The United States has increased the fee for tourist and students seeking visa. The new prices will be effective from May 30,2023.
US Visa Fee Increase : According to the US Department of State’s release on increase to certain nonimmigrant visa application (NIV) processing fees, it said “Effective May 30, 2023, the fee for visitor visas for business or tourism (B1/B2), and other non-petition based NIVs such as student and exchange visitor visas, will increase from $160 to $185. The fee for certain petition-based nonimmigrant visas for temporary workers (H, L, O, P, Q, and R categories) will increase from $190 to $205. The fee for a treaty trader, treaty investor, and treaty applicants in a specialty occupation (E category) will increase from $205 to $315.”
It also said that other consular fees are not affected by this rule that includes 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 of the previous year are valid for 365 days from the date of issue of the fee payment invoice. Fees paid by applicants before October 1, 2022, will continue to be valid until September 30 of this year. As a result, applicants must pre-schedule an interview or submit an interview waiver application before September 30, 2023,” the release said.
United States said that they are committed to facilitate legitimate travel for both immigrant and non-immigrant travellers. The fee increase is based on the cost acquired for providing the non-immigrant services. This has been increased after conducting a study.
According to them, they use Activity-Based Costing (ABC) methodology to calculate the cost of providing consular services, including visa services.
“Visas for work and tourism is essential to President Biden foreign policy, and we recognise the critical role international travel play for U.S. economy,” statement said.
Visa categories that are affected by the hike are:
B1: Business; Domestic employee or nanny – must be accompanying a foreign national employer
B2: Tourism, vacation, pleasure visitor
H: Work visas
L: Intra-company transferee
O: Foreign national with extraordinary ability in Sciences, Arts, Education, Business or Athletics
P: Performing athlete, artist, entertainer
Q: International cultural exchange visitor
R: Religious worker
E: Treaty trader/treaty investor
