The U.S. government announced an increase in non‑immigrant visa application fees, effective March 30. In a statement released from Abuja on Wednesday, the U.S. Mission in Nigeria said the fee changes were published in the Federal Register on March 28. The adjustments align with the Department of State’s commitment to facilitating legitimate travel to the United States for both immigrant and non‑immigrant travelers.
The Department of State issued a Final Rule that raises fees for certain non‑immigrant visa (NIV) applications and the Border Crossing Card (BCC) for Mexican citizens aged 15 and over. These increases, published on March 28, 2023, will take effect on May 30, 2023. The fee for visitor visas for business or tourism (B1/B2 and BCC) and other non‑petition‑based NIVs such as student and exchange visitor visas will rise from $160 to $185.
Fees for specific petition‑based non‑immigrant visas for temporary workers (categories H, L, O, P, Q, and R) will increase from $190 to $205. The fee for treaty trader, treaty investor, and treaty applicant in a specialty occupation visas (E category) will jump from $205 to $315. NIV fees are set based on the actual cost of providing these services, determined after a cost‑of‑service study. The Department uses an Activity‑Based Costing (ABC) methodology each year to calculate the cost of consular services, including visa processing.
Most non‑petition‑based NIV fees were last updated in 2012, and some other NIV fees were last revised in 2014. The mission clarified that other consular fees, such as the waiver of the two‑year residency requirement for certain exchange visitors, are not affected by this rule. The U.S. government emphasized that work and tourism visas are essential to President Biden’s foreign policy, recognizing the critical role of international travel in the U.S. economy.
Fee details are available on the Bureau of Consular Affairs website (travel.state.gov) and on the websites of U.S. embassies and consulates. (NAN)
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