Apply for a U.S. Visa

Most applicants, including children, are required to pay a Machine Readable Visa (MRV) fee to initiate their U.S. visa application. This US Government-mandated fee is a visa processing fee that is payable whether or not a visa is issued.

The MRV fee is non-refundable and non-transferable. Applicants should first determine whether or not they require a visa to travel to the US before submitting their applications.

Examples of individuals that may not require a visa include, but are not limited to:

If you do need to apply for a visa, please follow the payment instructions below. Applicants must make a successful payment before they are permitted to schedule their interview appointment. Applicants who do not pay the correct fee for their visa type may be restricted from scheduling an interview.

Once the initial interview is scheduled, applicants are limited to the number of times they can reschedule their appointment. If you miss your scheduled appointment time, you may be required to pay the MRV fee again in order to schedule another interview. Please plan accordingly so that you are not required to pay an additional visa application fee. Visa application fees are non-refundable.

Remember: Applicants are limited to the number of times they can reschedule their appointments. Please plan accordingly so that you are not required to pay another visa application fee. Visa application fees are non-refundable.

Issuance Fee (Reciprocity Fee)

Depending on your citizenship and the type of visa you are applying for, you may also have to pay a visa issuance or “reciprocity” fee. This fee is not an MRV Fee and cannot be used to schedule an appointment. Please make sure that you pay the reciprocity fee in advance only if you are renewing your previous and submitting your application through interview waiver channel. If you are scheduling your interview appointment, do not pay the reciprocity fee in advance; the fee should be paid at the time of your interview at the Consular Section of U.S. Embassy/Consulate General.

Please check this page to find out the applicable reciprocity fee amounts.

Instructions to Pay Your Visa fee

In Saudi Arabia you may pay your Visa Fee in person at any branch of SNB Bank. You must first register on the applicant site and choose the Schedule Your Appointment option to access the payment option details. See below for the steps. If you are paying for a group of applicants visit the group appointment page.

Step 1

Log-in to our online applicant system and create a profile. This will ensure the proper amount is paid and activated in timely manner. Values are shown in U.S. Dollars (USD); however the Fee payable is in Saudi Riyal (SAR). This page has more information about the different visa application fees.

Step 2

Click on Schedule My Appointment option on the left-hand side of your screen. Complete steps for Visa Type, Post, Visa Category and Visa Class.

Step 3

Once you are on the Payment screen, click on Payment Options. Review the Payment Options section for further details and select your payment option.

The SAR amounts are based on the consular currency exchange rate determined by the U.S. Department of State. Applicants who do not pay the correct fee for their visa type may be restricted from scheduling an interview.

Step 4

Once you pay your visa fee, you can schedule your interview up to 48 hours from the payment. Log-in to your profile and complete the Schedule Your Appointment steps. You will use you CGI reference number to schedule your appointment.

Fee Payment Options

Cash at Bank

You can pay your nonimmigrant visa (NIV) application fee in cash at any SNB Bank branch. Cheques are not accepted. You must bring a valid government issued form of identification to make your payment..

Before going to the bank you must print and carry the applicable U.S. Visa Deposit slip available after logging into your profile. Take the U.S. Visa deposit slip to the SNB Branch when you pay your fee. If you print a visa deposit slip in advance of the day in which you plan to make your payment, take note of the expiration date on the visa deposit slip. If the expiration date passes prior to using the slip to make your payment, simply return to the website and click the appropriate link to generate a new visa deposit slip. SNB Bank will NOT accept payments based on expired visa deposit slips.

IMPORTANT:At SNB Bank you will provide the teller with the printed U.S. Visa deposit slip (containing your CGI Reference Number). The teller will give you a blank Collection Deposit Form to complete. Be sure to write the CGI reference number from your deposit slip onto the Collection Deposit Form in the Passport no. field. Once you have paid the correct fee, your Collection Deposit Form will be stamped by the SNB Teller as proof of payment. Save the stamped Collection Deposit Form for your records. It cannot be replaced if it is lost. You will need the CGI reference number written in the passport field on the Collection Deposit Form to schedule your visa appointment the following business day after 11am.

Pay Online

Online payment may be made using a valid credit card on the online payment portal available in your www.ustraveldocs.com profile.

Scheduling Your Interview

Whether you schedule your appointment online or contact our call center, you will need the CGI reference number you wrote in the passport field on your Collection Deposit Form from the deposit slip or the order number on your transaction receipt from your online payment. You will not be able to schedule your interview without one of these numbers. Do not use your passport number. See the example below circled in red.

U.S. Visa Fee Deposit Slip:

Collection Deposit Form:

Visa Application Fee Payment Processing Timelines
Payment Method Interview Scheduling Reference for Scheduling Interview
Cash at Bank After 11:00am the next business day CGI Reference printed on your U.S. Visa Slip (and written to Passport No. field on the Collection Deposit Form)
Online through SNB Bank After 11:00am the next business day Order number on your transaction receipt

The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs website and Consular Post websites are the definitive sources of visa information. Should there be discrepancies in content, the Consular Affairs website and Consular Post websites take precedence.