1. Change in the United States Non-immigrant and Immigrant Visa Fees
The US Department of State has changed the non-immigrant and immigrant visa processing
fees starting from April 13, 2012. The processing fees for certain non-immigrant visa petitions
and Border Crossing Cards has been increased. The fees for all immigrant visa applications
has been decreased. The visa applicants are required to pay the processing fee amounts in
effect on the day of making the payment. This also applies to the immigrant visa applicants
who pay the fees to the National Visa Center.
The U.S. Department of State has changed the processing fees structure to regain the visa
processing cost, as the old fee was not sufficient to cover the processing cost.
The world-wide, service cost survey which was conducted by the Bureau of Consular Affairs
in the Department of State has resulted in a change in the non-immigrant and immigrant visa
fees.
Increase in the Non-immigrant Visa Processing Fees
The processing fees for the following non-immigrant visas has been increased.
•Tourist, Business, Transit, Crew Member, Student, Exchange Visitor, and Journalist visas.
•Petition-Based visas such as H, L, O, P, Q and R visas.
•Fiancé(e) visas, K visas.
•Border Crossing Cards for applicants above age 15.
•Border Crossing Cards for applicants below age 15.
Decrease in the Immigrant Visa Processing Fees
Processing fees for the following immigrant visas, for applicants entering the United States
permanently, has been decreased.
•Applications based on immediate relative and family preference.
•Petitions based on employment.
•Diversity Visa Program.
•Determining Returning Resident Status.
Every applicant is required to pay the visa application processing fee for the particular visa
category, for which they are applying, unless the application fee is not needed.
Visa processing fee for most categories has been increased, but the fee for E visas, treaty-
traders and treaty-investors, and K visas for fiancé(e)s of US citizens has been decreased.

2. Decrease in the immigrant visa fees is due to the reallocation of costs related to such
immigrant visas.