US Tourist And Student Visa Fees to Increase from May 30

The US Department of State has announced an increase in the visa fee for US tourist/business and student/exchange visitor visas from May 30, 2023
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The visa fee for US tourist/business (B1/B2), student, and exchange visitor visas will be raised on May 30, 2023. The US Department of State made this announcement regarding certain non-immigrant visa application (NIV) processing fees.

Fee Hike Details

The fee for visitor visas for business or tourism (B1/B2), as well as other non-petition-based NIVs such as student and exchange visitor visas, will rise from $160 to $185, according to the US Department of State.

Certain petition-based non-immigrant visas for temporary workers (H, L, O, P, Q, and R categories) will see a fee increase from $190 to $205. Treaty traders, treaty investors, and treaty applicants in a speciality occupation (E category) will pay a fee of $315 instead of $205.

Other consular fees are not affected by this rule, including the waiver of the two-year residency required fee for certain exchange visitors.

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Validity of Fee Payments

Fee payments for visa interviews made on or after October 1 of the previous year are valid for 365 days from the date the fee payment invoice is issued. Fees paid by applicants before October 1, 2022, will be valid until September 30, 2019.

As a result, applicants must schedule an interview or apply for an interview waiver before September 30, 2023.

Last Updated Fees

The fees for most non-petition-based NIVs were last updated in 2012, and certain other NIV fees were last updated in 2014.

US Visa Categories Affected by the Hike

The US visa categories affected by the hike are:

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  • B1: Business; Domestic employee or nanny – must be accompanying a foreign national employer
  • B2: Tourism, vacation, pleasure visitor
  • 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
  • E: Treaty trader/treaty investor

Reason for Fee Hike

The US State Department is dedicated to making legal travel easier for both immigrants and non-immigrants. This fee increase reflects the cost of providing non-immigrant services.

The fee increase was implemented using the Activity-Based Costing (ABC) methodology, which is used to calculate the cost of providing consular services, including visa services.

In conclusion, visas for work and tourism are essential to President Biden’s foreign policy, and the US government recognizes the critical role international travel plays in the US economy. This fee hike is a reflection of the cost incurred in providing visa services and is expected to help the US government meet its service delivery goals.


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Manish Khandelwal
Manish Khandelwal

Manish Khandelwal, a travel-tech enthusiast with over a decade of experience in the travel industry. Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Travelobiz.com, he's passionate about writing.

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