US Visa Fees for Indians 2026

About the US Visa Fee

Any foreigner who needs a visa before visiting the US must pay the applicable visa fee. All visitors to the US, including children, must pay the visa fee for US.

Since the US visa fee is non-refundable, make sure to confirm whether or not you require a US visa. Some Indians don't need a visa or need to pay US visa fees, such as:

• Indians who already have a valid US visa
• Indians who are visiting the US under an A/G US visa
• Indians participating in a US government-sponsored program

The US visa cost for Indian applicants depends on their visa type. You may have to pay some other fees such as L visa fraud prevention fees (USD 500) in case of intracompany transfers, and so on.

How is the MRV Fee Different from the US Visa Fee?

Machine Readable Visa or MRV fee is another term used to refer to the US visa fee. This non-refundable and non-transferable fee is mandatory if you're applying for any non-immigrant US visas. Everyone who needs a visa to visit the US must bear the US visa costs as per their visa type.

The non-immigrant visa application fee is valid for 365 days from the date of payment. You will get a receipt for your MRV fee payment. You must schedule your in-person US visa appointment within this period. If you're eligible for an interview waiver, then you must schedule it during this 365-day period.

The US MRV fee is non-refundable and non-transferable. Even if your US visa is rejected, you won't get it back. However, if you have a US travel insurance with refund of visa fee coverage, you can at least get a US visa fee refund. This add-on can be really beneficial in cases where your visa is rejected despite no fault on your part.

When is US Visa Fee not Required?

Other than A or G visa types, all US visa applicants must pay the MRV fee. If you are applying for a J-type US Visa to participate in a USA government-sponsored program, you don't need to pay the MRV fee. You can get an exemption from the US visa fee in several other cases, especially in case you:

• Have an American visa that needs replacement or needs to be reissued because of improper visa fixing. This should be within a year of issuance and should not be your or visa holder's fault.
• An applicant for NATO or diplomatic US visas
• Are travelling to participate in specific official US government-sponsored cultural or educational exchanges.
• Are a member of staff of an observer mission to the UN headquarters. This includes your immediate family members.
• Are travelling for specific charitable services.

US Visa Fees for Indians

Indians can apply for several non-immigrant US visas depending on their eligibility and purpose of visiting America. Here are the visa fees for different non-immigrant US visa types:

*As on 6th June 2025, the consular exchange rate (1 USD = 85.69 INR). The final visa fee is subject to change as per the exchange rate and visa subcategory.

Please note that the US visa costs are non-refundable, irrespective of the visa category. Since the fees are considerably high, ensure that you meet all the requirements after understanding the US visa application procedure.

The US has one of the highest visa rejection rates, so a visa delay or visa rejection is common. However, this could ruin your trip plans as well as cost you a lot of money.

With US travel insurance, you can avail the benefits of trip cancellation in case your trip is cancelled due to visa denials or refusal. Depending on the insurer, you will get reimbursed for several non-refundable expenses like unused flight tickets and hotel bookings.

How to Pay US Visa Fee in India

There are several ways to pay your MRV fees for the US. These are the available US visa fee payment options:

• National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT)
• Unified Payments Interface (UPI)
• Debit Card/ Credit Card
• Cash through specified bank branches

In a Nutshell,

All US visa applicants must pay their non-transferable and non-refundable US visa fee before applying for their visa. This fee needs to be paid, even if you are issued a visa or not. To avoid any US visa rejections, make sure to understand the complete procedure. As you prepare to apply for your American visa, don't forget to buy a travel insurance plan for the US. It will save you from many exorbitant expenses in case of emergencies in the US.