U.S. Visa Reciprocity Fee: What It Is and How to Check Yours
- The reciprocity fee matches what your country charges U.S. citizens for a similar visa.
- You only pay the reciprocity fee if your visa is approved.
- The fee amount and visa validity length depend on which country issued your passport.
If you want a U.S. visa, it’ll cost you. Almost everyone has to pay the visa application fee. But for some countries, there’s an extra charge called the reciprocity fee. The U.S. government sets this fee to equal what your home country charges Americans for a similar visa.
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What is visa reciprocity?
The visa reciprocity fee is an extra charge for nonimmigrant visa applicants from certain countries, paid after the visa is approved. It’s based on the principle of reciprocity, meaning the U.S. government charges this fee to mirror what your home country charges U.S. citizens for a similar visa.
Reciprocity fees vs. the MRV application fee
The reciprocity fee and the standard visa application fee are two separate costs. The standard application fee is often called the machine-readable visa (MRV) fee. It’s paid by almost everyone who applies for a nonimmigrant visa, like a B, F, or H visa.
You pay the MRV fee at the start of the process to cover the government’s cost of processing your application. This fee is non-refundable, regardless of whether your visa is denied.
The reciprocity fee (or issuance fee) is a separate, additional charge added to applicants of certain countries. You pay this fee only after a consular officer has approved your visa application. While the MRV fee is a set price for a visa class (like $185 for a visitor visa), the reciprocity fee amount is different for every country and visa type. In most cases, applicants won’t need to pay the visa reciprocity fee, but it can range as high as several thousand dollars for those who do.
Who pays the visa reciprocity fee?
The rule for who pays the reciprocity fee depends on one thing: your country of nationality. This is typically the country that issued the passport you’re using to apply for a U.S. visa. It’s not always where you live or where you were born. For example, if you’re a citizen of India but you’ve been living in Mexico for 10 years, you’ll pay the reciprocity fee for citizens of India.
There are a few exceptions to the rule. Applicants who have been granted permanent resident or refugee status in Canada or the Bahamas may be subject to the fee schedule of Canada or the Bahamas rather than their country of nationality. For stateless people without a nationality, the reciprocity fee may be based on their country of residence.
When is the reciprocity fee due?
The reciprocity fee is only required if the consular officer approves your nonimmigrant visa application during your interview at the U.S. embassy or consulate. The payment method can vary by embassy or consulate, so check their website before your interview.
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What is the reciprocity schedule?
The visa issuance fee is one part of the reciprocity schedule. In addition to the dollar amount of the fee, the U.S. Department of State also lists two other things you need to know for your visa:
- Validity period: This is how long your visa can be used. As with visa fees, the U.S. government sets the time limit to match the maximum time that your country allows a U.S. citizen to use the same type of visa. If your country only allows U.S. travelers a one-year work visa, your U.S. visa will likely only be valid for one year.
- Number of entries: This determines how many times you are allowed to seek entry to the U.S. on one visa. Some countries only allow U.S. citizens a single-entry visa, while others grant multiple entries, denoted with an “M” in the schedule.
How to check the visa reciprocity schedule
To find out if you must pay a reciprocity fee, and what your visa’s validity period and entry limit will be, you can check the U.S. Department of State Reciprocity and Civil Documents by Country website. Fees and validity periods change often, so it’s a good idea to go straight to the source for the latest information.
Here’s how to check your reciprocity requirements:
- Select your country of nationality. You’ll be taken to a page that lists all the visa classifications.
- Select the specific visa you are applying for from the menu (for example, B-1/B-2 for visitors, F-1 for students, or H-1B for temporary workers).
- Look at the table for the reciprocal fee you must pay in U.S. dollars. If it says “none,” you’re exempt from this charge. The validity period is shown in months from the date your visa issued. The number of entries tells you how many times you can use the visa to enter the U.S. “M” or “Multiple” means multiple entries, allowing you to seek entry to the U.S. as many times as you want.
Note: If the schedule says “no treaty,” that means the applicant’s country of nationality doesn’t have a specific treaty with the U.S. that allows that particular visa category. This typically applies to the E-1 treaty trader and E-2 treaty investor visas. Practically, it means citizens of that country can’t apply for those visas.
Reciprocity fees by country
You can check the Department of State website for the latest information for every country, but here is a selection to give you an idea of how much visa fees cost as of December 2025 for countries with the most nonimmigrant visa issuances.
| Country | H-1B reciprocity fee | E-1 reciprocity fee |
| United Kingdom | None | None |
| Brazil | None | No treaty |
| India | None | No treaty |
| China | None | No treaty |
| Mexico | $237 | $186 |
| France | $465 | None |
| Germany | None | None |
| Italy | $153 | $198 |
| Australia | $1,695 | $5,592 |
| South Korea | None | None |
Preparing your application
The reciprocity fee is an extra cost you might have to pay after your visa is approved. Whether and how much you pay depends on your country of nationality. The U.S. charges this fee to mirror what your country charges to U.S. citizens seeking the same visa.
The fee is just one part of a complex and costly visa application process. An attorney can help prepare the necessary evidence for your application package, making sure you include all required documents for your specific visa classification and providing clarity on all the required government fees.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I pay the reciprocity fee with a credit card?
The payment method depends on the U.S. embassy or consulate where you have your interview. Many locations let you pay the fee with a credit or debit card. Check the consulate’s website for specifics.
How does the validity period on my visa affect how long I can legally stay in the U.S.?
The visa’s validity period indicates the time you can use it to travel to a U.S. port of entry. Your legal length of stay is set by a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer when you arrive and your underlying status if you have a work visa. They record your official departure date on your Form I-94, which may be after your visa validity period, allowing you to stay longer in the U.S.
Does my family have to pay a reciprocity fee?
Yes, generally each person who receives a visa, including your spouse and dependent children, must pay the required reciprocity fee.
If I have dual citizenship, which country’s reciprocity schedule must I use?
The U.S. applies the reciprocity schedule based on the country that issued the passport you’re using to apply for the visa.
