are applying
- Whether the charge is mandatory or optional
- Whether it is an application fee, a petition fee, or another service fee
This is also why the question, “Does a US visa cost $100,000?”, needs a clear answer: the supplied fee information does not support a general $100,000 visa fee. The listed examples are in the hundreds of dollars, though separate petition and service charges can still affect the total.
How to verify the fee and complete payment before applying
Before you submit payment, build your own short fee checklist:
- Name the visa category. Is it B1/B2, E, K, a temporary worker category, or an immigrant visa?
- Check whether a petition is required. A petition fee and a visa application fee are separate.
- Identify the country of application. Use the instructions for the embassy or consulate handling your case.
- Look for extra charges. Check reciprocity fees, port-of-entry charges, and optional services.
- Confirm the current amount. Fee schedules and notices can change.
- Save your payment receipt. You may need its details when booking or attending an appointment.
If you’re applying as a family, check each person’s category and application step rather than assuming one payment covers everyone.
Before submitting payment, confirm your visa category and check the current official fee table for your country and application type.