Certain US Consular Visa Processing Fees to Change September 12, 2014
Effective September 12, 2014, the Department of State is changing the visa processing fees. Some of the fees will increase, while some will decrease. For example, the fees for K nonimmigrant visa applications will increase. On the other hand, most immigrant visa processing fees will decrease (some by a substantial amount).
Nonimmigrant Visas
The Department of State is required to recover, as must as possible, the cost of processing a visa application and a stamp through the collection of application fees. According to the Department of State, for a number of reasons, the current fees for certain types of visas no longer cover the actual cost of processing nonimmigrant visas. As a result, 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 remain unchanged, the fee for E visas (treaty-traders and treaty-investors) will decrease while the fee for K visas (for fiancé(e)s of U.S. citizens) will increase.
| Type of Visa | Previous Fee | New Fee |
| Treaty Investor and Trader visas (E) | $270 | $205 (↓) |
| Fiancé(e) visas (K) | $240 | $265 (↑) |
| Border Crossing Cards (under age 15) | $15 | $16 (↑) |
Immigrant Visas
Because of a reallocation of costs associated with immigrant visas, some categories of immigrant visa processing fees will also change as shown below.
| Type of Visa | Previous Fee | New Fee |
| Immediate Relative and Family Preference Applications | $230 | $325 (↑) |
| Employment-Based Applications | $405 | $345 (↓) |
| Other Immigrant Visa Applications | $220 | $205 (↓) |
| Affidavit of support | $440 | $330 (↓) |
| Determining Returning Resident Status | $275 | $180 (↓) |
Full Schedule of Consular Fees
For the full and up-to-date schedule of consular application fees, please refer to the Department of State schedule of fees.
Conclusion
We welcome the Department of State’s efforts to make its services more affordable and for its fees to reflect the actual cost of services provided. It should be noted that for fees paid before September 12, 2014 but when the interview is after September 12, 2014, the Consulate will seek the applicant to pay the difference if the fee has increased. The Department of State will not issue refunds for fees already paid which are expected to decrease after September 12, 2014.
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About the Author: Dimo Michailov
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The Capitol Immigration Law Group has been serving the business community for over 15 years and is one of the most widely respected immigration law firms focused solely on U.S. employment-based immigration. Disclaimer: we make all efforts to provide timely and accurate information; however, the information in this article may become outdated or may not be applicable to a specific set of facts. It is not to be construed as legal advice.