US Government Announces 15% Hike In Work and Student Visa Fees

The United States government has announced a hike in fees for certain non-immigrant visa applications (NIV). The 15 percent increment affects the student visa, exchange visitor visa, petition-based non-immigrant visas for temporary workers and treaty applicants.

The statement released on the bureau of consular affairs website, travel.state.gov, and on the websites of US embassies and consulates, reads;

“These increases were published in the federal register on March 28, 2023, and will be effective on May 30, 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 $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.

“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 (ABC) 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.”

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