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New Visa Fees

Visa Processing Fees to Change on April 13, 2012

Effective April 13, 2012, the Department of State will adjust visa processing fees.  The fees for most nonimmigrant visa applications and Border Crossing Cards will increase, while all immigrant visa processing fees will decrease.

The Department is required to recover, as far as possible, the cost of processing visas through the collection of application fees.  For a number of reasons, the current fees no longer cover the actual cost of processing nonimmigrant visas.  The nonimmigrant visa fee increase will support the addition and expansion of overseas facilities, as well as additional staffing required to meet increased visa demand.

Although most categories of nonimmigrant visa processing fees will increase, the fee for E visas (treaty-traders and treaty-investors) and K visas (for fiancé(e)s of U.S. citizens) will decrease.

Nonimmigrant Visa Processing Fees

Type of Visa
Previous Fee
New Fee
Tourist, Business, Transit, Crew Member, Student, Exchange Visitor, and Journalist visas USD 140 USD 160
Petition-Based visas (H, L, O, P, Q, and R) USD 150 USD 190
Treaty Investor and Trader visas (E) USD 390 USD 270
Fiancé(e) visas (K) USD 350 USD 240
Border Crossing Cards (age 15 and older) USD 140 USD 160
Border Crossing Cards (under age 15) USD 14 USD 15

Because of a reallocation of costs associated with immigrant visas, all categories of immigrant visa processing fees will decrease.

Immigrant Visa Processing Fees

Type of Visa Previous Fee New Fee
Immediate Relative and Family Preference Applications USD 330 USD 230
Employment-Based Applications USD 720 USD 405
Other Immigrant Visa Applications USD 305 USD 220
Diversity Visa Program Fee USD 440 USD 330
Determining Returning Resident Status USD 380 USD 275

Fee information may also be found on the Bureau of Consular Affairs website, travel.state.gov.