U.S. Increases Non-Immigrant Visa Fees Globally Starting May 2025

The United States Department of State has increased the cost of non-immigrant visa applications starting from May 2025. This means that people applying for U.S. temporary visas around the world, including in Nigeria, will now pay new, higher fees.

This update applies to all U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide, including the U.S. Embassy in Abuja and the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos.

These new fees affect many types of visas such as those for tourism, study, work, and family visits.

Who Does This Affect?

The fee changes apply to anyone applying for non-immigrant visas, which are for people who want to visit the U.S. for a short time. These visas are not for people who want to move to the U.S. permanently. The new fee structure includes the following common visa types:

New Visa Fee Breakdown

Here’s a simple breakdown of the new visa application fees as of May 2025:

$185 Visa Categories:
These are the most common visa types and each now costs $185 to apply.

B-1/B-2 – For tourists and business visitors

C-1 – For people transiting through U.S. airports

D – For ship or airline crew members

F – For academic students

M – For vocational (technical) students

J – For exchange visitors (like Fulbright programs or internships)

I – For journalists and foreign media professionals

T – For victims of human trafficking

U – For victims of crimes who help U.S. law enforcement

TN/TD – For Canadian and Mexican workers under USMCA

$205 Visa Categories:
These are for workers, professionals, and cultural visitors. Each application now costs $205.

H – For temporary workers (includes H-1B visa)

L – For employees transferring within global companies

O – For people with extraordinary abilities (scientists, artists, etc.)

P – For entertainers, artists, and athletes

Q – For cultural exchange workers

R – For religious workers (priests, ministers, etc.)

$265 Visa Category:
K – For fiancé(e)s of U.S. citizens planning to get married in the U.S.

$315 Visa Categories:
These visas are for trade and business purposes and are now the most expensive.

E-1/E-2 – For treaty traders and investors

E-3 – For Australians in specialty occupations

Why the Fees Changed

The U.S. government said the new fees are meant to cover the cost of processing visa applications. These fees help the U.S. cover expenses such as visa interviews, background checks, and security screenings.

Visa applicants from Nigeria and other countries will now need to pay these higher amounts when they apply for any of the above visas. The change may affect students, business travelers, and family members who want to visit the U.S.

What You Should Know

Here are some key things to remember:

The new fees only apply to non-immigrant visas, which are temporary.
These are not the same as immigrant visas, which are for people who want to move to the U.S. permanently.
Immigrant visas, like those leading to a Green Card, have their own fees and rules.
Each visa type has a different cost, depending on its purpose and category.

Other Related Issues

In recent months, the U.S. has made more changes to its visa rules for Nigeria. For example:

In February 2025, the U.S. removed the “Drop Box” service in Nigeria, which used to let eligible people renew visas without going for interviews.

The U.S. also announced longer work permit durations for some non-citizens.

In political matters, the U.S. warned it would apply visa bans on people who interfered with the 2023 elections in Nigeria.

These new visa fees affect millions of people who apply to visit the U.S. each year. If you are planning to study, work, visit, or get married in the United States, you should be aware of these updated costs.

Always check with the U.S. Embassy or Consulate before applying to make sure you have the correct fee and visa type. Also, make sure to prepare all your documents properly to avoid delays or rejections.

Oluwatosin Oyekanmi3 weeks ago