What do you pay the government for an E-2?
Government fees are the smallest part of an E-2 budget, but they differ depending on the route you take. Applying at a consulate abroad and changing status inside the United States involve different agencies, different forms and different charges.
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Government fees depend on your route.
The consular route and the change-of-status route are handled by different agencies and carry different charges. Choosing between them is a strategic decision with consequences well beyond the fee, which is worth thinking through before you file.
Paid to the State Department
Applying abroad involves the online nonimmigrant visa application and the associated machine-readable visa fee, paid before the interview. Some nationalities also pay a reciprocity issuance fee, which varies by country.
Paid to USCIS
If you are already in the United States in another status, the route runs through a petition to USCIS instead, with its own filing fee and an optional premium-processing fee where available.
Fees change
Both the State Department and USCIS revise fees periodically. We do not publish figures here that could go stale — check the official fee schedules, or ask us at consultation for the current position on your route.
What government fees apply to an E-2 visa?
It depends on the route. Consular applications involve the nonimmigrant visa application fee and, for some nationalities, a reciprocity issuance fee. A change of status inside the United States involves a USCIS petition fee instead.
Is the reciprocity fee the same for everyone?
No. Visa issuance reciprocity fees are set country by country under reciprocal arrangements, so two applicants of different nationalities can pay different amounts for the same visa.
Are government fees refundable if I am refused?
Generally no. Application and petition fees are charged for adjudication, not for a particular outcome, and are not normally refunded on refusal.
Why does this page not list the amounts?
Because fee schedules are revised periodically and a published figure here would eventually be wrong. The official State Department and USCIS schedules are authoritative, and we confirm the current position for your route at consultation.