How Much Does a Work Visa Cost in the US? Employer and Worker Fees

A U.S. work visa costs roughly $2,000 to $14,000 all in, depending on the visa category, the size of the sponsoring employer, and whether premium processing and attorney fees are added. Government filing fees alone typically run $2,000 to $10,000, and most of the bill falls on the employer rather than the worker. Fees changed substantially in 2024 and again in March 2026, so older figures circulating online are likely out of date.

What the Employer Pays

Every temporary work visa begins with Form I-129, the petition a U.S. employer files for a foreign worker. USCIS charges different amounts by visa classification, employer size, and filing method (paper or online). A “small employer” means 25 or fewer full-time equivalent employees across all U.S. affiliates and subsidiaries. Nonprofits under IRC Section 501(c)(3) get the same reduced rate as small employers.¹

Base I-129 filing fees under the current G-1055 schedule (March 2026 edition):²

H-1B (specialty occupation): $780 paper or $730 online for large employers; $460 for small employers and nonprofits.
L-1 (intracompany transfer): $1,385 for large employers; $695 for small employers and nonprofits.
O-1 (extraordinary ability): $1,055 for large employers; $530 for small employers and nonprofits.
TN (USMCA professionals): $1,015 for large employers; $510 for small employers and nonprofits.
H-2B (temporary non-agricultural, named workers): $1,080 for large employers; $540 for small employers and nonprofits.
H-2A (temporary agricultural, named workers): $1,090 paper or $1,040 online for large employers; $545 for small employers and nonprofits.

On top of that base fee, several add-ons stack:

Asylum Program Fee. Every I-129 petition triggers this fee. Large employers pay $600, small employers pay $300, and nonprofits are exempt.³

ACWIA training fee (H-1B only). Employers with more than 25 full-time equivalents pay $1,500; those with 25 or fewer pay $750. It applies to most initial H-1B filings, transfers to a new employer, and the first extension with a given employer. It does not apply to L-1, O-1, TN, or other categories.⁴

Fraud prevention and detection fee. Initial H-1B and L-1 petitions and petitions to change employers in those categories carry a $500 fee. Extensions with the same employer generally do not trigger it.⁵

Public Law 114-113 surcharge. Companies with 50 or more U.S. employees where more than half hold H-1B or L-1 status pay an extra $4,000 per H-1B petition and $4,500 per L-1 petition. It stacks on top of every other fee.⁶

H-1B lottery registration. For cap-subject H-1B cases, the employer must submit an electronic registration during the March window and pay $215 per beneficiary. USCIS does not refund the fee for unselected registrations.⁷

Premium Processing

Standard USCIS processing can take months, so many employers pay for premium processing through Form I-907 to guarantee faster action. USCIS raised these fees effective March 1, 2026. For most I-129 classifications, including H-1B, L-1, O-1, and TN, the premium processing fee is now $2,965. H-2B and R-1 petitions have a lower premium fee of $1,780.⁸

Premium processing guarantees USCIS will take action within 15 business days for most I-129 categories.⁹ “Action” means an approval, denial, request for evidence, or notice of intent to deny. It does not guarantee approval. If USCIS misses the window, it refunds the premium fee but keeps processing the case. Technically optional, but most H-1B employers treat it as mandatory because standard wait times can derail a start date.

What the Worker Pays

The employer covers the petition and its add-ons. Several costs sit directly with the worker.

Consular visa application fee. After USCIS approves the petition, the worker applies for the visa stamp at a U.S. embassy or consulate. The Department of State charges $205 for petition-based visa categories (H, L, O, P, Q, and R). TN and TD applicants pay $185. Some countries also charge a reciprocity fee that can add hundreds of dollars.¹⁰

SEVIS I-901 fee (J-1 only). J-1 exchange visitors pay $220 to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program before their visa interview. This fee does not apply to H-1B, L-1, or most other work visa holders.¹¹

Medical exams, translations, and other out-of-pocket costs. Workers applying for certain visa types or adjusting status inside the U.S. may need an exam by a USCIS-designated civil surgeon, typically $300 to $500 or more. Certified English translations of diplomas and transcripts generally run $25 to $40 per page. Notarization typically costs $2 to $25 per signature depending on the state. None of these go to the government, but they are real costs to budget for.

Attorney Fees

Most employers hire an immigration attorney. Legal fees for a straightforward H-1B or L-1 filing generally run $2,000 to $7,000, and complex cases can be higher. Some employers absorb the legal bill entirely; others split it with the worker or ask the worker to pay for certain stages. Company policy usually dictates who pays, with one legal limit that follows.

Who Is Legally Allowed to Pay What

Federal regulations prohibit H-1B employers from passing certain costs to the worker, directly or through payroll deductions. The ACWIA training fee, the fraud prevention fee, and the base I-129 filing fee must come out of the employer’s pocket on H-1B petitions. Requiring the worker to reimburse these fees, even voluntarily, risks Department of Labor enforcement.

The consular application fee is the worker’s responsibility. Premium processing can be paid by either party depending on who benefits from the faster timeline. For non-H-1B categories such as L-1, O-1, and TN, the fee-shifting rules are less restrictive, though most employers still cover petition costs because the petition belongs to the employer.

Two Realistic Total-Cost Scenarios

H-1B, Large Employer, Paper Filing, With Premium Processing

H-1B registration: $215
I-129 filing fee: $780
Asylum Program Fee: $600
ACWIA training fee: $1,500
Fraud prevention fee: $500
Premium processing: $2,965
Employer subtotal: $6,560
Worker’s consular fee: $205
Attorney fees: $2,000–$7,000

Government fees run around $6,765, and legal fees push the all-in cost to roughly $9,000 to $14,000.²

L-1, Small Employer, No Premium Processing

I-129 filing fee: $695
Asylum Program Fee: $300
Fraud prevention fee: $500
Employer subtotal: $1,495
Worker’s consular fee: $205

The ACWIA fee does not apply to L-1 petitions, so government fees here total about $1,700. Attorney fees bring a realistic total to $3,500 to $8,500.³

Costs for Family Dependents

A work visa holder’s spouse and unmarried children under 21 can apply for dependent status (H-4, L-2, O-3, and so on). Each dependent files Form I-539 to change or extend nonimmigrant status at $470 on paper or $420 online.² Each dependent who needs a visa stamp also pays the Department of State application fee. A worker with a spouse and two children can easily spend $1,500 or more on dependent filings and consular fees before any legal help.

Seasonal Visa Costs (H-2A and H-2B)

Employers hiring seasonal workers under H-2A (agricultural) or H-2B (non-agricultural) face costs that reach well beyond filing fees. H-2A employers are legally required to provide free housing, daily transportation to the worksite, and either three meals a day or free kitchen facilities. They must reimburse workers’ inbound travel once the worker completes 50 percent of the contract and pay for return transportation when the contract ends.¹²

These obligations can dwarf the government filing fees. Housing alone can cost hundreds of dollars per worker per season depending on the region. H-2B employers have similar recruitment and transportation obligations. Both programs prohibit employers and recruiters from charging workers for recruitment, and unauthorized deductions that push pay below the required wage can trigger Department of Labor enforcement.

If the Employer Later Sponsors a Green Card

Employer-sponsored permanent residence carries its own fee stack on top of the temporary work visa costs. Most employment-based green cards start with a PERM labor certification filed with the Department of Labor. PERM itself has no government filing fee, but the mandatory recruitment campaign (newspaper ads, online postings, and other outreach) typically runs $1,000 to $3,000.

After PERM approval, the employer files Form I-140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers) at $715 on paper or $665 online.² The I-140 also triggers an Asylum Program Fee of $600 for large employers or $300 for small employers.¹³ Premium processing on the I-140 is $2,965. Between recruitment, government fees, and legal work, employer-sponsored green cards commonly add $6,000 to $15,000 or more beyond what was already spent on the temporary work visa.

A Note on Paying USCIS

USCIS requires separate payments for each fee component on mailed filings. Bundling the I-129 fee, Asylum Program Fee, ACWIA fee, and fraud fee into a single check is a common mistake that can get the entire package rejected. Separate checks or money orders for each fee are the safest approach. Credit and debit card payments are also accepted through Form G-1450.¹⁴ USCIS fees are generally non-refundable, and a denied petition does not entitle the employer to a refund. Because amounts adjust periodically, running the numbers through the USCIS Fee Calculator before mailing anything is the last check worth doing.

1
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Fee Schedule and Changes to Certain Other Immigration Benefit Request Requirements Small Entity Compliance Guide
2
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form G-1055 Fee Schedule
3
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. H and L Filing Fees for Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker
4
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1184 – Admission of Nonimmigrants
5
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual Volume 2, Part L, Chapter 7 – Filing
6
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Fee Increase for Certain H-1B and L-1 Petitions (Public Law 114-113)
7
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. FY 2027 H-1B Cap Initial Registration Period Opens on March 4
8
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS to Increase Premium Processing Fees
9
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. How Do I Request Premium Processing
10
U.S. Department of State. Fees for Visa Services
11
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. I-901 SEVIS Fee
12
U.S. Department of Labor. Fact Sheet 26 – Section H-2A of the Immigration and Nationality Act
13
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Reminds Certain Employment-Based Petitioners to Submit the Correct Required Fees
14
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions