Last reviewed:
How to Pay the U.S. Visa Fee in Lebanon
Lebanon uses the USTravelDocs system. Interviews are held at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut.
The fee is in U.S. dollars, and only in U.S. dollars
There is no Lebanese pound option here. Both routes are dollar routes:
| Method | Where | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Cash | Any IBL Bank branch | USD |
| Card | Online, via Elavon | USD |
That is the first thing to plan around. Most country guides tell you the local-currency amount follows the consular exchange rate; in Lebanon there is no local-currency amount to follow.
"Lebanese fresh" card — what the official page means
The card route accepts an international card, or a Lebanese fresh credit or debit card.
That wording is doing real work. A Lebanese card tied to a fresh-funds account — one funded with new dollars — is a different instrument from a card on a legacy pre-crisis account, and the payment page names the fresh one specifically. If your card runs on a legacy account, do not assume it will go through.
If you are not certain which your card is, confirm with your bank before you try the payment, or take the cash route at IBL. A declined card is not just an inconvenience: you cannot book an interview until a payment posts, and appointment slots move.
What is not accepted
Lebanon rules out more methods than most countries, so it is worth stating plainly:
- No cheques.
- No electronic funds transfers. EFT is explicitly not accepted, even though it is a normal route in neighbouring countries.
- No Lebanese pound payment.
If you were planning a bank transfer because that is how it works elsewhere in the region, it will not work here.
Paying cash at IBL Bank
- Print the fee collection slip from your profile. Do not print multiple copies of the same slip.
- Check the expiration date. IBL Bank will not accept an expired slip — generate a fresh one from the site instead, which costs nothing.
- Pay the exact amount shown on the slip.
- Take the receipt the cashier gives you.
Keep the receipt — it cannot be reissued
The receipt carries the CGI reference number, and that number is what schedules your interview. If the receipt is lost it cannot be replaced. Photograph it before you leave the branch.
Step-by-step
- Submit your DS-160 and keep the barcode confirmation page.
- Create a profile on the USTravelDocs site for Lebanon and start an application.
- Choose the correct visa class — see paying against the wrong visa class, because the fee is non-refundable and non-transferable.
- Pay in USD: cash at IBL Bank with the printed slip, or by international or Lebanese fresh card.
- Keep the receipt and CGI reference number.
- Wait for activation, then book your interview in Beirut.
How long before you can book
Allow up to one business day from payment for the receipt to activate — Monday to Friday, excluding U.S. and Lebanese public holidays.
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)
Because the fee is charged in dollars, these are the amounts you pay — there is no conversion step.
Questions commonly searched in Lebanon
Can I pay the U.S. visa fee in Lebanese pounds?
No. The fee is payable in U.S. dollars, whether you pay cash at IBL Bank or by card.
Will my Lebanese card work?
The payment page specifies an international card or a Lebanese fresh credit or debit card. A card on a legacy pre-crisis account is not the instrument named there — check with your bank first, or pay cash at IBL.
Can I pay by bank transfer?
No. EFT payments are not accepted in Lebanon, and neither are cheques.
Where do I pay in cash?
At any IBL Bank branch, with the fee collection slip printed from your profile.
I lost the receipt. Can I get another?
No. It cannot be replaced, and you need the CGI reference number on it to schedule.
Official sources
- USTravelDocs Lebanon — bank and payment options
- U.S. Embassy in Lebanon
- Department of State fee schedule