The U.S. Department of State recently published a final rule regarding the increase of some nonimmigrant visa (NIV) application processing fees, and for the Border Crossing Card (BCC) that is required for Mexican citizens over 15 years of age.

According to the announcement, the application fee for tourist, student, temporary worker and investor visas will increase on May 30, 2023.

The department said in a statement:

The Department of State is committed to facilitating legitimate travel to the United States for both immigrant and nonimmigrant travelers.

The new fees

The cost of tourist and business visas (B1/B2s and BCC) and student and exchange visas will rise from $160 to $185.

The rates for some temporary work visas (H, L, O, P, Q and R) will increase from $190 to $205, while that for traders and investors (E) will increase from $205 to $315.

“NIV fees are set based on the actual cost of providing NIV services and are determined after conducting a study of the cost of these services. The Department uses an Activity-Based Costing (ABC) methodology to calculate, annually, the cost of providing consular services, including visa services. The fees for most non-petition based NIVs were last updated in 2012, and certain other NIV fees were last updated in 2014,” highlighted the U.S. State Department.

(2023/03/28) Publication of Final Rule on Nonimmigrant Visa Fee Increases - United States Department of State https://t.co/u0vnUupWMX

The Department of State published a Final Rule regarding increases to certain nonimmigrant visa application (NIV) processing fees and the Border…

— matiere* (@matiere) March 30, 2023

The release also notes that other consular fees are not affected by this rule, including waiving the required two-year residency fee for certain exchange visitors.

“Visas for work and tourism are essential to President Biden’s foreign policy, and we recognize the critical role international travel plays in the U.S. economy,” was stressed.

Fee information can be found on the Bureau of Consular Affairs website, and on the websites of U.S. embassies and consulates.