There is no single U.S. “visa fee” that covers every step. A consular application charge, a USCIS petition fee, a student’s SEVIS fee, and an attorney’s bill pay for different services. Build your budget around the actual process and the person legally responsible for each cost.
Key Points
- Check the fee for the exact form or visa category and filing date.
- Keep government charges separate from legal and service fees.
- Employer-sponsored cases can involve restrictions on shifting costs to workers.
- A payment generally buys processing, not a guaranteed approval.
Start with the consular application fee
The State Department’s Fees for Visa Services [1] lists nonimmigrant application processing fees by category. On the review date, it lists $185 for many non-petition categories, including B and F, and $205 for petition-based categories such as H, L, and O. These are examples of application processing charges, not complete budgets.
A separate visa issuance or reciprocity charge may depend on your nationality and visa category. The country reciprocity tables [2] determine those nationality-specific charges; payment instructions depend on the consulate. Do not assume that a friend with another nationality paid the same amount.
Add the USCIS side of the process
For a petition, change of status, adjustment application, or other USCIS request, fees are governed by Form G-1055, Fee Schedule [3], the specific form instructions, and filing fees guidance [4]. The relevant amount can depend on the form and applicable exemptions or reduced-fee categories. Recheck immediately before filing.
For H-1B petitions, several charges may apply in addition to the base filing fee. USCIS explains the ACWIA and fraud-prevention charges on its H and L filing fees page [5]. Ask for an itemized explanation that identifies the legal basis for each charge rather than accepting one unexplained “sponsorship cost.”
Who pays in an employer-sponsored case?
The Department of Labor’s H-1B deduction rules [6] prohibit shifting the ACWIA training fee and the statutory fraud-prevention fee to the worker. Employer business expenses, including certain petition-related costs, cannot be deducted in a way that reduces pay below the required wage.
That does not make every expense in every immigration case subject to the same rule. Before agreeing to reimburse an employer or accept a payroll deduction, ask which charge it covers and have the arrangement checked against the applicable rules. Keep government receipts and the engagement agreement separate.
What about students and exchange visitors?
The I-901 SEVIS fee [7] is separate from the consular visa application fee. ICE lists $350 for F and M students and $220 for the full J fee, with special categories and exceptions. Check the instructions for your program and situation before paying or assuming a new payment is required.
How should you treat the $100,000 H-1B headline?
Do not use an old headline as a current payment instruction. The USCIS proclamation page [8] carries an alert about a June 8, 2026 court order vacating agency guidance implementing the payment requirement. This guide does not resolve the effect of litigation on a particular petition. Check the latest official notice and obtain case-specific advice before including or excluding that payment.
What to do before paying
Make an itemized list with the recipient, form or service, amount, payer, source link, and date checked. Keep optional services separate. USCIS describes its general no-refund rule and limited exceptions in its fees policy [9]; the State Department also identifies consular application processing charges as non-refundable.
If a payment problem caused a filing rejection, see our guide to refusals, rejections, and administrative processing. This is a budgeting framework and general information, not a fee determination for your case.
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Sources and references
Official documents supporting this guide. Source links open in a new tab.