Increase in fees for US visas from 13 July

United States, 9th July: US visa fee is set for an increase with effect from 13th July 2010. 

The US visa fee hike will be made at all US consulates and embassies throughout the world. This was revealed by the US DOS (Department of State) through an interim final rule. 

The increase in the US visa fee will be for all categories of US non-immigrant visas.  

The US visa fee hike is meant for US passports, notarial sevices, Consular Reports of Birth 

Abroad and new fee for addition of more pages to the US passport. So, the US DOS will be charging varying US visa fees depending upon the categories of the US visas. 

The US immigration officials have justified the fee hike in the US visas saying this was necessary to provide for the increased unit processing and operating costs of US non-immigrant visas that involve tedious process and are time consuming. 

Meanwhile, there will be a decrease in fees for some categories of US visas. This includes fees for a US visa for a near relative which will now be US $330 as compared to the earlier fees of US $355. 

As per the details by the US immigration department, fee for each adult US visa will be $70. 

Applicants will be required to shell out $100 for receiving report of birth overseas, $82 for additional pages of US passport, $450 for renunciation of citizenship of the US, and $50 for every seal for authentication and notaries services. There will be an increase in the surcharge for the US passport book security which will now be $40. 

The fee for the first-time passport books for each adult will go up to US $135 as compared to the earlier fees of US $100. There will be an increase in the renewal passport fee making it to US $110 as compared to the previous fees of $75. 

An increase will be made in the US passport for a minor aged 16 years or below. So, the new fee for a US passport of any minor will now be US$ 105 from the earlier fee of US $85.