Why a U.S. nonimmigrant visa budget is more than one application fee
A family visa budget can combine fees charged by the Department of State, ICE, and USCIS with private attorney and document costs. The visa application fee normally repeats for every family member who applies for a visa, while the I-901 SEVIS fee is charged only to a covered F, M, or J principal. A petition-based case may also involve an employer-filed Form I-129, an Asylum Program Fee, premium processing, or case-specific employer surcharges.
Per-applicant fees
The calculator uses USD 185 for the covered non-petition classes, USD 205 for the listed petition-based classes, and USD 315 for E visas. A principal, spouse, and two children therefore create four visa application fees when all four need visas.
Petition and status fees
Form I-129 and Form I-539 are USCIS filings, not substitutes for a consular visa application fee. The required form depends on whether the case involves a petition, a consular application abroad, or an extension or change of status in the United States.
Private quotes and FX
Attorney, translation, notarization, courier, and travel charges do not have one official market price. Enter written quotes and convert all USD amounts with the same effective USD/KRW rate to make the comparison internally consistent.
This calculator is a budgeting aid, not legal advice or an eligibility decision. Classification, nationality, post, employer size, filing method, exemptions, and new implementation notices can change the amount due. Recheck the official schedules immediately before every payment.
Official fee snapshot checked August 10, 2026
The constants come from current Department of State, ICE, and USCIS primary materials. USCIS amounts were checked against Form G-1055 edition 05/29/26, and premium-processing amounts reflect the adjustment effective March 1, 2026. The calculator deliberately keeps unconfirmed and private costs outside the automatic base.
Department of State, SEVIS, and representative USCIS fees used by the calculator| Fee | Covered case | Amount | Counting unit |
|---|
| DOS visa application | B, F, M, J, and covered non-petition classes | USD 185 | Each visa applicant |
| DOS visa application | H, L, O, P, Q, and R petition-based classes | USD 205 | Each visa applicant |
| DOS visa application | E treaty trader or investor class | USD 315 | Each visa applicant |
| I-901 SEVIS | F/M principal | USD 350 | One principal fee |
| I-901 SEVIS | Standard J / reduced J programs | USD 220 / 35 | One J-1 principal fee |
| Paid expedited appointment | Eligible B applicants at participating posts | USD 750 | Each selected applicant |
| Form I-539 | General extension or change-of-status filing | paper 470 / online 420 | Each actually filed form |
| Form I-907 premium | Standard I-129 / R I-129 / F-J-M I-539 | USD 2,965 / USD 1,780 / USD 2,075 | Applicable form and class |
SEVIS treatment of dependents
The ICE I-901 instructions list F-2, M-2, and J-2 dependents among applicants who do not pay this fee. A family of four may therefore have four Department of State application fees but only one covered principal SEVIS fee. The calculator applies this distinction automatically.
How the I-129 and employer-fee inputs work
A visa application at a consular post and an employer petition filed with USCIS are different transactions. Leave the I-129 switch off when the personal budget should exclude employer-paid petition costs. Turn it on when building the total project budget or when those costs are part of the family estimate.
Base filing and Asylum Program Fee
- H-1B regular employer: paper USD 780 or online USD 730; small or nonprofit USD 460
- L regular employer USD 1,385; small or nonprofit USD 695
- O regular employer USD 1,055; small or nonprofit USD 530
- P/Q regular employer USD 1,015; small or nonprofit USD 510
- R USD 510 under the calculator schedule
- E regular employer: paper USD 1,015 or online USD 965; small or nonprofit USD 510
When I-129 is included, the calculator also adds the G-1055 Asylum Program Fee: USD 600 for a regular employer, USD 300 for a small employer, or USD 0 for a nonprofit.
Add-ons that require a case decision
- H-1B or L fraud-prevention fee of USD 500 when applicable
- H-1B ACWIA fee of USD 750 or USD 1,500 when applicable
- Public Law 114-113 fee of USD 4,000 for H-1B or USD 4,500 for L when applicable
- H-1B registration fee of USD 215 for one beneficiary
- USD 100,000 payment for certain new H-1B cases under the time-limited entry restriction
The calculator never infers these obligations from a job title or family size. Employer workforce, filing relationship, exemption, beneficiary location, and timing must be checked against current USCIS instructions or case counsel.
Formula and payment-stage model
Government-fee formula
Total applicants = 1 principal + spouse count + child count
DOS fee = total applicants × class-specific per-person fee
Government USD = DOS + SEVIS + paid expedite + confirmed issuance + USCIS
USCIS = I-129 base + asylum + I-539 + premium + selected add-ons
KRW conversion formula
Effective rate = USD/KRW × (1 + payment spread ÷ 100)
Without attorney = round(government USD × effective rate) + local KRW costs
With attorney = round((government + attorney) USD × effective rate) + local KRW costs
The payment-stage cards allocate the same total among document preparation, SEVIS and USCIS, visa application and issuance, and interview and travel. They are a cash-flow organizer, not a filing calendar. Actual timing follows the I-20 or DS-2019, employer petition, appointment system, and attorney engagement terms.
Step-by-step use
- Select the classification and enter every spouse or child who will apply for a visa. For the paid B-visa appointment pilot, enter only applicants who see and intend to use the option.
- Confirm with the school, sponsor, employer, or counsel whether I-901, I-129, or I-539 applies. Enter the actual I-539 filing count rather than automatically copying the dependent count.
- Select employer type and filing method. Enable premium, fraud, ACWIA, Public Law, registration, or the H-1B entry payment only after confirming that the particular fee applies.
- Break the attorney quote into consultation, petition preparation, per-dependent representation, and RFE or interview support. This makes proposals with different scopes comparable.
- Enter translation and notarization document counts, courier charges, per-applicant travel, and other fixed KRW costs. Add lodging or third-country interview expenses when relevant.
- Use the likely card or transfer rate and spread. Treat the ±10% output as an FX reserve range, then recheck every official fee on the payment date.
Worked examples
B family of four
One principal, one spouse, and two children create USD 185 × 4 = USD 740 in visa application fees. If two applicants purchase the USD 750 appointment option, the government total becomes USD 2,240. At KRW 1,400 per USD with no other cost, that is KRW 3,136,000.
F/M family of four
Add USD 740 in visa application fees and one principal SEVIS fee of USD 350. The F-2 or M-2 dependents do not repeat SEVIS, so the government total is USD 1,090, or KRW 1,526,000 at a 1,400 rate.
One H-1B applicant
A regular-employer paper I-129 with premium processing includes USD 205 DOS, USD 780 I-129, USD 600 Asylum Program Fee, and USD 2,965 premium processing. The subtotal is USD 4,550 before any confirmed fraud, ACWIA, registration, Public Law, attorney, or family cost.
Worked government-fee examples converted at KRW 1400 per USD| Example | DOS | Other government | Government total | KRW at 1,400 |
|---|
| B family 4, expedite 2 | USD 740 | USD 1,500 | USD 2,240 | KRW 3,136,000 |
| F/M family 4 | USD 740 | USD 350 | USD 1,090 | KRW 1,526,000 |
| H-1B regular paper premium | USD 205 | USD 4,345 | USD 4,550 | KRW 6,370,000 |
Reading the attorney and exchange-rate results
The base result uses the entered USD/KRW rate plus the payment spread. A 1,400 rate and 2% spread produce an effective rate of 1,428. The sensitivity cards move every USD government and attorney amount by -10%, base, and +10%, while KRW document and travel costs remain fixed.
Why show totals with and without counsel?
Government charges generally remain payable whether or not counsel is retained, while legal fees vary with scope and complexity. Seeing both totals keeps the official baseline separate from the amount allocated to professional support.
Questions for an engagement letter
- Whether RFE, NOID, or interview preparation is included
- Whether spouse and child DS-160 or I-539 work is separate
- Who directly pays government, translation, and courier charges
- What additional fee applies after a refusal, refiling, or employer change
Time-limited and not-yet-automatic 2026 items
Visa integrity fee
Public Law 119-21 §100007 created a visa integrity fee associated with nonimmigrant visa issuance. A DHS Federal Register notice stated that the implementation amount and collection procedure had not yet been announced and would require further interagency work. The general Department of State fee table checked on August 10, 2026 did not publish an implemented amount. The calculator therefore does not automatically add USD 250. Enter a per-person amount only after an official post or payment system confirms what is actually due.
USD 100,000 H-1B payment
Presidential Proclamation 10973 described a 12-month entry restriction beginning September 21, 2025, and current G-1055 materials identify a separate USD 100,000 payment for covered H-1B cases. It is not a universal charge on every H-1B filing or extension. The switch is off by default, works only with an H-1B I-129 budget, and triggers a reminder to check extensions, termination, exceptions, and beneficiary-location guidance around September 21, 2026.
USD 750 B-visa appointment pilot
Through December 31, 2026, the Department of State is testing a voluntary option at select posts under which an eligible B applicant may pay USD 750 for an interview appointment within 10 business days, subject to availability. Each participating family member pays separately. The payment only advances the appointment; it does not guarantee visa issuance, faster adjudication, or administrative-processing completion, and it carries strict rescheduling and refund limits.
Practical scenarios
Student family departing together
Count the F-1 principal and every F-2 visa applicant for the Department of State fee, but include only the principal I-901 payment. Tuition deposits, insurance, and living expenses are not visa government fees; keep them in the other-cost input or a separate education budget.
Employer-wide H-1B project budget
Combine personal visa application fees with employer-paid I-129, Asylum Program Fee, and premium processing to see the whole project. Select ACWIA, fraud, registration, Public Law, or entry-payment items only when the live petition checklist supports them.
E or L family consular application
Repeat the E USD 315 or L USD 205 application fee for every family member and add the per-dependent attorney quote. If the chosen pathway does not involve a new USCIS petition, leave I-129 off rather than treating it as an automatic visa cost.
Third-country interview planning
Department of State guidance updated July 15, 2026 directs applicants to schedule in their country of nationality or residence, subject to designated-post rules. Before budgeting a third-country interview, verify that the post will accept the case and add transport, lodging, extra-stay, and longer-wait risk.
Accuracy tips and limitations
Improve the estimate
- Count only family members who actually need a visa application
- Confirm whether the employer or family pays each USCIS and legal charge
- Compare attorney proposals after aligning included work and add-ons
- Use the payment provider rate rather than a headline market rate
- Check whether card charges overlap with the entered spread and fixed fee
- Revisit the estimate if filing class, location, or employer status changes
What the calculator does not decide
- Eligibility, inadmissibility, waiver, classification, or approval probability
- Small-employer, nonprofit, or additional-fee exemptions
- Nationality-specific reciprocity or post-specific issuance amounts
- Future visa integrity fee implementation or reimbursement mechanics
- Medical, insurance, tuition, tax, living, or refusal-and-refiling costs
- Appointment availability or an adjudication completion date
Frequently asked questions
Does one family pay only one visa application fee?
Generally no. A spouse or child who applies for a visa normally has a separate application fee, so this calculator multiplies the class fee by the total applicant count.
Do F-2, M-2, or J-2 dependents pay SEVIS?
The ICE I-901 instructions list those dependent classes as fee-exempt. The calculator therefore includes one covered F/M or J principal fee, not one fee per family member.
Are I-129 and the visa application fee the same?
No. I-129 is a petition filed with USCIS, while the visa application fee belongs to the Department of State process. A petition-based consular case can involve both at different times and often different payers.
Should the I-539 count equal the number of dependents?
Not automatically. Co-applicant and supplemental-form rules can affect the actual filing count. Use the number of forms in the current filing plan after reviewing the I-539 and I-539A instructions.
Does the USD 750 option speed up visa issuance?
No. The 2026 pilot offers an earlier B-visa interview at participating posts when space and eligibility permit. It does not guarantee issuance, faster adjudication, or the end of administrative processing.
Why does the calculator not automatically add a USD 250 visa integrity fee?
A statutory minimum and a published collection procedure are different facts. As of the reference date, the official general fee table did not state an implemented collection amount. Use the confirmed issuance input only when an official post or payment system provides an amount.
Does every H-1B case require USD 100,000?
No. The payment is tied to a time-limited entry restriction, covered petitions, location, and exceptions. It remains off by default and should be enabled only after current official guidance confirms it for the case.
Can the result replace an attorney engagement quote?
No. The result only adds the numbers entered. The engagement letter controls scope, refunds, RFE or interview support, refiling fees, and which party pays government and third-party charges.
Primary sources and update policy
The fee constants and cautions were checked on August 10, 2026 against the following U.S. federal primary sources. If a linked page shows a newer edition, effective date, or post-specific instruction, follow the newer official material rather than this snapshot.
Build a family budget from confirmed fees and real quotes
Separating government, attorney, and local costs shows which charges repeat by applicant and which occur once per case. Before relying on the total, compare every selected fee with the current official schedule and every private amount with the engagement or vendor quote.