A Final Rule pertaining to increases in some non-immigrant visa application (NIV) processing costs for Caribbean and other tourists was recently released by the US Department of State.
The hikes will take effect on May 30, 2023, after being recently published in the US Federal Register.
- Advertisement -
According to the State Department, the cost of B1/B2 and BCC visitor visas for business or tourism as well as other non-petition-based NIVs such as student and exchange visitor visas would rise from US$160 to US$185.
The fee for some petition-based non-immigrant visas for temporary workers (H, L, O, P, Q, and R categories) will rise from US$190 to US$205, the State Department announced, while the fee for treaty traders, treaty investors, and treaty applicants in specialty occupations (E category) will rise from US$205 to US$315.
The State Department stated that 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” and added that it has been using an Activity-Based Costing (ABC) methodology to determine the cost of supplying consular services, including visa services, on an annual basis.
The fees for the majority of non-petition NIVs were last adjusted in 2012, while the fees for certain additional NIVs were changed in 2014.
The elimination of the two-year residence requirement charge for some exchange visitors, according to the State Department, is not impacted by this regulation.
“Visas for work and tourism are essential to President Joe Biden’s foreign policy, and we recognize the critical role international travel plays in the US economy,” the statement note. In addition, it states “the Department of State is committed to facilitating legitimate travel to the United States for both immigrant and non-immigrant travelers.”
