Visa Lawyer Blog
Certain types of nonimmigrants will be expected to shell out more money for the nonimmigrant visa process.
The State Department has announced that starting June 17, 2023, nonimmigrant visa (NIV) application processing fees for visitor visas for business or tourism (B1/B2s and BCCs), and other non-petition based nonimmigrant visas such as student and exchange visitor visas (F, M, and J visas), will increase from $160 to $185.
Additionally, processing fees for certain petition-based nonimmigrant visas for temporary workers (H, L, O, P, Q, and R categories) will increase from $190 to $205.
Fees for a treaty trader, treaty investor, and treaty applicants in a specialty occupation (nonimmigrant E category) visa will also increase from $205 to $315.
What if I pay my nonimmigrant visa fee prior to June 17, 2023?
In this case you are in luck. Nonimmigrant visa fees paid prior to June 17, 2023, will remain valid through the expiration date on your nonimmigrant visa fee payment receipt.
Why the increase?
The Department of State has said that nonimmigrant visa fees are set based on the actual cost of providing nonimmigrant visa services and are determined after conducting a study of the cost of these services.
The agency uses Activity-Based Costing (ABC) methodology to calculate, annually, the cost of providing consular services, including visa services.
The fees for most non-petition based nonimmigrant visas was last updated in 2012, and certain other visa fees were last updated in 2014, resulting in a need to revise the fee schedule.
Other visas types are not impacted
This rule does not change any other fees, including the fee to apply for a waiver of the two-year residency requirement for certain exchange visitors, which remains at $120.
To read more about the nonimmigrant visa fee increase please click here.
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Helpful Links
- Nonimmigrant Visa Fee Increases to Take Effect June 17, 2023
- Publication of Final Rule on Nonimmigrant Visa Fee Increases
- Schedule of Fees for Consular Services-Nonimmigrant and Special Visa Fees
- July Visa Bulletin
- Employment-Based Fourth Preference (EB-4) Announcement
- Adjustment of Status Filing Dates from Visa Bulletin
- USCIS Processing Times
- USCIS Announces End of COVID-Related Flexibilities
- USCIS Processing Times
- Immigrant Visa Backlog Report
- DOS Visa Services Operating Status Update
- ImmigrationLawyerBlog
- ImmigrationU Membership
- Success stories
- Youtube channel
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