US Business Visa Fees from India 2026: B1/B2 MRV Fee, VFS Costs and How to Pay

US Business Visa Fees from India - 2026 Quick Answer

As of 23 October 2026, an Indian applying for a US B1/B2 business visa pays one government fee, the $185 visa application (MRV) fee. At the US Mission India consular rate of Rs 98 per dollar, in force since 25 May 2026, that is Rs 18,130 per person.

• Application (MRV) fee: $185 per person, non-refundable, the same for business and tourism
• Visa issuance (reciprocity) fee for Indian B1/B2 visas: none
• Children pay too, so a family of four pays $740, or Rs 72,520
• $250 Visa Integrity Fee: enacted in July 2025, no official collection start as of 23 October 2026

The fee is due whether or not a visa is issued.

Visarun is a visa agency. We help applicants prepare and check the DS-160 and documents. The consular officer decides the case, and no agency can promise the outcome.

The MRV Fee in Dollars and Rupees

The State Department fee page, read on 23 October 2026, lists $185 for the B visitor visa, one line for business, tourism and medical treatment. The regulation, 22 CFR 22.1, sets the same $185 per person.

The amount has not changed since the May 2023 update. A State Department rule of June 2026 says it is not expected to change before 31 December 2026.

The rupee amount follows the consular rate

The US Mission in India converts fees at its own consular rate. Its notice says that from 25 May 2026 one dollar equals 98 rupees, up from 96. On 23 October 2026 it was still the only rate notice on the Mission's visa page, and the Mission's citizen services fee page shows the same rate.

• One applicant at Rs 98: Rs 18,130
• One applicant at the old rate of Rs 96: Rs 17,760
• Family of four ($740) at Rs 98: Rs 72,520

The Mission's pages do not say whether an earlier payment needs a top-up after a rate change, so we recommend checking the rate on the day you pay.

Who pays

Every applicant pays, including children. Each person files a separate application, even family members listed in one passport, and the fees add up per person. Ordinary B1/B2 applicants are not on the exemption list.

How to Pay the Fee and How Long It Stays Valid

The "Pay your visa fees" link on the US Mission India website leads to the official India appointment system. The State Department says payment instructions come from the post where you apply.

Payment methods

No official India page we could read on 23 October 2026 lists the accepted methods. A 2023 law-firm summary of State Department guidance said the system accepted only Indian credit or debit cards. That source is old and secondary, so confirm the options on the payment screen of the official system.

• Pay only inside the official appointment system linked from the US Embassy India website. In a December 2025 fraud warning reported by WION, the Embassy said the only fees for a US visa are those in its application instructions.
• Pay once. The same 2023 summary passed on State Department advice that a second payment will not be refunded.

Appointments, including emergency ones, can only be booked online. The Mission does not accept appointment requests by email.

How long the receipt stays valid

Under the State Department rule, an MRV payment is valid for 365 days from the receipt date. Within that window the applicant needs to schedule an interview or submit an interview waiver application. The interview itself can take place after day 365.

The official India appointment site gave the same rule in September 2026, so check its current wording when you pay.

Waits are long. The State Department wait-time table of 21 October 2026 shows these next available B1/B2 interview dates:

• Chennai: 7.5 months
• Kolkata: 8.5 months
• Hyderabad: 10.5 months
• New Delhi: 11 months
• Mumbai: 12 months

The table is updated monthly, guarantees nothing and leaves out dropbox appointments.

Other Costs - VFS, Courier, Photos and Travel to the Interview

The State Department schedule lists no charge for the DS-160, biometrics, visa centre visits, document drop-off or passport return. A centre may still charge for services, but that is not a State Department fee. Official 2026 tariffs were not readable on 23 October 2026, so the figures below are dated reports.

Document drop-off

A February 2025 law-firm summary reported that dropbox documents could be submitted free at the five visa application centres, or for Rs 850 at six drop-off centres such as Pune. That figure is 20 months old, and the booking screen shows the current charge.

Passport return

After approval, the applicant arranges the passport's return. Media reports in August 2025 said that from 1 August 2025 third parties can no longer collect passports from visa centres, except a parent or guardian for an applicant under 18. Home delivery was reported at Rs 1,200 per applicant at that time. The portal shows the current price.

Photos

The photo is uploaded with the DS-160, and a printed copy is needed only if the upload fails. It should be 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm), on a plain white or off-white background, taken within the last 6 months, without eyeglasses except in rare medical cases.

Travel to the interview

Interviews take place at five US posts, so applicants from other cities often pay for travel and a hotel night, with no official figure for either. US Embassy India said in December 2024, as reported in the Indian press, that the first appointment can be booked at any location.

Charges Indian applicants do not pay

• Expedite request: no extra fee. In India it needs a confirmed appointment first, and slots are very limited.
• $750 expedited appointment: as of the State Department list updated 18 August 2026, no Indian post offers it.
• I-94 record: no fee for air or sea arrivals. The $30 charge applies only at land borders.
• Visa bond: India is not on the State Department bond list updated 2 October 2026.

Agency fees

An agency's fee is separate from the $185. Visarun's price page, as read on 23 October 2026, listed $205 for the standard package ($185 government fee plus a $20 service fee) and $335 for priority ($185 plus $150). These prices can change. The embassy fee is non-refundable whoever pays it.

Reciprocity and Issuance Fees for Indians

Citizens of some countries also pay a reciprocity (visa issuance) fee when the visa is issued. Indians do not pay it for visitor visas, according to the State Department schedule for India read on 23 October 2026:

• B-1: no fee, multiple entries, 120 months
• B-2: no fee, multiple entries, 120 months
• B-1/B-2: no fee, multiple entries, 120 months

So $185 is the only State Department charge for an Indian B1/B2 visa.

Up to 10 years, not always 10 years

US nonimmigrant visas have a maximum validity of 10 years. Under 22 CFR 41.112, a consular officer may issue a visa with shorter validity or fewer entries in an individual case.

Visa validity is not length of stay

The officer at the US port of entry decides how long you may stay. B visitors can be admitted for up to one year, and a B-2 visitor issued an I-94 usually gets at least six months. For B-1 trips, the stay depends on the purpose of the visit.

Dropbox (Interview Waiver) Renewals - Same Fee, Different Process

A dropbox renewal skips the interview, not the fee. Renewals are not on the exemption list, and the 365-day receipt rule covers waiver submissions too, so the applicant pays the same $185, or Rs 18,130.

Who still qualifies

Since 1 October 2025, ordinary applicants can use the waiver only to renew a B-1, B-2 or B1/B2 visa within 12 months of its expiry, and only if:

• the earlier visa was issued for full validity
• the applicant was at least 18 when it was issued
• they apply in their country of nationality or usual residence
• they were never refused a visa, unless the refusal was overcome or waived
• there is no apparent or potential ineligibility

Children under 14 and adults over 79 generally need an in-person interview now. Consular officers may still call any applicant for an interview.

India-specific steps

The official India appointment site said in September 2026 that the dropbox date has to be at least 15 calendar days before the 12-month window closes, or the applicant is moved to biometrics and an interview. It also said to allow up to three weeks for processing, with no expediting, and that the applicant has to stay in India meanwhile.

No official page says a new fee is due if a dropbox case is converted to an interview.

When the Fee Is Lost - Refusals, No-Shows and Rescheduling

The US Mission India says the fee is non-refundable and non-transferable. These are the usual ways applicants lose it.

Refusal

A refused applicant gets no refund, and reapplying means a new application and a new fee. The exception is a 221(g) refusal: the applicant has one year to submit the requested information without paying again. After that year, a new fee applies.

No-show or second reschedule

US Embassy India announced in December 2024, in a post reported by Business Today, that from 1 January 2025 one reschedule is allowed. Under that announcement, a missed appointment or a second reschedule means booking anew and paying again. This rule is not on a Mission web page, so read the warning in the booking system before changing a date.

Cancelling

According to the India appointment site as read in September 2026, cancelling an appointment makes the payment invalid, and a new fee is needed to book again.

Applying outside India

Since September 2025, the State Department expects applicants to apply in their country of nationality or residence. Fees paid for applications elsewhere are not refunded or transferred, and the waits are much longer.

The one refund case

Under 22 CFR 41.107, the fee is refunded only if US government action, outside the applicant's control, stops the application from being processed. Official pages do not say what happens when the consulate itself cancels an appointment.

With next available dates of 7.5 to 12 months in the 21 October 2026 table, we recommend booking a date you can keep.

Recent Changes (2025-2026)

• 1 January 2025: one reschedule allowed in India (Embassy announcement)
• 18 February 2025: interview waiver limited to visas that expired less than 12 months earlier
• 4 July 2025: the $250 Visa Integrity Fee written into law
• 1 August 2025: no third-party passport pickup at visa centres (media reports)
• 2 September and 1 October 2025: waiver narrowed to full-validity B1/B2 renewals by applicants who were 18 or older
• September 2025: apply in your country of nationality or residence, out-of-country fees not refunded
• 30 September 2025: I-94 fee of $30 charged only at land borders
• 25 May 2026: consular rate moved from Rs 96 to Rs 98, so $185 became Rs 18,130 instead of Rs 17,760
• 1 July to 31 December 2026: optional $750 expedited appointment at selected posts, none in India as of the 18 August 2026 list

The Visa Integrity Fee is law, but has no official start date

The law signed on 4 July 2025 requires a fee from anyone issued a nonimmigrant visa, at the time of issuance. It was set at $250 for fiscal year 2025, with inflation adjustments later. It cannot be waived, and DHS may reimburse it after the visa expires if the holder kept to its conditions.

In July 2025 DHS wrote that the fee "will be implemented in a future publication". As of 23 October 2026 no official start date has been announced, and the fee is not on the State Department schedule or the US Mission India visa pages. This guide does not add it to any total. Check the official fee page before your interview.

FAQ

How much is the US business visa fee from India in 2026?

As of 23 October 2026, the B1/B2 fee is $185 per person, or Rs 18,130 at the Mission's rate of Rs 98 per dollar from 25 May 2026. Indians pay no issuance fee on top.

Do children pay the full fee?

Yes. The US Mission India says every applicant, including children, pays the fee. A family of four pays $740, or Rs 72,520 at the current rate.

Can I get the fee back if my visa is refused?

No. The fee is non-refundable. After a 221(g) refusal you have one year to send the requested information without paying again.

How long is the MRV receipt valid?

Under the State Department rule, you have 365 days from the receipt date to schedule an interview or submit a dropbox application. The interview can fall after day 365 if you booked in time.

Do I need to pay the $250 Visa Integrity Fee?

It was enacted in July 2025, but as of 23 October 2026 no official collection start has been announced and it is not on the State Department fee schedule. Check the official fee page before your interview.

Is a dropbox renewal cheaper than an interview?

No. The dropbox route costs the same $185, and since 1 October 2025 it covers only B1/B2 renewals within 12 months of expiry, under strict conditions.

Can I pay extra for an earlier appointment in India?

No. The $750 expedited appointment was not offered at any Indian post as of the list updated 18 August 2026. Urgent expedite requests cost nothing extra but need a confirmed appointment first.

Which payment methods are accepted for the fee?

No official page we could read in October 2026 lists them. A 2023 law-firm summary said the system accepted only Indian credit or debit cards. The payment screen in the official system shows the current options.

Can Visarun guarantee my visa?

No. Visarun helps you prepare and check the DS-160 and documents. The consular officer decides every case, and the $185 embassy fee is non-refundable whoever pays it.