US to raise B1/B2 and student visa fees, effective from May 30, 2023

Highlights: US to increase the fees for the B1/B2 and student visas, WEF May 30, 2023

• The tourist and student visa fees have been increased by the United States.
• The prices will be effective from May 30, 2023.
• Other consular fees will remain unaffected by this rule.
• All payments made on or after October 1, 2022, are valid for 365 days.
• The payments made before October 1, 2022, will be valid until September 30, 2023.
• Applicants must pre-schedule or submit an interview waiver application before September 30.

*Want to work in the US? Search for jobs through Y-Axis Job Search Services.

The US increases tourist and student visa fee

The tourist and student visa fees have been increased by the United States, with effect from May 30, 2023.

As per the US Department of State, the fee for business or tourism, student and exchange visitor visas, and specific petition-based non-immigrant visa fees for temporary workers will be increased.

Types of Visa Fees	Earlier Price	Effective Price from May 30, 2023
Visitor Visa Fee	$160	$185
The fee for Petition-based non-immigrant visas for temporary workers (H, L, O, P, Q, and R categories)	$190	$205
The fee for Treaty Trader, Treaty Investor, And Treaty Applicants in a specialty occupation (E category)	$205	$315

Other consular fees will remain unaffected by this rule. The rule includes the waiver of the fee required for the two-year residency for certain exchange visitors.

For payments that have been made earlier

All payments made on or after October 1, 2022, are valid for 365 days from the date of issue of the fee payment invoice. And the payments made before October 1, 2022, will be valid until September 30, 2023.

Applicants must pre-schedule or submit an interview waiver application before September 30.

Reason for the increase in the US visa fees

According to the US Department of State's release, they have used Activity-Based Costing (ABC) methodology. With this technique, they calculated the cost of consular and visa services. The fee has been increased based on the cost acquired for providing non-immigrant services.

Are you looking to migrate to the USA? Talk to Y-Axis, the World’s no.1 Immigration & Visa Company.

 

10 million Job vacancies in the US. Unemployment rate drops to 3.5% in March 2023

Good news! Spouses of H-1b visa holders can now work in US

Also Read:  US to issue work permits to immigrants with 5+ years of wait time for Green cards
Web Story:  US to raise B1/B2 and student visa fees, effective from May 30, 2023