US Visa Fees to Increase for Tourist and Student Categories Starting May 30th

Starting May 30, the United States will be raising visa processing fees for certain non-immigrant visa categories, including tourist and student visas. The US Department of State has announced that the processing fees for these categories will be raised from $160 to $185. This change will affect those applying for business visas under B1/B2s and BCCs, exchange visitor visas, and student visas.

Under the new fee structure, Indian students applying for US visas will now be required to pay nearly Rs 15,150, up from the previous fee of approximately Rs 13,000 based on the current exchange rate. Additionally, the visa application fee for certain petition-based non-immigrant visas for temporary workers (H, L, O, P, Q, and R categories) has been raised from $190 to $205. Indian applicants for work visas under these categories will now have to pay Rs 16,700, up from Rs 15,550.

The visa fee for treaty traders, treaty investors, and treaty applicants in a specialty occupation (E category) has also been increased from $205 to $315. However, the fee hike will not affect other consular fees, and the waiver of the two-year residency requirement fee for certain exchange visitors remains unaffected.

The categories that will be affected by the fee hike include B1 for business visitors, B2 for tourists, vacationers, and pleasure visitors, E for treaty traders and investors, H for work visas, L for intra-company transferees, O for foreign nationals with excellent knowledge and abilities in the fields of art, science, education, athletics, or business, P for performing athletes, artists, and entertainers, Q for international cultural exchange visitors, and R for religious workers.