Other Fees

Nonimmigrant Visa Issuance Fees

Additionally, applicants from certain countries may be required to pay a visa issuance fee after their application is approved. These fees are based on "reciprocity" (what another country charges a U.S. citizen for a similar-type of visa). The United States strives to eliminate visa issuance fees whenever possible; however, when a foreign government imposes such fees on U.S. citizens for certain types of visas, the United States will impose a "reciprocal" fee to a national of that country for similar-types of visas. Please see the Department of State website to see what, if any, issuance fee applies to your nationality.

SEVIS Fees

The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) is an Internet-based system that tracks F, M and J visa participants (and their family members) from the time they receive their initial documentation (either an I-20 or a DS-2019) until they graduate/leave school or conclude/leave program.

F, M and J visa principal applicants: Check with your U.S. school to make sure your information has been entered into SEVIS. You will need to pay a separate SEVIS fee in addition to the MRV application fee.  For nonimmigrant students with Form I-20, the fee is USD $200.00; for most exchange visitors with DS-2019, the fee is USD $180.00. Please bring your I-901 SEVIS fee receipt to the interview. Payment cannot be made at the offsite bank or the Embassy.  Instructions on paying the SEVIS fee can be found at the Student and Exchange Visitor Program website.

SEVIS Fee Exception:

Applicants participating in a U.S. Government-sponsored program (program codes start with G-1, G-2, G-3, G-7) are not required to pay the SEVIS fee.

Fraud Prevention and Detection Fees (Blanket L1)

The principal applicant (only) of a blanket L petition must pay a Fraud Prevention and Detection fee, which is either USD $500.00, USD $2,000.00, or USD $2,250.00 depending on the size of the company.  This fee is paid at the Embassy on the day of your interview.

Note: The U.S. petitioner pays this Fraud Prevention and Detection Fee for individual L, H-1B and H-2B petitions when they file the petition with USCIS.