Starting from May 30, 2023, the United States has plans to revise the visa application fees for certain non-immigrant visa categories, impacting tourists and students, among others. According to a statement from the US Department of State, 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. Meanwhile, certain petition-based non-immigrant visas for temporary workers (H, L, O, P, Q, and R categories) will increase from $190 to $205, and treaty trader, treaty investor, and treaty applicants in a specialty occupation (E category) will increase from $205 to $315.
The increase in fees will not affect other fees, and exchange visitors eligible for a waiver of the two-year residency requirement fee will still be able to receive that waiver. Payments made from October 1, 2022, will be valid for 365 days from the date a receipt is issued, during which applicants must schedule an interview appointment or apply for an interview waiver.
The change in fees will impact a wide range of visa categories, including B1 (business) and B2 (tourism), H (work visas), L (intra-company transferee), O (foreign national with extraordinary ability in sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics), P (performing athlete, artist, entertainer), Q (international cultural exchange visitor), R (religious worker), and E (treaty trader/treaty investor).
The US Embassy recognizes the significant role the international travel plays in the US economy and is committed to maintaining essential visas for work and tourism, as per President Biden’s foreign policy. The new fees will be implemented on May 30, 2023, and those who paid fees before October 1, 2022, will have until September 30, 2023, to schedule an interview or submit an interview waiver application, with the interview itself not needing to take place before that date.
