US Non-Immigrant Visa Fees Increased by US Embassy Starting Friday

The US Embassy announced it is raising fees for some non-immigrant visas, including tourist, business and student visas, starting tomorrow (April 13). Those applying for tourist, business, crew member, student and journalist visas will have to pay $160, from the current $140.

Nonimmigrant Visa Processing Fees
Type of Visa	Previous Fee	New Fee
Tourist, Business, Transit, Crew Member, Student, Exchange Visitor, and Journalist visas	$140	$160
Petition-Based visas (H, L, O, P, Q, and R)	$150	$190
Treaty Investor and Trader visas (E)	$390	$270
Fiancé(e) visas (K)	$350	$240
Border Crossing Card (age 15 and older)	$140	$160
Border Crossing Card (under age 15)	$14	$15

However, there will be lower fees for all immigrant visas, as well as those for fiance/fiancee visas and trader/investor visas.

Immigrant Visa Processing Fees
Type of Visa	Previous Fee	New Fee
Immediate Relative and Family Preference Applications	$330	$230
Employment-Based Applications	$720	$405
Other Immigrant Visa Applications	$305	$220
Diversity Visa Program Fee	$440	$330
Determining Returning Resident Status	$380	$275

The U.S. embassy said the reduction in the immigrant visa fees is due to a new law that allows the U.S. Department of State to seek reimbursement from other federal agencies such as the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service.

"U.S. embassies must collect higher fees for tourist and other types of non-immigrant visas because U.S. law requires the Department of State to recover the costs of processing those types of visas. The new fees more accurately reflect the costs of visa processing services as determined in a U.S. government study completed last December," it said.

Visa application fees paid before April 13 at the old rate will be honored through July 12, 2012. However, starting July 13, applicants who had paid application fees at the old rate will have to pay the difference between the prior rate and the new rate.

For visa categories that have lower fees starting April 13, there will be no refunds for those who paid the fees before the effective date. For further information, visit the U.S. Embassy Manila website at http://manila.usembassy.gov/visas.html

Posted in: Immigration News , immigration tips , US Embassy , US Non-Immigrant Visa , US Tourist Visa , US Visa , visa tips