Author: philip
he Department of State for the United States has announced that it will be implementing a 15% rise in fees for non-immigrant visa (NIV) applications, including travel visas. According to a Federal Register released on Tuesday, these changes will go into effect on May 30th, 2023.
The department stated that the fees for B-1/B-2 visitor visas, Border Crossing Cards for Mexican citizens aged 15 and above, and student and exchange visitor visas will increase from $160 to $185.
Additionally, certain non-immigrant visas for temporary workers (H, L, O, P, Q, and R categories) will see an increase in fees from $190 to $205.
Meanwhile, the fee for treaty traders, treaty investors, and treaty applicants in a speciality occupation (E category) will increase from $205 to $315.
The US Department said, “NIV fees are set based on the actual cost of providing NIV services and are determined after conducting a study of the cost of these services.
“The Department uses an Activity-Based Costing methodology to calculate, annually, the cost of providing consular services, including visa services. The fees for most non-petition based NIVs were last updated in 2012, and certain other NIV fees were last updated in 2014.
“Other consular fees are not affected by this rule, including the waiver of the two-year residency required fee for certain exchange visitors.”
“Visas for work and tourism are essential to President Biden’s foreign policy, and we recognize the critical role international travel plays in the U.S. economy,” it added
