Application processing fees for non-immigrant visas to go up starting May 30 - US embassy

Filipinos who wish to secure non-immigrant visas issued by the United States will have to pay higher application fees starting May 30.

The US Embassy in the Philippines said the fee increases were approved by the US State Department.

In a statement, the embassy said the application fee for visitor visas for business or tourism (B1/B2s) and other non-petition-based non-immigrant visas, such as student and exchange visitor visas, has increased from $160 to $185.
 
It also said the application fee for certain petition-based non-immigrant visas for the following temporary workers has gone up from $190 to $205.

* H - temporary workers or employment or trainees
* L - intracompany transferees
* O - persons with extraordinary ability
* P - athletes, artists, and entertainers
* Q - international cultural exchange
* R - religious worker

The application fee, meanwhile, for a treaty trader, treaty investor, and treaty applicant in a specialty occupation (E category) has increased from $205 to $315.

“Other consular fees remain the same, including the waiver of the two-year residency required fee for certain exchange visitors,” the embassy said.

“Applicants who have already paid a visa application fee that is currently valid and non-expired, but who have not yet appeared for their visa interview or are waiting for their case to be processed, will not be charged any additional fees.”  —VBL, GMA Integrated News