Visa fees changing

[Robertt S]

Here is the press release for the new visa fees.!  The red highlighted amount is the old fee and the green is the new fee!

Visa Processing Fees to Change on April 13, 2012

Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
March 29, 2012

Effective April 13, 2012, the Department of State will adjust visa processing fees. The fees for most nonimmigrant visa applications and Border Crossing Cards will increase, while all immigrant visa processing fees will decrease.

The Department is required to recover, as far as possible, the cost of processing visas through the collection of application fees. For a number of reasons, the current fees no longer cover the actual cost of processing nonimmigrant visas. The nonimmigrant visa fee increase will support the addition and expansion of overseas facilities, as well as additional staffing required to meet increased visa demand.

Although most categories of nonimmigrant visa processing fees will increase, the fee for E visas (treaty-traders and treaty-investors) and K visas (for fiancé(e)s of U.S. citizens) will decrease.

Nonimmigrant Visa Processing Fees

Type of Visa
   

Previous Fee
   

New Fee

Tourist, Business, Transit, Crew Member, Student, Exchange Visitor, and Journalist visas
   

$140
   

$160

Petition-Based visas (H, L, O, P, Q, and R)
   

$150
   

$190

Treaty Investor and Trader visas (E)
   

$390
   

$270

Fiancé(e) visas (K)
   

$350
   

$240

Border Crossing Cards (age 15 and older)
   

$140
   

$160

Border Crossing Cards (under age 15)
   

$14
   

$15

Because of a reallocation of costs associated with immigrant visas, all categories of immigrant visa processing fees will decrease.

Immigrant Visa Processing Fees

Type of Visa
   

Previous Fee
   

New Fee

Immediate Relative and Family Preference Applications
   

$330
   

$230

Employment-Based Applications
   

$720
   

$405

Other Immigrant Visa Applications
   

$305
   

$220

Diversity Visa Program Fee
   

$440
   

$330

Determining Returning Resident Status
   

$380
   

$275

The proposed fees were published in the Federal Register today, and will take effect in 15 days. To view the interim final rule, visit www.regulations.gov. Comments will be accepted until 60 days after publication. At that time, the Department will consider the public comments, and the published final rule will include the Department’s response to any comments received.

Fee information may also be found on the Bureau of Consular Affairs website, travel.state.gov, and on the websites of U.S. embassies and consulate.

Oh, joy!  I get to update my immigration website again!

[Willy The Londoner]

I see there is a fee reduction in some cases. 

Is that to encourage more to apply which will therefore result in more rejections which will make the end of quarter figures for the immigration dept look good?


Willy

[Robertt S]

The Department is required to recover, as far as possible, the cost of processing visas through the collection of application fees. For a number of reasons, the current fees no longer cover the actual cost of processing nonimmigrant visas. The nonimmigrant visa fee increase will support the addition and expansion of overseas facilities, as well as additional staffing required to meet increased visa demand.

I guess this is how they plan to pay for this!   http://guangzhou.usembassy-china.org.cn/the-plan-of-the-new-guangzhou-consulate-compound.html