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The short answer
For parents from Nigeria to visit the US, each pays the $185 non-refundable visitor visa application fee (State Department, accessed October 2026); for Nigerians the B-1/B-2 visa currently has no reciprocity fee and is issued for one entry with three months' validity. They must show ties to Nigeria and that the trip is paid for, by them or by you; the State Department says an invitation letter or Affidavit of Support is not needed and is not a factor. Budget flights, visitor health insurance and living costs on top.
The visa: fees and validity
Parents visiting family usually apply for a B-2 visitor visa. According to the State Department's visitor visa page, each applicant completes the online DS-160 form, pays a $185 non-refundable application fee, and attends an interview at the US Embassy or Consulate unless they qualify for a waiver; fingerprints are usually taken. Some nationalities also pay an issuance (reciprocity) fee.
For Nigerian nationals, the State Department's reciprocity schedule lists B-1, B-2 and B-1/B-2 visas with no reciprocity fee, one entry and three months' validity (accessed October 2026). That means a visa used for one trip cannot be used again; a later visit needs a new application and a new fee. Check the page before applying, as schedules change.
Proof of support: what is and is not needed
Families often spend time and money on invitation letters and affidavits. The State Department's page says applicants "must qualify based on their ties abroad" rather than on assurances from family or friends in the US, and that "A letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support is not needed to apply for a visitor visa"; if brought, it is not a factor in the decision. What the officer may look at:
- Evidence of the parents' ties to Nigeria: home, family, work or retirement, community.
- Evidence of intent to return after the visit.
- Ability to pay for the trip, or evidence that another person, such as you, will pay some or all of it.
Our guide to Form I-134 and visiting parents explains where that form does and does not come in. This is information, not immigration advice.
How long they can stay
The visa lets your parents travel to a US port of entry; the officer at entry decides how long they may stay, recorded on the I-94. Extensions are applied for through USCIS. The State Department warns that overstaying can void a visa and affect future eligibility, which matters if your parents hope to visit again.
Budgeting the visit
| Cost | Notes |
|---|---|
| Visa application fees | $185 per person (State Department, accessed Oct 2026) |
| Travel to the interview | Transport and possibly a hotel near the embassy or consulate in Nigeria |
| Flights | Return fares from Lagos or Abuja; see paying for parents' flights from Lagos |
| Visitor health insurance | Not listed as a visa requirement, but US medical bills are high |
| Living costs | Food, a room, local transport, phones |
| Activities and shopping | Trips, clothes, gifts they take home |
Worked example (illustrative figures)
Two parents visiting for eight weeks. Visa fees 2 × $185 = $370. Return flights at an example $1,300 each, $2,600. Visitor health insurance at an example $8 per person per day for 56 days, $896. Extra household costs at $150 a week for 8 weeks, $1,200. Activities and gifts $800. Total: $5,866. The fees are from the State Department; all other figures are examples.
Who pays, and how
Because the officer looks at ability to pay, be consistent: if you are paying for the trip, your parents should be able to say so clearly at the interview, and if they are paying, their own funds should match the cost of the trip. Large sums deposited into a parent's account just before the interview, with no explanation, can raise more questions than they answer.
On the US side, paying for your parents' flights, food and outings is a gift to them in principle, but only gifts above the annual exclusion to one person need a gift tax return. Medical bills you pay directly to a US hospital for a parent are, per the IRS, not taxable gifts at all.
Money while they are here
Parents often want some spending money of their own while visiting. A prepaid or debit card in their name, or dollars you give them for the trip, avoids them carrying large sums of cash from Nigeria. If they do bring foreign currency, US rules require amounts over a threshold to be declared on arrival; check the current rule with US Customs and Border Protection before they fly.
Health cover is the line not to skip
Your parents will usually have no US cover of their own, and a hospital stay in the US can cost far more than the whole trip. Under EMTALA, hospitals that take part in Medicare and offer emergency services must screen and stabilise people with an emergency condition regardless of ability to pay, but CMS's page says nothing about the treatment being free; bills follow. See visitor health insurance for parents.
Where Pryme fits
If your parents pay some costs themselves, a Pryme account lets them hold naira and dollars together, and you can send them dollars or naira from the US. You can also pay their visa fee or flights from the dollar balance in your own multicurrency account.
Questions people ask
How much is a US visitor visa for Nigerians?
The application fee is $185 per person (State Department, accessed October 2026). The reciprocity schedule shows no extra issuance fee for Nigerian B-1/B-2 visas.
How long is a US visa valid for Nigerians now?
The State Department's reciprocity schedule lists B-1/B-2 visas for Nigerians as one entry, three months' validity (accessed October 2026).
Do my parents need an invitation letter to visit me in the US?
No. The State Department says an invitation letter or Affidavit of Support is not needed and is not a factor in the decision.
Can I pay for my parents' US trip?
Yes. The State Department says applicants may show that another person will pay some or all of the trip costs, but they still need ties to Nigeria.
Sources
- US Department of State: Visitor visa (B-1/B-2) · accessed Oct 2026
- US Department of State: Nigeria reciprocity schedule and civil documents · accessed Oct 2026
- CMS: Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) (last modified 10 Mar 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- IRS: Frequently asked questions on gift taxes (reviewed 23 Jul 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.