Note
A final rule has been published in the Federal Register announcing that the application processing fee increase for certain nonimmigrant visas has been delayed until June 17, 2023. The previous effective date was May 30, 2023. Read the latest update here.
A final rule has been published by the US Department of State in regards to the nonimmigrant visa application processing fee increases that were proposed by the USCIS months ago in an effort to increase efficiency, improve technology, and better address the ever growing backlog of immigration services.
This fee increase will affect certain nonimmigrant visa application processing fees and the Border Crossing Card (BCC) for Mexican citizens ages 15 and older.
Effective June 17, 2023, the new fee for visitor visas for business or tourism (B1/B2 visas and BCCs) and other non-petition based nonimmigrant visas such as student and exchange visitor visas (F and J visas) will increase from $160 to $185.
For temporary worker visas including the H, L, O, P, Q, and R visas, the fee will increase from $190 to $205.
Fees for treaty trader, treaty investor, and treaty applicants in a speciality occupation (E category) will also increase from $205 to $315.
The US Department of State reports that the increase in nonimmigrant visa (NIV) fees is due to a reevaluation of the cost of providing these NIV services. These fees haven’t been updated since 2012.
For more information on the NIV fee increase, check out the official final rule publication on the US Department of State website.
