Updated November 3, 2026

B1/B2 visa fee 2026: application fee and reciprocity fee

The U.S. B1/B2 visitor visa application processing fee (known as the Machine-Readable Visa or MRV fee) is $185 per person, according to the U.S. Department of State Schedule of Fees at 22 CFR 22.1. Depending on your nationality, you may also owe a separate visa issuance (reciprocity) fee, which is paid only after your visa is approved. An optional $750 Nonimmigrant Visa Appointment Expedite Fee is also listed in the federal fee schedule.

B1/B2 Visa Fee Overview (MRV Application Fee)

Under U.S. Department of State rules (9 FAM 403.4-2), there are two main types of nonimmigrant visa fees. The first is the application processing fee, known as the Machine-Readable Visa (MRV) fee. The second is the visa issuance fee, known as the reciprocity fee.

Per 22 CFR 22.1 (Item 21), the MRV application processing fee for a non-petition-based nonimmigrant visa, which includes the B-1 business visitor and B-2 tourist visitor categories, is $185 per person. This processing fee is not reciprocal. Every applicant must pay it regardless of the type of passport they hold, unless they qualify for a specific legal exemption.

If you apply for a combined B1/B2 visa, consular posts charge only a single $185 MRV fee. You also pay only a single $185 MRV fee if you apply for both a B1/B2 visa and a C1/D or C4/D3 transit/crewmember visa at the same time. Similarly, Cuban nationals applying for B-1 and B-2 visas at the same time are only required to pay one MRV fee. However, any other multiple visa combinations require separate fees for each category. For example, applying for a B-2 visitor visa and an F-1 student visa at the same time requires paying two MRV fees.

When a spouse and unmarried minor children are included in one passport on a single visa, each family member must still complete a separate application and pay the prescribed visa fee for each person (22 CFR 41.107). You can estimate your total family or group costs using our US visa fee calculator.

• Standard B1/B2 MRV Application Fee: $185 per person.
• Combined B1/B2 + C1/D or C4/D3 applied for at the same time: Single $185 MRV fee.
• Border Crossing Card (BCC) for Mexican citizens age 15 and over (10-year validity): $185 per person.
• Border Crossing Card (BCC) for Mexican citizens under age 15: $15 per person (if applying in Mexico and at least one parent or guardian has a visa or is applying for a combined BCC and visa. valid for 10 years or until age 15, whichever is sooner).

Worked Examples: Calculating Family and Multi-Visa Costs

To show how the Foreign Affairs Manual (9 FAM 403.4) and Code of Federal Regulations (22 CFR 22.1) apply to real-world situations, the table below shows the government fee totals for four common applicant scenarios from the federal fee schedules.

B1/B2 Reciprocity Issuance Fees by Nationality

A visa issuance fee, also called a reciprocity fee, is separate from the $185 MRV application fee. Under Sections 221(c) and 281 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and 9 FAM 403.8, the Department of State sets visa validity, number of entries, and issuance fees based on the treatment and fees a foreign government imposes on U.S. citizens for equivalent travel.

When calculating whether a country's citizens owe a reciprocity fee, U.S. Department of State practice is to discount the $185 MRV fee from the fees charged by the foreign government (9 FAM 403.8-4(A)). For example, as illustrated in the Foreign Affairs Manual, if a foreign government charges U.S. citizens $240 to apply for a tourist visa, the U.S. reciprocal fee calculation subtracts the $185 MRV fee from that $240 amount.

You only pay a reciprocity fee if your visa is approved. Because it is charged only after approval, it must always be paid separately from the MRV fee. To see if your country has an issuance fee, check the country-specific Visa Reciprocity Schedule on the State Department's website.

• Nationality Rule: Reciprocity schedules apply based on your country of nationality (9 FAM 403.8-3(A)).
• Dual Nationals: Applicants with more than one nationality are subject to the reciprocity schedule of the country whose passport they use to apply.
• Stateless Persons: Stateless residents are charged a reciprocity fee based on their country of residence.
• Refugees: Applicants granted refugee status who are firmly resettled in another country are generally subject to the reciprocity schedule of that country.
• Two-Entry Exception: Under 9 FAM 403.9-4(D), in specific situations where a two-entry visa is issued in place of a reciprocal single-entry visa, double reciprocity fees are prescribed where a reciprocity fee exists.

Expedited Appointment Fee ($750) and Visa Integrity Fee Status

The Schedule of Fees for Consular Services at 22 CFR 22.1 (Item 26) includes a Nonimmigrant Visa Appointment Expedite Fee of $750 per person. As noted in the eCFR Effective Date Note for 22 CFR 22.1, the schedule was amended at 91 FR 34772 on June 9, 2026, effective July 1, 2026, through December 31, 2026.

Applicants also frequently ask about the status of a separate Visa Integrity Fee. As of October 30, 2026, the date of the current eCFR Title 22 text, no Visa Integrity Fee appears in the Department of State's Schedule of Fees at 22 CFR 22.1, nor is it listed in 9 FAM 403.4. You can read more on our dedicated page covering the visa integrity fee.

How and Where to Pay the B1/B2 Visa Fee

According to 9 FAM 403.4-2(A), MRV application processing fees are collected through the Department of State's Global Support Strategy (GSS) and off-site payment procedures wherever possible. However, exact fee collection methods vary depending on local circumstances at the U.S. embassy or consulate where you apply.

Regardless of the local payment method, all applicants must be able to demonstrate that they have paid the required fee(s) before their case is processed. Once you have your fee receipt and interview date, make sure to review the documents required for a US visa interview and practice common B1/B2 visa interview questions.

Use this step-by-step checklist to navigate the fee payment process without paying the wrong amount or losing your receipt.

• Step 1: Confirm whether you need a single MRV fee ($185) or multiple fees based on your family size and visa categories.
• Step 2: Check the specific U.S. embassy or consulate instructions for your location, as local GSS off-site payment procedures vary by post.
• Step 3: Pay only the MRV processing fee upfront. Do not attempt to combine the reciprocity issuance fee with your MRV payment.
• Step 4: Save your payment proof, as 9 FAM 403.4-2(A)(d) requires all applicants to demonstrate that they have paid the required fee.
• Step 5: Look up your nationality on the State Department Visa Reciprocity Schedule so you know in advance if an issuance fee will be due at the consulate after your interview is approved.

B1/B2 Visa Fee Refund Rules, 221(g) Refusals, and Validity

U.S. visa fees are non-transferable (9 FAM 601.5-2, referencing 7 FAH-1 H-721(c)). In almost all cases, they are also non-refundable, even if your visa application is denied.

Under 22 CFR 41.107(e)(1), the $185 MRV processing surcharge is refundable only if your application is not processed as a result of action taken by the U.S. Government for which you were not responsible and over which you had no control. Similarly, under 22 CFR 41.107(d), a visa issuance (reciprocity) fee is refundable only if the principal officer or consular section chief determines that the visa was issued in error, or could not be used due to U.S. Government action outside your control.

If your B1/B2 visa application is refused under INA 221(g) for administrative processing or missing documents, you do not have to pay a new MRV fee if you reapply within one year of that refusal (9 FAM 403.4-2(b)). Furthermore, no additional MRV fee is charged if you need a replacement visa due to a defective foil, or to correct errors made by consular staff in the visa data within one year of the original issuance date (9 FAM 403.4-3(A)). To prepare thoroughly and avoid preventable delays at the window, read our US visa interview tips.

In the rare event that a refund is approved under 22 CFR 22.6 and 4 FAM 454, payment must be made in the same currency and amount originally collected. Refunds of $5.00 or less are not paid unless the payer specifically files a claim for the excess amount at the time of payment, though the Department of State makes automatic refunds for overpayments caused by its own mistakes or misinformation.

Exemptions from B1/B2 Visa Fees

Federal regulations at 22 CFR 22.1 (Items 22 and 24), 22 CFR 41.107(c), and 9 FAM 403.4-3 exempt specific categories of travelers from paying the MRV processing fee, the reciprocity issuance fee, or both.

• UN Observer Missions: Applicants for a B-1 visa issued for participation in a recognized observer mission to the United Nations Headquarters recognized by the UN General Assembly (and their immediate families) are exempt from both the MRV application fee and the reciprocity issuance fee.
• Qualifying Charitable Activities: Consular officers can waive both the application and issuance fees for applicants traveling to provide direct charitable services (such as health or nursing care, food, housing, or job training for the poor and needy). The organization must submit a written request stating that the fees impose a financial burden, and must be a U.S. tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization or a recognized foreign charitable institution.
• U.S. Government Employees on Government Business: Foreign national / locally employed (LE) staff of the U.S. Government traveling on government business are exempt from the MRV fee when issued a limited-validity visa (typically a three-month, single-entry visa covering only the government travel). If an LE staff member requests a full-validity visa for personal use and qualifies, they must pay all MRV and reciprocity fees.
• Line-of-Duty Family Emergencies: A parent, sibling, spouse, or child of a U.S. Government employee killed in the line of duty traveling to attend the funeral or burial, or visiting a U.S. Government employee critically injured in the line of duty during emergency treatment and convalescence, is exempt from the MRV fee.
• Consular Errors and Defective Foils: No MRV fee is charged to replace a machine-readable visa that was not properly affixed, was inadvertently invalidated (such as with a 'CWOP' stamp), or contained data errors made by consular staff, provided the correction is requested within one year of the original visa issuance date.

A question to practice

"Who is paying for your trip to the United States, and how much have you budgeted for the visit?"

A strong answer covers: how you are covering the visa fees, flights and lodging, and that your intended activities match the B1/B2 classification with sufficient ties and resources.

Visaful is an AI mock interview app for US visa interviews: an AI officer asks your visa's questions out loud and shows what to fix.

This is interview practice, not legal advice. For questions about your own case, talk to an immigration attorney. Visaful is not affiliated with the U.S. government or the Department of State.