Washington: The United States has increased the fee for tourists and students seeking visas. The new prices will be effective from May 30. The US Department of State said it is increasing the visa prices of certain non-immigrant visa application (NIV) processing fees from $160 to $185.
The visa fees will be applicable to those applying for visitor visas for business or tourism (B1/B2s and BCCs), and other non-petition-based NIVs such as student visas and exchange visitor visas.
As per current exchange rates, those applying for a US visa under the given categories will have to pay around Rs 15,000 instead of the estimated Rs 13,000.
“The fee for visitor visas for business or tourism (B1/B2s and BCCs), and other non-petition based NIVs such as student and exchange visitor visas, will increase from $160 to $185,” a statement of the US Department of State said.
The US has also increased the price of certain petition-based non-immigrant visas from May 30.
The fee for certain petition-based non-immigrant visas for temporary workers (H, L, O, P, Q, and R categories) will increase from $190 to $205, the statement added.
Those applying under the given categories above will now have to pay Rs 16,700 instead of Rs 15,550 according to the latest exchange rates.
Here are the Visa categories that are going to be affected by the new rule:
B1- Business visitors
B2- Tourists, vacationers, and pleasure visitors
H- Work visas
L- Intra company transferees
O- Foreign nationals HAVING excellent knowledge and abilities in the fields of art, science, education, athletics or business
P- Performing athlete, artist, and entertainer
Q- International cultural exchange visitors
R- Religious works
The fees for most non-petition-based NIVs were last updated in 2012 and some other NIV fees were last updated in 2014.
The State Department further added that other consular fees are not affected by this rule, including the waiver of the two-year residency required fee for certain exchange visitors.
