The USA is a land of opportunities for international students and getting a US study visa is an important step in fulfilling the American dream. As an international student, if you wish to arrive in the country in the upcoming intake, you will have to complete all the processes related to university application and visa application in time.
Before initiating the visa formalities in the US, you must be aware that an MRV fee or Machine Readable Visa fee is required to be paid to start the application process for a visa. The fee is applicable to most applicants including children. It has to be paid irrespective of the fact that your visa application has been approved or not.
As the MRV fee is non-transferable and non-refundable, you should first determine whether or not they require a visa to travel to the USA before submitting the application documents. The fee is charged by the US embassy or consulate while you apply for your visa.
In this article, we will take you through everything about MRV fees, the registration process and other important facts about this fee.
What is MRV Receipt?
MRV receipt is a receipt that is generated on the payment of MRV fees. The MRV number is a unique number that is found on the MRV receipt. Each applicant has to make a separate payment for the visa.
You cannot transfer your visa fees to another person as you will receive the MRV receipt in your name. The receipt is valid for one year after paying the application fee. After this, you can schedule or plan your interview with the US embassy. It is important to note that the interview has to be scheduled within the time frame during which the MRV receipt is valid that is the interview should be booked with one year of payment of the fees. If you do not schedule the interview within this timeframe, then your validity will lapse and you will have to begin the process anew by paying MRV fees again.
You must not confuse the MRV fee with the SEVIS fee. MRV fee is to be paid to make a visa appointment while the SEVIS fee is to be paid at least three days before attending the visa interview at the US Embassy or Consulate. As the MRV fee receipt is valid for 365 days, the visa interview must be scheduled within this time. However, it is not mandatory that the visa interview has to take place within that time.
Wish to Study in the USA?
Is it Compulsory to Pay MRV Fees?
If you are an Indian student aspiring to study in the USA, then you must pay the MRV fees for your F visa. It is also mandatory for students entering the USA on a J visa. The MRV fee for an F and J visa is USD 160 or INR 13,440. The fee for other visas such as work or religious visas is USD 190.
The circumstances under which you do not require to pay MRV fees are:
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If you are on an A or G visa.
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If you are holding a J visa and participating in something official US government-sponsored educational and cultural exchange.
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If you need a replacement of a machine-readable visa within one year of issuance when the original visa was not properly affixed or the visa needs to be reissued through no fault of the applicant.
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If you are travelling to provide some charitable service.
Steps to Pay Your MRV Fees
You can pay the visa fees online or in person. The step-by-step process to pay the MRV fees is given below:
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Step 1: You must register to the online application site and create a profile. This must be done to ensure that the fee is paid timely and properly. The monetary value will be shown in USD but you can pay the fee in Indian currency.
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Step 2: The schedule my appointment option will appear on the left side of the screen. You will have to click on it and complete the steps for visa type, post, visa category and visa class.
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Step 3: You will now be directed to the payment screen. You will have to click on the payment option and choose your form of payment.
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Step 4: Make your payment. You will have to acknowledge that the fee is non-refundable and does not indicate the existence of a contract with the applicant.
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Step 5: Irrespective of the payment mode, you will have to save a CGI reference number or transaction number as you will not be able to schedule your appointment without it.
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Step 6: You can now schedule your visa interview using your CGI number.
MRV Fee Payment Options
There are various payment modes for MRV fees. The details of the modes are given below:
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NEFT: You can pay your MRV fees using the popular NEFT system directly from your bank account. You may also make your NEFT payment through the online banking transfer option or mobile banking without visiting your branch. You may have to pay some bank charges to make the payment.
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IMPS System: You can also submit your MRV fees using your mobile phone through the IMPS system. You must be pre-registered with your bank to complete the payment via mobile phone and have a valid MPIN.
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Payment at Axis or Citi Bank: The MRV fee can be paid by visiting any branch of Axis or Citi bank. You have to carry your US visa collection slip after logging into your profile. The bank will give you a receipt after the payment is made. The value will be shown in USD but you will have to pay the amount in INR.
You will have to schedule the interview after this online or via the call centre.
Other US Student Visa Documents
Apart from the MRV fee receipt, you must have all other supporting documents related to the US student visa ready so that there is no last-minute trouble. If you have any queries regarding pre-arrival information and documents, you can contact the Embassy or consulate directly. Here are the documents for a US student visa:
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A valid passport
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Confirmation of DS-160
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Form I -20
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Payment receipt of SEVIS fee
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Recent passport-size photograph
MRV fees are an integral part of visa fees. Without its payment, it is not possible to get your US student visa. This fee must be paid in time so that you can get your appointment for a visa interview in time. Considering the wait time for a US student visa is long due to a spike in demand, you must pay the fee as soon as possible to finish the visa process in time.
If you have any other queries about MRV fees or other US immigration fees, then reach out to us at abroad@collegedekho.com.
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