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How to Pay the U.S. Visa Fee in Taiwan
Interviews in Taiwan take place at the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) in Neihu District, Taipei. AIT is not a consulate, but the nonimmigrant visa process is the same: DS-160, fee, appointment, interview.
Taiwan uses the USTravelDocs system, which AIT links to directly from its own visa pages. That is the only authorized route for paying and scheduling.
Payment methods in Taiwan
| Method | Currency | Notes | | --- | --- | --- | | Cash at Chunghwa Post branches | Local currency | The counter option; widely available across Taiwan | | Electronic funds transfer (EFT) | Local currency | Bank transfer through the instructions in your profile | | Debit or credit Mastercard | USD | Additional charges apply |
Fees are quoted in U.S. dollars but collected in local currency or USD depending on the option you choose. The card route is the only one billed in USD.
Fee amounts
- $185 — B business/tourist, C-1 transit, D crew, F academic student, I media, J exchange visitor, M vocational student, T, and TN/TD
- $205 — H temporary workers, L intercompany transferees, O, P, Q, R, and CW
- $315 — E treaty trader and treaty investor
- $265 — K fiancé(e)
These are the amounts published by the payment system for Taiwan. Confirm before paying, since fee schedules change.
Step-by-step
- Complete and submit your DS-160 and keep the barcode confirmation page.
- Create a profile on the USTravelDocs site for Taiwan.
- Select your visa class so the correct amount is charged — paying against the wrong class can leave a receipt you cannot use.
- Choose cash at Chunghwa Post, EFT, or Mastercard, and follow the instructions generated for that method.
- Keep the receipt or reference number.
- Wait for the payment to register in the system, then book your AIT interview.
You cannot schedule until the payment registers. Counter and transfer payments take longer to appear than card payments, so if appointment slots are tight, that difference matters.
Interview waiver in Taiwan
AIT states that applicants must appear in person unless they qualify to renew a visa or waive the interview. Since 1 October 2025 those criteria are much narrower than they used to be — see who still qualifies for an interview waiver before assuming you can skip the appointment.
Questions commonly searched in Taiwan
How much is the U.S. visa fee in Taiwan?
$185 for B, F, J and M categories, $205 for petition-based work visas, $315 for E, and $265 for K. Cash and EFT are collected in local currency; the Mastercard option is billed in USD.
Can I pay the U.S. visa fee at a convenience store in Taiwan?
The cash option published for Taiwan is Chunghwa Post branches, not convenience stores. Follow the method list in your own profile rather than advice written for another country.
Do I pay AIT directly?
No. Payment goes through the authorized USTravelDocs system for Taiwan, never to AIT directly and never through a third-party agent.
Is a fee paid in Taiwan valid elsewhere?
No. Visa fees are tied to the country where they are paid and cannot be transferred to another post.
Official sources
- American Institute in Taiwan — the interview location and its own visa instructions
- Department of State fee schedule