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How to Pay the U.S. Visa Fee in Germany
Germany uses the USTravelDocs system, with support handled at support-germany@usvisascheduling.com. Interviews are held at the U.S. Embassy in Berlin and the Consulates General in Frankfurt and Munich.
Do you actually need a visa?
Germany is in the Visa Waiver Program, so most German citizens travelling for tourism or business for 90 days or less use ESTA — no DS-160, no interview, and a far smaller fee. You need a visa, and therefore this page, if you are studying (F/M), working (H, L, O and others), on an exchange programme (J), staying beyond 90 days, or if you have been refused a U.S. visa before or are otherwise ineligible for ESTA.
If ESTA covers your trip, stop here. The visa fee is non-refundable, and paying it when you did not need to is money gone.
The payment order that actually works
You cannot pay first and sort out the rest later. The fee is tied to a CGI reference number that only exists once you have a profile:
- Submit your DS-160 and keep the barcode confirmation page.
- Create a profile on the USTravelDocs site for Germany and choose Schedule Appointment.
- Work through visa type, post, category and class. Getting the class wrong here can block you from scheduling later.
- On the payment screen, pick a method. Your CGI reference number appears here — save it before you go any further.
- Pay.
- Wait for activation, then book your interview in Berlin, Frankfurt or Munich.
Payment methods in Germany
| Method | Currency | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Online bank transfer / EFT | EUR | Deposit slip generated in your profile; your bank may charge for the transfer |
| Online card (Elavon UK) | EUR | Credit or debit |
| Cash at any bank | EUR | Take the printed deposit slip to the counter |
| Online card (Elavon US) | USD | Only U.S.-issued Mastercard is accepted |
Applying as a family or group? A single bulk payment covers everyone — you do not need one transfer per person.
The two mistakes that cost people their money
Paying in dollars on a euro method. The transfer and cash routes are EUR only, priced at the consular exchange rate rather than your bank's. Pay those in USD and the payment is rejected, and you are liable for the costs. The only USD route is the Elavon US card option, and that one takes U.S.-issued Mastercard alone — a German-issued Mastercard will not do.
Leaving the CGI reference out of the transfer. Put it in the Verwendungszweck — the reference or reason-for-transfer field — exactly as issued. Do not reformat it and do not add anything else. Without it your payment is not recognised, even though the money has left your account. The same applies to cash: the deposit slip amount must be paid to the exact euro cent, or you will not be able to schedule.
And if something appears to have gone wrong: do not pay a second time. The fee is non-refundable, so a duplicate is simply a second loss. Email support-germany@usvisascheduling.com and let them trace the first one.
How long before you can book
Allow up to one business day from the moment of payment for the receipt to activate — business days being Monday to Friday, excluding U.S. and German public holidays.
Two practical consequences. A card payment made on a Friday afternoon may not be bookable until Monday, and the German and U.S. holiday calendars do not line up, so a day that is working for you may not be for the system. Bank transfers and cash carry a further delay of their own: the CGI reference only becomes usable once the receiving bank has processed the funds.
Fee amounts
- $185 — B visitor, F and M student, J exchange, C transit, D crew, I media
- $205 — H, L, O, P, Q, R petition-based work visas
- $315 — E treaty trader and investor
- $265 — K fiancé(e)
Amounts are set in dollars; the euro figure follows the consular exchange rate published on the site that day.
Questions commonly searched in Germany
Do German citizens need a U.S. visa?
Not for tourism or business trips of 90 days or less — Germany is in the Visa Waiver Program, so ESTA applies. A visa is required for study, work, exchange programmes, stays over 90 days, and anyone not eligible for ESTA.
Can I pay the U.S. visa fee with a German credit card?
Yes, on the EUR card option, which runs through Elavon UK. The separate USD card option is the restricted one — it accepts only U.S.-issued Mastercard, so a German-issued card will be declined there.
What is the CGI reference number and where do I find it?
It is the number that ties your payment to your application. It appears on the payment screen once you have created a profile and started an application, and it must go into the reference field of your transfer unchanged. See what the CGI reference number is for how it differs from your DS-160 Application ID.
Can I pay one fee for my whole family?
Yes. Bulk payment is offered for families and groups applying together, so one transfer can cover every applicant.
How long is the payment valid?
The receipt may be used to schedule an appointment for one year from the date of payment. What has to happen inside that year is booking the interview, not attending it.
Official sources
- U.S. Mission Germany
- USTravelDocs Germany — bank and payment options
- Department of State fee schedule
Paying from a nearby country
The bank, currency and appointment service differ by country — if you are applying elsewhere in Europe, use that country's guide:
- Paying the visa fee in Poland
- Paying the visa fee in Ukraine — the exception: no online payment
- Paying the visa fee in Spain
- Paying the visa fee in the United Kingdom