Visa Cost Index 2026: what a visa really costs
Governments publish a filing fee. Applicants pay that plus biometrics, a medical exam, certified translations, a fee for every dependant and, often, a lawyer. This index ranks the US, UK, Canada and Australia on the second number, for three applicant profiles.
For a skilled worker applying alone, the gap between the cheapest and the most expensive of the four is 2.2×: Canada comes to about $4,690 all-in, against $10,340 for the United Kingdom.
Fee data reviewed September 2026 · USD conversions at ECB reference rates via Frankfurter rates of 18 September 2026 · every underlying fee links to its official source on the country pages.
Skilled worker, applying alone
A single professional moving on the main employer-sponsored or points-based route.
| Rank | Country | Route | Government fees only | What you actually pay | Not the filing fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇨🇦 Canada | Express Entry | CA$1,675 | CA$4,465 – CA$8,675≈ $4,690 | 75% |
| 2 | 🇺🇸 United States | H-1B | $3,380 | $5,630 – $9,130≈ $7,380Includes $2,100 the sponsoring employer normally pays | 54% |
| 3 | 🇦🇺 Australia | 482 Skills in Demand | A$5,815 | A$8,765 – A$13,215≈ $7,825Includes A$1,800 the sponsoring employer normally pays | 47% |
| 4 | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | Skilled Worker | £3,924 | £5,974 – £9,524≈ $10,340 | 49% |
Cheapest: Canada. Most expensive: United Kingdom, about 2.2× more once the whole bill is counted.
International student
One student on the standard study route, no dependants.
| Rank | Country | Route | Government fees only | What you actually pay | Not the filing fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇨🇦 Canada | Study Permit | CA$235 | CA$425 – CA$735≈ $414 | 59% |
| 2 | 🇺🇸 United States | F-1 | $535 | $785 – $1,285≈ $1,035 | 48% |
| 3 | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | Student | £1,334 | £1,384 – £1,934≈ $2,214 | 20% |
| 4 | 🇦🇺 Australia | 500 Student | A$2,500 | A$2,850 – A$3,400≈ $2,225 | 20% |
Cheapest: Canada. Most expensive: Australia, about 5.4× more once the whole bill is counted.
Skilled worker with dependants
The same skilled-worker route with the dependants allowance added — a spouse and children.
| Rank | Country | Route | Government fees only | What you actually pay | Not the filing fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇨🇦 Canada | Express Entry | CA$1,830 – CA$2,190 | CA$4,620 – CA$9,190≈ $4,929 | 71% |
| 2 | 🇺🇸 United States | H-1B | $3,680 – $4,180 | $5,930 – $9,930≈ $7,930Includes $2,100 the sponsoring employer normally pays | 50% |
| 3 | 🇦🇺 Australia | 482 Skills in Demand | A$6,820 – A$11,675 | A$9,770 – A$19,075≈ $10,269Includes A$1,800 the sponsoring employer normally pays | 36% |
| 4 | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | Skilled Worker | £5,258 – £7,848 | £7,308 – £13,448≈ $13,849 | 37% |
Cheapest: Canada. Most expensive: United Kingdom, about 2.8× more once the whole bill is counted.
The costs that are not the filing fee
These are the lines that separate the government's number from the applicant's. Each is a typical range in the destination country's own currency.
| Country | Attorney (optional) | Medical exam | Certified translations | Each dependant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 United States | $2,000 – $5,000 | $200 – $500 | $50 – $250 | $300 – $800 |
| 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | £2,000 – £5,000 | £0 – £400 | £50 – £200 | £1,334 – £3,924 |
| 🇨🇦 Canada | CA$2,600 – CA$6,500 | CA$150 – CA$350 | CA$40 – CA$150 | CA$155 – CA$515 |
| 🇦🇺 Australia | A$2,600 – A$6,500 | A$300 – A$700 | A$50 – A$200 | A$1,005 – A$5,860 |
How this is built
- Every figure is computed from the same fee catalogue behind the calculators. Nothing on this page is typed in by hand, so when a government changes a fee the index changes with it.
- "Government fees only" is the mandatory total with no lawyer, medical exam or translations. "What you actually pay" adds all three at typical rates.
- Ranking uses the midpoint of the realistic range converted to US dollars, because the four countries bill in four currencies. Local amounts are the ones to plan against.
- Attorney fees are included for the two work profiles, where most applicants do use a lawyer, and excluded for students, where most do not. Including them everywhere would flatter the countries where lawyers happen to be cheapest.
- The dependants figure is an allowance range, not a per-person multiplication of every fee. Several countries charge some fees per applicant and others once per application, so a precise family total depends on the route; use the calculator for your own case.
- These are planning estimates, not quotes or legal advice. Confirm with the official source before you file — each country page links to it.
Using these figures
Journalists and publishers are welcome to quote this index with attribution to Visa Cost Calculator. For a specific case, run the calculator or embed the free widget. Our methodology explains where each number comes from.