How Much Does H1B Visa Cost? (Detailed Pricing)

Asım Kılınç, Immigration Attorney, CK Law Firm

The H1B visa, which is also preferred by foreign professionals who want to work in the United States, involves various payments during the application process. These fees consist of different items that concern both the applicant and the employer. The H1B visa cost may vary depending on the current regulations of the year of application, expedited processing content and foreign exchange rules.

In this guide, I provide detailed information about the H1B visa price, payment items and total costs. In this article, you can find answers to the following questions:

• What Does the H1B Visa Cover?
• How Many Dollars is an H1B Visa?
• America H1B Visa Fee: Costs for Employer and Applicant
• H1B Visa Premium Processing Fee: Expedited Processing Cost

If you have any questions about the H1B visa other than these topics, please feel free to contact me via the comments section below this article or by sending me a message directly via LinkedIn. Don’t forget that you can also send me your questions through the web page of CK Law Firm Immigration Law Firm, which I am the co-founder of!

What Does an H1B Visa Cover?

The H1B visa is designed for employers who wish to hire foreign professionals to work in the United States in certain specialized occupations. These occupational groups include jobs that require a high level of education and expertise in fields such as technology, engineering and finance. Individuals who wish to obtain this visa must first receive a job offer from an American employer. The employer must first submit an approved Labor Condition Application (LCA) from the U.S. Department of Labor in order to apply to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on your behalf.

An application has multiple cost items. The basic costs consist of the application fee, the fraud prevention fee and the training fund fees that the employer has to pay. There is also an optional premium processing fee to expedite the processing.

However, once you have an H1B visa, you can get the right to work in the US for 3 years. Then, if you request an extension, you can continue to work in the US by extending this visa. Moreover, in some cases, it may be possible to convert your H1B visa into a Green Card.

How Many Dollars is an H1B Visa?

The question of how many dollars an H1B visa costs is a question that many professionals ask. There are several stages in the application process and these costs are usually covered by the employer. First, a registration fee is paid for the H1B visa. This means that if the application is accepted, the employer must pay the Form I-129 (Petition for Alien Employee) filing fee.

• Registration Fee: Registration of application for H1B visa $215
• Form I-129 Fee: Once the application is accepted, payment amounts vary depending on the size of the employer’s company. For large businesses, the fee is $780. For small businesses and non-profit organizations, the fee is $460.

Regulations on the US visa fee are shaped by the fees set by the US Department of State according to the law. However, it should not be ignored that these fees may change over time.

America H1B Visa Fee: Costs for Employer and Applicant

The US H1B visa fee policy, which has different payments between the employer and employee, has different requirements for both parties. These fees are paid at different stages of the application process and the responsibilities of the parties are clearly defined.

Wages Covered by the Employer:

• Filing Fee: The employer pays a filing fee of $460 or $780 for Form I-129 submitted to USCIS.
• Attorney Fees: Lawyers’ fees are paid by the employer to provide legal support during the visa application process.

Fees Covered by the Applicant:

• Consular Visa Application Fee: The applicant pays a visa application fee of USD 190 at the time of the visa interview at the US consulate.

It is also very important that you pay attention to the important points I have mentioned below. These points are of great importance in the smooth progress of your visa process.

• The employer cannot legally charge certain fees for the application process to the employee; they must pay these fees themselves.
• The applicant is responsible for personal costs, such as the consular visa application fee.
• The cost of additional services, such as premium processing fees, is determined by agreement between the employer and the employee.

H1B Visa Premium Processing Fee: Expedited Processing Cost

The H1B visa premium processing fee is an option for employers who want to expedite the application process. With the premium processing option, USCIS commits to finalize your petition within 15 business days. This service costs $2,805 and is usually paid by the employer.

Premium processing is particularly favored when the application process falls within a critical timeframe. However, the premium processing fee only speeds up USCIS processing time; it has no impact on consular interview and visa approval times.

You can contact us for more information about the US H1B visa and get expert support for your immigration process. You can also reach me anytime on Linkedin and we can schedule a meeting for any questions you may have about the process.