U.S. Department of State Announces Increase in Some Categories of Visa Fees
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June 5, 2023
Updated on June 5, 2023
The Department of State is committed to facilitating legitimate travel to the United States for both immigrant and nonimmigrant travelers.
On March 28, 2023, the Department of State published in the Federal Register a final rule regarding increases to certain nonimmigrant visa application (NIV) processing fees and the Border Crossing Card (BCC) for Mexican citizens age 15 and over. The fee increases take effect on June 17, 2023. The fee for visitor visas for business or tourism (B1/B2s and BCCs), and other non-petition based NIVs such as student and exchange visitor visas, will increase from US$160 to US$185. The fee for certain petition-based nonimmigrant visas for temporary workers (H, L, O, P, Q, and R categories) will increase from US$190 to US$205. The fee for a treaty trader, treaty investor, and treaty applicants in a specialty occupation (E category) will increase from US$205 to US$315.
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 of State 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.
All fee payments for visa interviews made on or after October 1, 2022 are valid for 365 days from the date a receipt is issued for payment of the fee. Applicants must schedule an interview appointment or submit an interview waiver application within 365 days of paying the fee. There is no requirement for the interview to occur during the 365-day period.
Receipts for fees paid prior to October 1, 2022 will continue to be valid until September 30, 2023. These applicants must schedule an interview or submit an interview waiver application before September 30, 2023. The interview need not occur before that date.
Visas for work and tourism are essential to President Biden’s foreign policy, and the U.S. Embassy recognizes the critical role international travel plays in the U.S. economy.
