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Ice on Immigration: Visa Fee Increase 

By L. Patricia Ice, Featured Columnist

Question: I heard that there will be an increase in visa application fees for United States visas obtained abroad.  Is this true?

Answer: Yes.  The United States Department of State (DOS) is planning to increase non-immigrant (temporary) visa filing fees to $131 from $100.  There will also be an increase of immigrant (permanent resident) visa filing fees of $20. The increases are to take effect on January 1, 2008. There may be some exemptions for these fees if pre-paid.

The $20 increase in immigrant visa filing fees reflects a charge for Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) fingerprint checks for background clearances.  Please note that these fee increases are with the DOS and not with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).  Accordingly, an applicant will be required to pay these fees to either an acceptance center for a United States Consulate abroad or to the National Visa Center.

The fee increases will most likely be published in the upcoming Federal Register.