Updated November 11, 2026

B1/B2 visa fee: what a US visitor visa costs to apply for and extend

The State Department's application processing fee for a B1, B2, or combined B1/B2 visitor visa is set as an individual fee per applicant, as listed in the fee table below. Every accompanying spouse or child must submit a separate application and pay their own consular fee. If you are already in the United States and need to extend your stay or change to B1/B2 status using Form I-539, filing Form I-539 carries the domestic filing fee shown in the table below, with a lower fee when filing online.

B1/B2 visa and related government fees at a glance

Government fees for B1 and B2 visitors depend on the specific form or service you need, such as applying for a visitor visa abroad, extending a stay inside the United States, or replacing a lost arrival record. The table below brings together the consular application fees and the domestic USCIS filing fees that apply to B1 and B2 visitors.

The State Department sets nonimmigrant visa application processing fees (often called machine-readable visa or MRV fees) to recover the cost of providing consular services under 22 CFR 22.1. Within the United States, the Department of Homeland Security sets USCIS form fees under 8 CFR 106.2 and publishes them in the Form G-1055 Fee Schedule.

Fees from federalregister.gov, ecfr.gov, and uscis.gov (Form G-1055), as of November 2026

How the B1/B2 consular visa application fee works

The State Department sets the application processing fee for B1, B2, and combined B1/B2 visitor visas at the per-person rate shown in the fee table above. The fee was last updated in May 2023.

The application processing fee does not depend on the length of the visa or the number of entries. You pay the same application processing fee whether you receive a short-validity visa or a 10-year multiple-entry B1/B2 visa.

Do spouses and children pay a separate B1/B2 visa fee?

Yes. The State Department charges the nonimmigrant visa application processing fee on a per-person basis. There is no family group rate or derivative dependent visa for B1/B2 visitors.

USCIS guidance for B-1 Temporary Business Visitors states this rule clearly: your spouse and children are not eligible for a dependent visa. Each of your dependents who will be accompanying or following to join you must apply separately for a B-2 visa and must follow the regulations for that visa.

Worked example: Suppose you are traveling to the United States on a B-1 visa to attend a professional conference on specific dates, and your spouse and two children are traveling with you as tourists. Because B-1 holders cannot add derivatives to their visa, you submit one B-1 application and your spouse and two children each submit a separate B-2 application. A family of four submits four separate visa applications and pays four individual application processing fees, using the per-person consular rate in the table above for each family member.

• Principal business traveler: 1 B-1 visa application and 1 individual application processing fee
• Accompanying spouse: 1 separate B-2 visa application and 1 individual application processing fee
• Each accompanying child: 1 separate B-2 visa application and 1 individual application processing fee per child

Cost to extend your B1/B2 stay or change status in the US (Form I-539)

At a US port of entry, a Customs and Border Protection officer decides your period of stay on Form I-94. USCIS guidance says the initial stay is usually 1 to 6 months, with 6 months as the typical maximum. If you need more time for business activities, you can apply for an extension of up to 6 months. The total time allowed on one trip is generally up to 1 year.

If you wish to stay beyond the date indicated on your Form I-94 without departing the United States, or if you are in the United States in another valid nonimmigrant status and want to change to B-1 or B-2 status, you must file Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status, with USCIS. As shown in the fee table above, filing Form I-539 carries the filing fee listed in the table above, with a lower filing fee when submitted online rather than on paper.

USCIS does not refund Form I-539 filing fees if your application is denied. The Form I-539 page warns that filing your request on the wrong form may result in the rejection or denial of your case, and that USCIS will not refund your filing fees if your case is denied.

• When to file Form I-539: You must submit your Form I-539 by mail or online before the expiration date shown on your admission stamp or Form I-94 Arrival-Departure Record. USCIS suggests filing at least 45 days before your stay expires, or as soon as you determine you need to change or extend status.
• Passport validity requirement: Your passport must remain valid for your entire requested period of stay in the United States.
• Late filings: If your status expires before you file Form I-539, you are out of status. USCIS excuses a failure to file on time only if you demonstrate that the delay was due to extraordinary circumstances beyond your control, the length of the delay was reasonable, you have not otherwise violated your status, you are still a bona fide nonimmigrant, and you are not in removal proceedings.
• Co-applicants on Form I-539A: If eligible family members are included on the same extension or change of status request, they use Supplemental Form I-539A. Be sure Part 2 of Form I-539 lists the total number of people included in the application.

How to pay USCIS fees for Form I-539 and avoid rejection

According to USCIS Form G-1055 (edition 10/26/26), every application, petition, or request must be accompanied by the correct fee unless you are exempt or eligible for a fee waiver. If you send an incorrect fee amount, USCIS will reject your filing.

USCIS has strict rules on how you can pay when filing online, by mail at a USCIS Lockbox, or at a USCIS office. Use this checklist before you submit your Form I-539 or any related USCIS form:

• Filing online: Pay through the government online payment portal when you submit your application in your online USCIS account.
• Filing by mail with a card: Pay with a credit, debit, or prepaid card by completing and including Form G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions.
• Filing by mail from a US bank account: Pay directly from a US bank account by completing and including Form G-1650, Authorization for ACH Transactions.
• Paper fee payment exemption by mail: If you qualify for an exemption from the requirement to use an electronic payment method, mail your request with the exact fee payment and a completed, signed Form G-1651, Exemption for Paper Fee Payment.
• Filing at a USCIS office: Pay through the government online payment portal using a credit or debit card, or by electronic funds transfer (EFT) from a US banking institution using Form G-1650. Cash can never be used to pay a filing or biometric services fee, even in person at a USCIS office.
• Requesting a fee waiver: Certain filers may qualify for a fee waiver by filing Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver (or a written request). For most forms, you cannot request a fee waiver when filing online. You must mail a paper Form I-912 together with a paper version of the form you are filing.
• Check your form edition and signature: For Form I-539, make sure the edition date (08/28/24 edition accepted pursuant to the September 14, 2026 court order) and page numbers are visible at the bottom of every page, all pages come from the same edition, all required fields in Part 1 and Part 2 are completed, and the form is signed. USCIS rejects unsigned forms.

Other B1/B2 related forms and post-issuance requirements

Beyond the consular visa fee and Form I-539, three other government requirements come up for specific groups of B1/B2 visitors. Each has its own rule in the government sources:

EVUS enrollment for 10-year B1/B2 visa holders from China. Under US Customs and Border Protection rules in place since November 29, 2016, nationals of the People's Republic of China who hold a maximum-validity (10-year) B1/B2, B1, or B2 visitor visa must maintain a valid Electronic Visa Update System (EVUS) enrollment in addition to their valid visa to travel to and be admitted into the United States. Travelers subject to EVUS who do not have a valid enrollment cannot obtain a boarding pass or enter through a land port of entry.

Form I-134, Declaration of Financial Support. If a supporter in the United States files Form I-134 to declare financial support for a beneficiary during a temporary stay in the United States, 8 CFR 106.2(a)(9) sets the filing fee at no fee, as shown in the table above.

B-1 personal or domestic servants and foreign airline employees (Form I-765). USCIS B-1 guidance notes that certain personal or domestic servants accompanying or following to join qualifying nonimmigrants or US citizens stationed abroad, as well as certain employees of foreign airlines, may be eligible for B-1 status if their activities are in connection with their foreign employment. While these B-1 nonimmigrants are not required to obtain an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) from USCIS before engaging in their approved B-1 activities, they may receive an EAD upon request by filing Form I-765, which carries the filing fee shown in the table above.

Annual inflation adjustments to USCIS fees. Under 8 CFR 106.2(d), USCIS fees in Part 106 that are not set or limited by statute may be adjusted not more often than once per year by publication of a rule in the Federal Register, based on the difference in the CPI-U inflation measure published by the Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics and rounded to the nearest 5-dollar increment.

What the consular officer checks about trip costs at your B1/B2 interview

Paying the visa fee gets your interview scheduled, but approval depends on your eligibility. USCIS guidance lists five things you must show: your trip has a legitimate business or tourist purpose, you plan to stay for a specific limited time, and you have enough money for your trip and stay. You must also show a residence abroad you do not plan to abandon, binding ties that bring you home, and that you are admissible to the United States.

At the interview window, the consular officer checks your financial ability by asking who is paying for your trip, how much the trip will cost, and what you or your sponsor earn.

To prepare for money questions at your B1/B2 interview, have these facts ready before you step up to the window:

• Your exact trip dates and length of stay, matching your DS-160 form.
• Who is paying for the flights, lodging, and daily expenses (you, your employer for a B-1 business trip, or a family member).
• Your annual or monthly income and your job title, or your employer's confirmation that it is covering your B-1 conference, training, or business meetings.
• Your residence and binding ties outside the United States that ensure you will return home at the end of your specific limited visit.

Practice example

Who is paying for your trip to the United States, and how much will the whole visit cost?

A strong, honest answer states in one or two sentences who is funding the trip, the realistic total budget for flights, lodging, and daily expenses, and the income or savings that cover that amount. If you are paying for yourself on a B-2 tourist visit, state your job title, your monthly or annual income, and the approximate trip total so the officer sees it matches your DS-160. If your foreign employer is paying for a B-1 business trip to attend a conference, negotiate a contract, or consult with business associates, name your company, state your role, and confirm that the company is covering your travel and hotel for the specific dates of your trip. If a family member or supporter is covering part or all of your visit, name their relationship to you, their occupation, and their income, and have your bank statements, employment letter, or Form I-134 support records organized in case the officer asks to see them.

One of the core B-1/B-2 eligibility criteria is demonstrating that you have sufficient funds to cover the expenses of your trip and stay in the United States for a specific limited period without working unlawfully. Giving clear, specific numbers that match your DS-160 helps the officer verify your financial ability in a few seconds.

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.