A nonimmigrant visa is permission to enter the United States temporarily for a specific purpose — tourism, study, work, business, or an exchange program. It differs from an immigrant visa, which leads to permanent residence (a green card). The category is set by the purpose of travel: visitor B-1/B-2, student F and M, work visas H, L, O, and others. The application is filed online on Form DS-160, and a consular officer at a U.S. embassy or consulate decides eligibility after an interview.
Status as of July 12, 2026. Public Law 119-21 ("HR-1," signed July 4, 2025) created a new Visa Integrity Fee — a minimum of $250, charged at visa issuance on top of the standard MRV application fee; Visa Waiver Program (ESTA) travelers, immigrant-visa applicants, and diplomatic categories are exempt. As of mid-2026 the fee is not yet being collected: DHS has not published the rule setting up its collection (per the Department of State and the Federal Register). Separately, effective October 1, 2025, the Department of State narrowed the grounds for waiving the in-person interview, and social-media screening is expanding to more categories in phases. Current amounts and procedures should be checked on travel.state.gov and with the specific consulate.
Immigrant vs. nonimmigrant visas: the difference
All U.S. visas fall into two broad groups. An immigrant visa is for people moving permanently: the holder enters and becomes a permanent resident (gets a green card). A nonimmigrant visa allows temporary entry for a limited purpose and period, with departure expected when it ends. Most nonimmigrant categories start from the presumption that the applicant intends to return home; the exception is "dual intent" categories, which allow a simultaneous intention to remain — for example H-1B and L-1.
The main nonimmigrant visa categories
There are dozens of categories, but most travel fits a few groups. Visitor visas B-1 (business trips) and B-2 (tourism, medical treatment, visiting family) are the largest group. Student visas are F (academic) and M (vocational); the exchange-visitor category is J. Work categories include H-1B (specialty occupations requiring a degree), H-2A/H-2B (seasonal workers), L-1 (intracompany transfer), O-1 (extraordinary ability), P (athletes and artists), E (treaty traders and investors), TN (professionals from Canada and Mexico under USMCA), and R (religious workers). The K fiancé(e) visa leads to marriage and then a green card. The petition-based work categories (H, L, O, P, Q, R) require the employer to first file Form I-129 with USCIS.
The process is the same for most nonimmigrant visas. The applicant completes Form DS-160 (Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application), which covers all nonimmigrant categories, including K. After submitting the form, the applicant pays the visa application (MRV) fee and schedules an interview at a consulate; the MRV receipt is valid for 12 months from the date of payment. At the interview, the consular officer assesses eligibility based on the DS-160 and the conversation. F/M students and J exchange visitors also pay a separate SEVIS fee to DHS, apart from the MRV.
A visa and status are not the same. A visa is a document in the passport that lets the holder travel to a U.S. port of entry and ask to be admitted; the admission itself and the authorized period of stay are set by the CBP officer at the border and recorded on Form I-94. So a visa's expiration date and the authorized stay (per I-94) can differ: a visa may remain valid for years across multiple entries, while the stay is limited by the I-94. Remaining past the I-94 date is a status violation even if the visa itself has not expired.
Refusals: 214(b) and 221(g) administrative processing
The most common refusal for visitor and student visas is under INA Section 214(b): the officer was not convinced the applicant intends to return and has sufficient ties to the home country. It is not a permanent bar or a blacklist — reapplying is allowed, but the outcome depends on changed circumstances and stronger evidence, and the MRV fee is paid again. Separately, 221(g) is not a final denial but a hold for additional review (administrative processing) or a request for missing documents; the passport may be held for weeks in the meantime.
How much a visa costs
The base charge is the MRV fee, non-refundable, and it depends on the category (per the Department of State schedule, in effect since June 17, 2023 and current in 2026): $185 for B-1/B-2, F, M, and J; $205 for the petition-based work categories H, L, O, P, Q, R; $265 for K; and $315 for E treaty visas. On top of that, a reciprocity fee may apply depending on nationality, and F/M/J applicants pay the SEVIS fee. The new Visa Integrity Fee ($250, at issuance) will be added once DHS begins collecting it (see status box). Fees should be confirmed on travel.state.gov before applying.
What are the main types of U.S. nonimmigrant visas?
U.S. visas split into immigrant visas (for permanent residence, leading to a green card) and nonimmigrant visas (for temporary entry). The most common nonimmigrant categories are visitor B-1/B-2, student F and M, exchange J, work visas such as H-1B, L-1, and O-1, and the K fiancé(e) visa. The category depends on the purpose of the trip, and each has its own requirements and validity period.
Form DS-160 is the online nonimmigrant visa application, submitted through the Department of State's Consular Electronic Application Center. It is required for all nonimmigrant categories, including K visas, and a consular officer uses the answers, together with the interview, to decide eligibility. After submitting it, the applicant prints the barcode confirmation page, pays the MRV fee, and schedules the interview.
What does a 214(b) visa refusal mean?
A 214(b) refusal means the consular officer did not find that the applicant demonstrated an intent to return home after the trip — that is, sufficient ties to the home country. It is the most common refusal for visitor and student visas. It is not a permanent bar: a person can apply again, but reapplying without changed circumstances usually produces the same result, and the MRV fee is paid each time.
What is the difference between a visa and immigration status?
A visa is an entry document in the passport that lets the holder travel to a U.S. border and request admission. Status is the legal basis for being in the country and its duration, which the CBP officer sets at entry and records on Form I-94. A visa can still be valid after the authorized stay under the I-94 has ended, and vice versa; the I-94 date governs how long a person may remain.
How much does a U.S. nonimmigrant visa cost?
The base MRV fee, per the Department of State schedule, is $185 for most categories (B, F, M, J), $205 for petition-based work visas (H, L, O, P, Q, R), $265 for K, and $315 for E; it is non-refundable. A reciprocity fee based on nationality and a SEVIS fee for F/M/J applicants may also apply. The separate $250 Visa Integrity Fee will be added at visa issuance once DHS puts it into effect.
Sources we track: USCIS, DHS, EOIR, the Federal Register, and federal courts.