US visa fees hiked

MANILA, Philippines—Starting Friday, the US Embassy is raising fees for some nonimmigrant visas, including visas for tourists, business travelers and students.

Filipinos applying for tourist, business, crew member, student and journalist visas will have to pay $160, from the old $140.

But fees will be lower for all immigrant visas, as well as those for fiancé/ fiancée visas and trader/investor visas.

According to a statement posted on the embassy’s website, the reduction in immigrant visa fees has become possible because a new US law allows the Department of State to seek reimbursement from other federal agencies such as the US Citizenship and Immigration Service.

“US embassies must collect higher fees for tourist and other types of nonimmigrant visas because US law requires the Department of State to recover the costs of processing those types of visas,” the embassy said.

“The new fees more accurately reflect the costs of visa processing services as determined in a US government study completed last December.”

Starting July 13, however, applicants who had paid application fees at the old rate will have to pay the difference between the old rate and the new rate.

For visa categories that have lower fees starting April 13, applicants who have already paid will get no refunds.