News - January 2008


Application Fee Increase for Nonimmigrant Visas

The U.S. Department of State recently announced that it will increase the nonimmigrant visa application fee, also known as the machine-readable visa fee, from $100 to $131. The new fee is effective January 1, 2008.

There is a short grace period for those who paid the old fee in advance of their visa interview date. While each nonimmigrant visa applicant must pay the new fee beginning on January 1, any foreign national who paid the fee before that date and whose visa appointment will take place on or before January 31 will not be required to pay the difference between the two fees.

If the applicant paid the fee before January 1 and the appointment will take place after January 31, the applicant must pay the $31 difference before the appointment.

Visa applicants should be aware that each U.S. consulate has its own procedures for fee payments. Each foreign national planning a new visa appointment should check the consular website, found at http://usembassy.state.gov/, for current instructions on the fee payment and visa application process.

 

(c) 2008 Leete, Kosto & Wizner, LLP   See related Disclaimer at www.lkwvisa.com