F-1 Visa Costs Explained: SEVIS Fee, DS-160 Fee, and Other Charges Compared

Every F-1 visa fee at a glance

Add up the fees that apply to you and budget for the total before you schedule anything. None of these are refundable if your visa is denied.

The I-901 SEVIS fee

The SEVIS fee funds the system that tracks international students in the US. It has been $350 for F-1 and M-1 students since June 24, 2019, per the ICE announcement of the fee rule, and it remains current as of 2026 according to ICE's I-901 SEVIS fee page .

Pay it through the official portal at fmjfee.com using the SEVIS ID printed on your I-20, and keep the payment receipt. You need proof of payment at your visa interview. You pay this fee again only if you get a brand new SEVIS record later, for example after a lapse that requires reinstatement rather than a normal transfer between schools.

The DS-160 application fee

The DS-160 is your actual visa application form, and the fee attached to it is officially called the MRV, or Machine Readable Visa, fee. It is $185 for an F-1 application as of 2026, per travel.state.gov's fee schedule . You pay this at the point you schedule your interview, and it is non-refundable even if the officer denies your visa or you miss the appointment.

The new visa integrity fee

A $250 visa integrity fee applies to most nonimmigrant visa categories, including F-1, under the law signed in July 2025. Per a Boston University international student office summary , the fee is collected by the consulate only after your visa is approved and physically issued, not at the time you apply.

As of August 2026, rollout is uneven: some consulates are charging it and others have not yet activated the system to collect it. Check with the specific consulate handling your case close to your interview date, since this is one of the fastest-moving pieces of the F-1 cost picture.

The reciprocity fee

Some countries charge Americans a fee to get a visa, and the US charges citizens of those countries a matching reciprocity fee when they get a US visa. This fee is set per country and ranges from $0 to $265.

It is separate from the integrity fee and is added at the same visa issuance step. Look up your country's reciprocity schedule on travel.state.gov before your interview so you know your full total, since the amount is not shown until you check your specific nationality.

Fees for spouses and children (F-2 dependents)

If your spouse or children are joining you on F-2 status, they do not pay a separate I-901 SEVIS fee as long as they are listed on your I-20 record, according to Study in the States . They still need their own DS-160 application and pay their own $185 MRV fee, since each person who needs a visa stamp pays that fee individually. Budget for one SEVIS fee per family, but one MRV fee per person.

How to pay each fee

Pay the SEVIS fee online at fmjfee.com using a credit card, debit card, or a few other listed methods, and print or save the confirmation as your receipt. Pay the MRV fee through the payment method your specific consulate lists when you schedule your DS-160 interview, which varies by country and includes bank deposit, online payment, or an in-person option. The integrity fee and any reciprocity fee are collected by the consulate directly when your visa is printed, so you do not pay those in advance.

A few payment details worth knowing

Pay every fee in your own name, exactly as it appears on your passport, since a mismatch between the payer name and your application holds up processing. Keep the SEVIS payment receipt and the DS-160 confirmation page together with your other interview documents. A card that charges foreign transaction fees adds a small extra cost on top of the fees themselves, so check with your bank before you pay if that matters to your budget.

Putting the total together

For most F-1 applicants without a reciprocity fee, budget at minimum $350 for SEVIS plus $185 for the DS-160 plus $250 for the integrity fee once your consulate is collecting it, a total near $785 in US government fees alone. This does not include tuition deposits, proof-of-funds documentation, travel to your interview, or any fee a third-party agent might charge you separately. If your country has a reciprocity fee, add that on top after you look up the exact figure.