According to a report by the US Department of State, the United States issued more than 90 lakh B1, B2 and B1/B2 combined visas in 2018. Naturally, the revenue generated from the application fee would have been enormous too. The application fee varies for according to the type of visa applied for. Here’s a look at the fee for a B1/B2 visa.
What is the Visa Fee for US Visitor Visa from India?
After filling in the DS-160 visa form, you need to pay a fee of $160 to proceed with scheduling your visa interview. Indians can pay this fee in INR. However, make sure you check the current exchange rate before making the payment.
Options for Fee Payment
You can pay the application fees via various options such as:
- NEFT: More than 87,000 bank branches support NEFT payments and you can use it to pay your visa fee through net or mobile banking.
- IMPS: You can make payment by entering the beneficiary’s MMID number, beneficiary’s mobile number and the correct amount in INR. After the payment is done, you will get an SMS with a 12-digit reference number.
- Cash Payment: At any branch of Axis Bank or Citibank.
Some Things to Note
Remember that the visa fee is non-refundable and non-transferable. Post payment, you will get a receipt that is valid for one year from the date you made the payment. The receipt will be activated within 2 business days from the date of payment. You need to schedule the visa interview at the US embassy within the one-year period. In case you do not schedule the interview during this period, you will need to pay the fee again.
Don’t forget to get insurance.
It is recommended that you get travel insurance when traveling to USA, as medical expense (even for common flu) can run into hundreds of dollars! Here are some of the best insurance for US visitors.
