Visa fees to increase
Published:Tuesday | April 3, 2012 | 12:00 AM
Starting April 13, the United States Department of State will adjust nonimmigrant and immigrant visa processing fees worldwide.
In a release yesterday, the US Embassy in Kingston said all immigrant visa processing fees would decrease, while some nonimmigrant visa processing fees would increase.
The US Department of State is required by law to recover the cost of processing visas. These fee adjustments are the result of a December 2011 worldwide cost-of-service study conducted by the Bureau of Consular Affairs in the Department of State.
"These fee changes will occur worldwide, not only at US Embassy Kingston," the embassy said. "For fees that are increasing, receipts for payment of fees prior to April 13 will be accepted for 90 days after the new fees take effect, or through July 12, 2012. In visa categories where fees are declining, no refunds are available for applicants who paid before April 13, though their receipts are valid for one year after the date of issuance."
The new fees, shown below in US dollars, better reflect the costs of providing visa services to the public.
Nonimmigrant Visa Processing Fees
Type of Visa Previous Fee New Fee
Tourist, business, $140 $160
transit, crew member,
student, exchange visitor, and journalist visas
Petition-based visas (H, L, O, P, Q, and $150 $190
Treaty investor and trader visas (E) $390 $270
Fiancé(e) visas (K) $350 $240
Border crossing card (age 15 and older) $140 $160
Border crossing card (under age 15) $14 $15
Immigrant Visa Processing Fees
Type of Visa Previous Fee New Fee
Immediate relative and family preference $330 $230
applications
Employment-based applications $720 $405
Other immigrant visa applications $305 $220
Diversity visa program fee $440 $330
Determining returning resident status $380 $275