If you’re planning to bring your husband or wife to the United States on a CR1 or IR1 Spouse Visa, one of the most common questions is:

"How much does the process cost?"

The good news is that the fees are spread out over the course of the application process, so you don’t have to pay everything at once.

There are generally three stages where payments are made.

Stage 1: USCIS Filing

The first payment is made when you submit your petition to USCIS.

The current USCIS filing fee is:

$675

This fee is paid when you file the spouse visa petition.

Stage 2: National Visa Center Fees

Several months later, after USCIS approves the petition, your case moves to the National Visa Center, also known as the NVC.

At this stage, there are two fees:

$325 Immigrant Visa Fee

and

$120 Affidavit of Support Fee

Together, that’s $445 paid to the National Visa Center.

Stage 3: Medical Exam and Green Card Fee

As your spouse gets closer to the visa interview, there are two final costs.

First is the required medical examination.

The medical exam is typically performed by a clinic authorized by the U.S. consulate in your spouse’s country.

The cost is usually between:

$350 and $450

This is often paid directly to the clinic about two weeks before the interview.

After the visa is approved, there is one final USCIS fee:

$235 Immigrant Fee

This fee is used to produce and mail your spouse’s Green Card after arrival in the United States.

Total Government Fees

When you add everything together, the total government and medical costs for a CR1 or IR1 Spouse Visa are approximately:

$1,700 to $1,800

Keep in mind that costs can vary slightly depending on the country where your spouse lives and the medical clinic used.

How VisaCoach Helps

Many couples are surprised to learn that preparing the initial petition is only the beginning of the spouse visa journey.

At VisaCoach, we stay with you throughout the entire process.

We begin by preparing your Front Loaded Petition, carefully organizing your forms, relationship evidence, and supporting documents to maximize the chances of approval.

Once your petition is filed, we continue to guide you through the USCIS stage, helping you understand what to expect and assisting if additional information is requested.

After USCIS approval, we help you prepare the Affidavit of Support and guide you through the National Visa Center, or NVC, stage, including document collection, financial evidence, and submission requirements.

As the interview approaches, we help you prepare for the medical exam and visa interview, so you know what to expect and can attend with confidence.

And our support doesn’t end when the visa is approved.

We also provide guidance on the important next steps after arrival in the United States, including permanent resident procedures, Green Card processing, and Social Security registration.

Our goal is to make the entire process simpler, less stressful, and easier to understand from start to finish.

VisaCoach Service Fees

If you would like VisaCoach to personally assist you through the process, our service fees are currently:

$1,095 at the USCIS stage

This covers preparation of your Front Loaded Petition package, forms preparation, document review, evidence organization, filing guidance, and ongoing support during the USCIS phase.

Then, after USCIS approval:

$550 at the State Department NVC and Consulate stage

This covers guidance through the National Visa Center process, Affidavit of Support preparation, document submission requirements, interview preparation, and support through the final visa interview stage.

So for many couples, the complete spouse visa journey consists of:

Approximately $1,700 to $1,800 in government and medical fees

Plus $1,645 in optional VisaCoach service fees if you choose professional assistance throughout the process
Final Thoughts

Understanding both the government fees and any professional assistance costs before you begin can help you budget properly and avoid surprises.

If you’d like experienced guidance from start to finish, visit VisaCoach.com to learn more about our spouse visa services.

I’m Fred Wahl, the VisaCoach.

Thank you for watching, and I wish you success with your spouse visa journey.