Tool · Investor Sam Life

Immigration and Visa Fee Estimator

June 30, 2026 • By the Investor Sam Editorial Team • Reviewed by Berly Sam Varghese, Editor
The cost of an immigration or visa application is rarely a single fee. Government filing fees stack with biometrics, a required medical exam, and often an attorney, and each of those government charges applies per applicant when a family files together. This estimator sums the per-applicant government fees across everyone filing, then adds the shared professional costs, so you can budget the full amount before you start.

Example: Government filing fee (per applicant): 1440 $ · Biometrics fee (per applicant): 85 $ · Medical exam (per applicant): 300 $ · Attorney fee (total, if used): 2500 $ · Document translation (total): 200 $ · Number of applicants: 1 people

Total estimated cost$4,525
Government fees (all applicants)$1,825
Attorney + translation$2,700

Worked example

For a single applicant, a $1,440 government filing fee, an $85 biometrics fee, and a $300 medical exam total $1,825 in government charges. Add a $2,500 attorney fee and $200 in document translation and the application runs about $4,525. For a family of three, the per-applicant government charges triple to about $5,475 while the shared attorney and translation stay flat, showing how quickly family applications add up.

Frequently asked questions

Why do fees multiply per applicant?

Government charges like the filing fee, biometrics, and medical exam apply to each person on the application, so a family filing together pays them several times over. Professional costs such as an attorney or translations are usually shared, which is why this tool separates the two.

Are USCIS fees fixed?

Government immigration fees are set by the agency and change periodically, and some categories have reduced fees or fee waivers for those who qualify. Always confirm the current fee for your specific form on the official government website before filing, and enter that amount here.

Do I need an immigration attorney?

Not always. Straightforward applications can be filed without one, so set the attorney fee to zero to model that. Complex cases — prior denials, criminal issues, or unusual circumstances — are where an attorney's cost is often worth it to avoid a costly mistake.

What other costs should I expect?

Beyond the lines here, budget for passport photos, obtaining and certifying civil documents, travel to appointments, and possibly an affidavit of support or visa issuance fee depending on the category. Add those into the translation or attorney lines to capture the full picture.

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Sources

Berly Sam Varghese · Editor, Investor Sam

Berly Sam Varghese is an engineer who treats money the way he treats any hard problem — something to be engineered, not gambled on. He funded years of education and built real financial stability the patient way, by living below his means and investing rather than borrowing. He writes for the person trying to make everyday money calls with a little more confidence. He reviews and approves every article on Investor Sam and checks the figures against primary sources before anything is published. More about our standards.