VietNamNet Bridge – Effective April 13, 2012 the US Department of State will adjust visa processing fees, with most nonimmigrant visa fees to be increased, according to a notice released by the US Embassy in Hanoi yesterday, April 3.

According to the new adjustment, tourist, business, transit, crew member, student, exchange visitor, and journalist visas, which used to cost US$140, will now cost $160; petition-based visas (H, L, O, P, Q, and R), which used to cost $150, will now cost $190.

Border crossing cards for people age 15 and older will cost $160 compared to the current $140, and those for people under age 15 will cost $15 instead of the present $14.

The US Embassy noted that though categories of nonimmigrant visa processing fees will increase, the fee for E visas (treaty-traders and treaty-investors) and K visas (for fiancé(e)s of US citizens) will decrease. Specifically, E and K visas will now cost $270 and $240 respectively, instead of their previous costs of $390 and $350.

It also added that because of the relocation costs associated with immigrant visas, all categories of immigrant visa processing fees will decrease.

Immediate relative and family preference applications, which cost $330 previously, will cost $230. The new fee for the Diversity Visa Program (also known as the Visa Lottery) will be reduced from $440 to $330 per person.

For employment-based applications, the new fee will drop from $720 to $405; and for other immigrant visa applications, the new fee will be $220, compared to the current $305.

Also, the fee on determining returning resident status will be reduced from the current $380 to $275.

Fee information may also be found on the Bureau of Consular Affairs website, travel.state.gov or the website of the U.S. Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City at http://hochiminh.usconsulate.gov.

VietNamNet/Tuoi Tre