Increase in US visa fees clarified

The US Embassy in Manila clarified yesterday that the American government has increased visa fees, but not for non-immigrant visas.

US Embassy spokesperson Karen Kelley belied reports that the fee for a non-immigrant visa was raised from $100 to $200.

"The visa fee for non-immigrants remains at $100. I do not believe there has been an increase in the non-immigrant visa fee," Kelley said.

Last Wednesday, Sen. Richard Gordon asked the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to make representations with the US government to reduce the new visa fees.

US embassies and consulates had implemented last March 8 a new Schedule of Fees for diversity visa lottery and immigrant visas to recover the actual costs of consular services in maintaining high quality customer service.

Schedule of Fees for consular services revisions resulting from the recent cost-of service study include:

• an increase in the Diversity Visas (DV) Lottery surcharge for diversity immigrant visa applications from $100 to $375;

• an increase in the passport file search fee from $45 to $60; and

• a reduction in the fee charged for issuance of a transportation letter for Legal Permanent Resident Aliens (LPRA) to re-enter the US from abroad from $300 to $165.

Additional revisions in the new schedule of fees resulting from the 2005 Consolidated Appropriations Act include the following:

• a surcharge of $12 to be added to current passport fees;

• a surcharge of $45 to be added to the current fees for immigrant visas; and

• a $500 "fraud prevention and detection fee" for persons applying for L-1 visas under "blanket" provisions abroad.

The US Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2005 also mandated a "fraud prevention and detection fee" to be charged for H-1B and L-1 principal applicants at time of petition filing or change of employer.

These fees are not reflected in the new Schedule of Fees for Consular Services, as they will be collected by the Department of Homeland Security.

The Department is required by law and regulation to recover the actual cost of providing most consular services through user fees.

The fees for consular services are adjusted periodically following cost-of-service studies conducted by an independent contractor under the supervision of the Department. The last major revision of the Schedule of Fees was in 2002.

The revised Schedule of Fees for Consular Services also reflects new surcharges authorized in the 2005 Consolidated Appropriations Act.

Recovering the actual cost of providing consular services is essential to maintaining and improving high-quality customer service, utilizing advances in information technology and enhancing the security features of the consular function of border security.