New US Visa, Passport, Consular Fees Take Effect July 13

Starting July 13, the United States State Department will charge new fees for American citizens’ services and immigrant visa applications worldwide, the US embassy here said in a news advisory Wednesday.

The new fees were announced after the US Department of State published its new schedule of fees for consular services in the Federal Register on June 28, 2010. .

The new fees are as follows:

For immigrant visa fees, application processing fees for immediate relative and family preference cases (from $355) now $330, employment-based cases (from $355) now $720, and other immigrant visas (special immigrant visas, diversity visas, etc. from $355) now $305;

Immigrant visa security surcharge (from $45) now $74, diversity visa lottery surcharge (from $375) now $440, domestic review of affidavit of support (from $70) now $88;

Special visa services for determining returning resident status (from $400) now $380;

For passport fees, passport book-adult (from $100) now $135; passport book-minor (from $85) now $105; passport book renewal-adult (from $75) now $110; additional passport visa page $82; passport card-adult (from $ 45) $55; passport card-child (from $35) $40; consular report of birth abroad (from $65) $100; renunciation of US citizenship $450; file search and verification of US citizenship (from $60) $150;

For overseas citizens services, disposition/shipment of remains of a non-US citizen (from $265 plus expenses) $200 plus expenses;

For documentary services, notarials, certifications of true copies, authentications, provision of Department of State records (from $30 for first and $20 for additional) $50;

For judicial services, processing letters rogatory & FSIA (Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act from $735) $2,275;

For taking depositions or executing commissions, scheduling/arranging depositions (from $475) $1,283; attending or taking depositions (from $265/hour plus expenses) $309.00 per hour plus expenses; swearing in witnesses (from $265 per hour plus expenses) $231 per hour plus expenses; supervising telephone depositions (from $265 per hour plus expenses) $231 per hour plus expenses; providing seal and certification (from $70) $415;

For administrative services, consular time charges (per hour from $265) $231.

“In general, the new fees are due in full for any services provided on or after July 13, 2010. For instance, if a customer submits his/her application for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) on July 13, 2010 (day of implementation), he/she must pay the fee due on that day ($100). In contrast, if an applicant submits his/her CRBA application and fee payment on July 12, 2010 (day before implementation), he/she need only pay the fee valid on that date ($65),” the advisory said.

“With regards to immigrant visa cases, payment rules are as follows: Applicants who receive bills from the National Visa Center (NVC) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA that are dated after July 13 must pay the new processing fees. Fees paid at the embassy or to NVC prior to the publication of the final rule are considered paid in full at the current rate, and these applicants will not be required to pay additional fees to cover the difference between the current and new fees. Applicants already billed by NVC prior to July 13, 2010 will only pay the fees billed, regardless of whether they pay before or after the new fees are implemented. If applicants paid their visa application processing fees before March 2005, they will be required to pay the security surcharge,” it added.

Source: Inquirer.net

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