How Much Is Visa Application Fee

There isn’t one standard USA visa application fee. The amount depends on the visa category and on which agency is charging you.

A Department of State visa application fee is one type of cost. A USCIS petition fee is another. Premium processing, legal help, and other services are separate again.

That difference matters. For example, an applicant might see a $325 immigrant visa fee, a $535 I-130 petition fee, or a $470 I-539 filing fee. These amounts don’t replace one another, and they don’t all apply to the same person.

Why the U.S. visa application fee varies

First, identify what you’re paying for:

The phrase DS-160 visa fee can also cause confusion. The DS-160 is the online form used for many nonimmigrant visa applications. The fee is connected to the visa application, but it is not usually a fee for filling out the form itself.

Before paying, confirm all three details:

1. Your visa category
2. The agency requesting payment
3. The payment instructions for your country

A fee shown for a USCIS form should not be paid as though it were a Department of State visa fee.

Common nonimmigrant visa application fees

A nonimmigrant visa is for temporary travel, such as tourism, business, study, or temporary work.

The commonly cited visitor visa application fee is $185. This is a Department of State application fee, not a USCIS petition fee.

Some other nonimmigrant categories have a different charge. The cited petition-based nonimmigrant application fee increased from $190 to $205. That amount applies to the listed petition-based categories, so don’t treat it as the price for every temporary visa.

Here are the main examples:

These are application fees. They may sit alongside other costs, depending on the case. A person applying for a temporary work visa, for example, may also be connected to a USCIS petition filed by an employer. The visa fee and the petition fee are separate payments.

What the DS-160 payment covers

The DS-160 is the form you complete for many nonimmigrant visa applications. After completing it, you generally need to follow the payment and appointment instructions for the U.S. embassy or consulate handling your application.

Do not assume that the amount shown in an old guide, an online forum, or a previous application is still correct. Fee tables can change, and some categories have their own prices.

Costs for immigrant visas and family petitions

Immigrant cases often involve more than one filing. That makes it especially easy to mistake a petition fee for a visa application fee.

The listed family-based immigrant visa fee is $325, shown alongside a euro amount of €309. This is the visa application charge for the listed family-based immigrant category.

A separate Form I-130 petition fee is $535 when the petition is filed for an immigrant visa case overseas. Form I-130 is the family petition. It helps establish the qualifying family relationship. It is not the same payment as the immigrant visa application fee.

A simplified example looks like this:

Not every applicant will pay both amounts in the same way or at the same stage. The correct process depends on where the petition and visa case are handled. That’s why you should match the payment to the exact notice or official fee instruction you received.

The key point is simple: $535 and $325 are different charges for different parts of the process.

E visa and border crossing card fees

E visas have their own listed fee. The cited E visa application fee increased from $205 to $315.

That is a Department of State visa application fee for the E visa category. It should not be confused with a general nonimmigrant fee or with a USCIS filing charge.

The border crossing card fee is $185 for applicants age 15 and over, and the cited listing states a 10-year validity.

A border crossing card is its own document and category. Don’t use its fee as a shortcut for another visitor or nonimmigrant application. Check the category named in your instructions before making a payment.

Visa application fees versus USCIS, legal, and premium processing costs

This is where many cost estimates go wrong. Someone adds together every number they have seen online and calls the total “the visa fee.”

Instead, sort each charge into a bucket.

Department of State visa fees

These are fees tied to a visa application handled through the U.S. embassy or consulate process. Examples from the listed amounts include:

• $185 for the cited visitor visa application fee
• $205 for the cited petition-based nonimmigrant categories
• $315 for the E visa application
• $325 for the listed family-based immigrant visa

USCIS filing fees

USCIS charges for forms and petitions. Examples include:

• $535 for the listed I-130 immigrant visa petition
• $470 for Form I-539
• $530 for the listed O-1 filing

An I-539 is a USCIS filing, not a Department of State visa application. The $470 amount therefore should not be used as the expected fee for a DS-160-based application.

Premium processing

Premium processing is an optional faster-processing service for eligible USCIS filings. It is not the same as paying the visa application fee.

For the cited O-1 filing, the listed charges are:

That means premium processing can add a large amount to the case. It also does not turn the USCIS filing into a visa fee. Keep the two charges separate when planning your budget.

Legal and preparation costs

A lawyer or document preparer may charge for help with forms, petitions, or case strategy. Those costs are private service fees. They are not included in the Department of State or USCIS amounts listed above.

The same applies to optional courier, translation, photograph, or payment-service charges if they appear in your instructions. Read the label beside each amount before assuming it is a government fee.

How to find and pay the correct U.S. visa fee

Use this process before you pay:

1. Name the exact visa category

“U.S. visa” is too broad. Write down the category, such as visitor, E, O-1, family-based immigrant, or border crossing card.

If you’re unsure, check the notice, petition approval, or appointment instructions connected to your case.

2. Decide which agency is charging you

Ask whether the payment is for:

• The Department of State visa application
• A USCIS form or petition
• Premium processing
• A separate service or professional fee

This one step prevents many payment mistakes.

3. Check the current official fee table

Use the current Department of State fee information for visa application charges. Use USCIS fee information for USCIS forms and petitions.

The payment page or instructions for your embassy or consulate may also tell you which payment method is accepted. Follow those instructions exactly. Don’t rely on a payment method from an old application or from another country.

4. Match the amount to the category

For example:

• A visitor application may show $185
• A cited E visa application may show $315
• A listed family-based immigrant visa may show $325
• A border crossing card for an applicant age 15 or older may show $185
• An I-130 petition may show $535, but that is a USCIS petition fee

5. Save your receipt

Keep the payment receipt, confirmation number, and any transaction record. You may need the details when scheduling or changing an appointment.

If the fee page and your case instructions show different amounts, stop before paying. Confirm which instruction applies to your case.

What the research says about the proposed $250 visa integrity fee and $100,000 claim

The $250 “visa integrity fee”

Some search results ask about a new $250 visa integrity fee for nonimmigrant visas starting in 2026.

The supplied information does not confirm:

• That the charge is in effect
• The exact start date
• Which visa categories it would cover
• Whether it would be paid by every nonimmigrant applicant
• How it would be collected

Status: unverified in the supplied information.

Do not add $250 to your budget simply because you saw the phrase “visa integrity fee” online. Check the current official fee table and the payment instructions for your visa category before paying.

The $100,000 visa cost claim

The supplied research does not support a general $100,000 U.S. visa application fee.

The listed examples are much more specific:

• $185 for the cited visitor visa application
• $205 for the cited petition-based nonimmigrant categories
• $315 for the cited E visa
• $325 for the listed family-based immigrant visa
• $535 for the listed I-130 petition
• $530 for the listed O-1 filing
• $2,965 for optional O-1 premium processing

Status: no general $100,000 visa application fee is confirmed here.

Before submitting payment, verify your exact visa category and the payment instructions in the official Department of State or USCIS fee source.