Immigration & VisaPopular

US Visa Application Fee Calculator

Estimate the total cost of a U.S. nonimmigrant visa in 2026 including the MRV fee by category ($185 tourist, $205 work, $315 treaty, $265 fiance), the $250 Visa Integrity Fee, SEVIS fees for students and exchange visitors, fraud prevention fees, and biometric and photo costs for the whole family.

Visa Category

Most common nonimmigrant visa. Valid up to 10 years for many nationalities.

Number of Applicants

Each family member, including children, needs a separate visa and pays the full fee.

Visa Integrity Fee ($250)

Include Photo Cost?

Your Results

Select a visa category and click estimate.

Embed This Calculator on Your Website

Add this free calculator to your blog, website, or CMS with a simple copy-paste embed code.

Introduction

The cost of a U.S. visa is not the $185 figure most applicants expect. That is just the Machine Readable Visa (MRV) fee for a tourist visa, and three other charges can stack on top of it. The Department of State fee schedule sets the MRV fee by category: $185 for B-1/B-2 visitors, F and M students, and J exchange visitors; $205 for petition-based work visas (H, L, O, P, Q, R); $265 for K fiance visas; and $315 for E treaty trader and investor visas. Students and exchange visitors owe a separate SEVIS fee of $350 (F/M) or $220 (J) paid to DHS. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed July 4, 2025, added a $250 Visa Integrity Fee on top of the MRV fee. Each family member, including infants, pays the full fee. This calculator totals every applicable charge for the whole family so your budget is not surprised at the consulate.

What This Calculator Does

This tool estimates the total cost of a U.S. nonimmigrant visa application. You select a visa category (tourist, student, exchange, work, treaty, or fiance), enter the number of applicants, and choose whether to include the Visa Integrity Fee and photo costs. The calculator applies the 2026 MRV fee for the category, adds the SEVIS fee for students and exchange visitors, adds the $500 fraud prevention fee for L-1 blanket petitions, adds the $250 Visa Integrity Fee if selected, and multiplies the per-applicant total by the number of family members. It flags that the MRV fee is non-refundable and that SEVIS is paid separately to DHS.

The Formula

Per Applicant = MRV Fee (by category) + Fraud Prevention Fee (if L-1 blanket) + SEVIS Fee (if F/M/J) + Visa Integrity Fee (if included) + Photo Cost (if included) | Total = Per Applicant x Number of Applicants

The MRV fee is the consular processing fee set by the Department of State, in effect since June 17, 2023 and unchanged as of August 2026. The SEVIS fee is paid to the Department of Homeland Security for students (F/M: $350) and exchange visitors (J: $220, or $0 if government-sponsored) and must be paid at fmjfee.com before the interview. The fraud prevention fee of $500 applies to L-1 blanket petitions and is typically paid by the employer. The Visa Integrity Fee of $250 was created by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed July 4, 2025 and is charged in addition to the MRV fee. Every applicant, regardless of age, pays the full fee, and the MRV fee is non-refundable even if the visa is denied.

Step-by-Step Example

Select your visa category

A family of four applying for B-1/B-2 tourist visas selects B-1/B-2, which loads the $185 MRV fee.

Enter the number of applicants

Two parents and two children means 4 applicants. Children pay the full fee, same as adults.

Include the Visa Integrity Fee

With the $250 Visa Integrity Fee included, the per-applicant total is $185 + $250 + $15 photo = $450.

Review the family total

$450 x 4 applicants = $1,800 total. Without the integrity fee and photo, it would be $185 x 4 = $740.

Real-World Use Cases

Family Travel Budgeting

A family of five planning a U.S. vacation totals the visa cost across all members, including children, to budget the full consular expense before booking flights or hotels.

Student Visa Cost Planning

An international student accepts a U.S. university offer and totals the F-1 visa cost including the $350 SEVIS fee paid separately to DHS, so the I-20 deposit and visa budget are accurate.

Employer L-1 Transfer Costing

An HR team estimates the L-1 blanket visa cost for an transferring executive, including the $500 fraud prevention fee, to compare against the full sponsorship cost from the Work Visa Sponsorship Calculator.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Forgetting the SEVIS fee for students and exchange visitors. The MRV fee of $185 is only part of the cost for F, M, and J applicants. The SEVIS I-901 fee ($350 for F/M, $220 for J) is paid separately to DHS at fmjfee.com and must be paid at least 3 business days before the interview or the consulate will not process the application.
Overlooking the Visa Integrity Fee. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed July 4, 2025 added a $250 Visa Integrity Fee on top of the MRV fee. Applicants who budget only the MRV amount will be short by $250 per person, which on a family of four is $1,000.
Assuming children pay a reduced fee. There is no family discount, age-based scaling, or reduced consular rate. Infants, children, and seniors pay exactly the same MRV fee as adults. Each applicant needs a separate DS-160 and a separate fee payment.
Ignoring reciprocity issuance fees. Some nationalities face additional issuance fees based on country-specific reciprocity schedules set by the Department of State. These are separate from the MRV fee and depend on the applicant nationality and visa class. Check the DOS reciprocity table before budgeting.
Expecting a refund if denied. The MRV fee is non-refundable under any circumstances, including a denied visa, a withdrawn application, a missed appointment, or a canceled trip. Budget for the possibility of paying the fee again if you reapply after a denial.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is a U.S. tourist visa in 2026?

The B-1/B-2 tourist and business visa MRV fee is $185 as of 2026, unchanged since June 17, 2023. With the $250 Visa Integrity Fee added, the per-applicant government cost is $435 before photo costs. Each family member pays separately, and the fee is non-refundable even if the visa is denied.

What is the Visa Integrity Fee?

The Visa Integrity Fee is a $250 charge created by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed into law on July 4, 2025. It is paid in addition to the MRV fee for nonimmigrant visa applications. The law sets the amount at $250 for fiscal year 2025 and provides for annual inflation adjustment in later years.

Do children pay the U.S. visa fee?

Yes. Infants, children, teenagers, and seniors pay exactly the same MRV fee as adults. There is no family discount, age-based scaling, or reduced consular rate. Each applicant registers an individual payment linked to their own DS-160 confirmation number, including children traveling on a parent passport.

How do I pay the SEVIS fee for a student visa?

The SEVIS I-901 fee is paid separately from the MRV fee, directly to the Department of Homeland Security at fmjfee.com. It is $350 for F and M students and $220 for most J exchange visitors ($0 for government-sponsored J-1). Pay it at least 3 business days before your visa interview and keep the receipt, as the consular officer will verify payment.

Is the visa fee refundable if I am denied?

No. The MRV fee is non-refundable under any circumstances, including a denied visa, a withdrawn application, a missed appointment, or a canceled trip. If you reapply after a denial, you must pay the fee again. This is why a well-prepared DS-160 and interview matter as much as the fee itself.

Accuracy and Disclaimer

This calculator applies the 2026 U.S. Department of State MRV fee schedule (effective June 17, 2023 and unchanged as of August 2026), the SEVIS I-901 fee set by DHS, the $500 L-1 blanket fraud prevention fee, and the $250 Visa Integrity Fee created by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of July 4, 2025. Fee schedules and reciprocity issuance fees change periodically and vary by nationality. Some applicants face additional country-specific reciprocity fees not captured here. This is not legal advice. Verify current fees on the Department of State and DHS websites before paying, and consult an immigration attorney for guidance on your specific case.

Conclusion

Visa fees add up fast for a family, and the extras beyond the MRV fee are where budgets break. Run the total here, pay the SEVIS fee at fmjfee.com at least three business days before your interview, and confirm whether your nationality faces reciprocity issuance fees. If you are an employer sponsoring a worker, pair this with our US Work Visa Sponsorship Cost Estimator for the full employer-side cost including attorney fees and the ACWIA training fee.

Related Immigration & Visa Calculators

Immigration & Visa

Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE) Calculator

Estimate your 2026 foreign earned income exclusion using the $132,900 per-person limit, the foreign housing exclusion, and the stack-and-clawback tax calculation. Built for U.S. expats and self-employed abroad who file Form 2555.

Use Calculator Immigration & Visa

US Work Visa Sponsorship Cost Estimator

Estimate the total employer cost to sponsor an H-1B worker in 2026, including the I-129 filing fee, ACWIA training fee, fraud prevention fee, Public Law 114-113 fee, asylum program fee, premium processing, and attorney fees.