Revised US Visa Processing Fees
Just recently, the US had made adjustments on its US visa application processing fees.
Last March 29, 2012, an interim final rule in the Federal Register to adjust visa processing fees was published by the Department of State.
In a press release from the Office of the Spokesperson, Washington, DC, the Department of State will make an adjustment on American visa processing fees.
Scheduled to go into effect on April 13, 2012, there will be an increase in the fees for most nonimmigrant USA visa application and Border Crossing Cards, while all immigrant visa processing fees would have a decrease.
The visa fee increase is attributed to the State Department’s need to recover, as far as possible, the cost of processing visas through the collection of application fees, where for some reason, the actual cost of processing non-immigrant visas are no longer covered by the current fees.
The press release further explained that the non-immigrant visa fee was increased in order to provide support to the department’s addition and expansion of overseas facilities, as well as to support the additional staffing required to meet increased visa demand.
Although there is an increase on most categories of nonimmigrant visa processing fees, the fee for E visas (treaty-traders and treaty-investors) and K visas (for fiancé(e)s of U.S. citizens) will decrease.
Under the new US visa processing fee, out of four categories of visas, visa fees for two visas have gone up, while for the other two it has been revised downwards.
According to the Press Release, the non-immigrant visa processing fees for Tourist, Business, Transit, Crew Member, Student, Exchange Visitor, and Journalist visas as well as Border Crossing Cards (age 15 and older) have increased from $140 to $160.
Petition-Based visas (H, L, O, P, Q, and R) have also increased from $150 to $190.
The Treaty Investor and Trader visas (E) had decreased from $390 to $270; Finance (e) visas (K) from $350 to $240; and Border Crossing Cards (under age 15) from $14 to $15.
There was a decrease in all categories of immigrant visa processing fees because of the reallocation of costs associated with immigrant visas.
Now, immigrant USA visa processing fees for Immediate Relative and Family Preference Applications will be $230 from $330; Employment-Based Applications will be $405 from $720; Other Immigrant Visa Applications will be $220 from $305; Diversity Visa Programme Fee will be $330 from $440; and Determining Returning Resident Status will be $275 from $380.
For visa categories where fee has been increased, if you have paid your visa fee before April 13, 2012, you do not have to pay the difference between the new and old fee amounts as long as your visa interview is on or before July 12, 2012 as the receipts for fees paid under the previous schedule will only have a validity of 90 days from the effective date of the new fees.
So, any payments after April 13, 2012, regardless of the interview date, will now be according to the new structure and you will be required to pay the difference between the old and new fee amounts – no exceptions. MRV receipts are valid for one year from the date of payment.
All visa applicants must pay the fee amounts in effect on the day they pay, including immigrant visa applicants who pay fees to the National Visa Center (NVC).
If you paid a visa fee before April 13, 2012 and that fee decreased, excess fees paid are not refundable.
Determine Which Type of US Visa is Right For You
Are you planning to travel to the United States in the next few months? If you are, then you need to apply for a US visa.
The US government requires any citizen of a foreign country who is not eligible to enter the United States visa free under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), or is not exempt from the US visa application requirement to first obtain an American visa in order to travel to the U.S.
While there are about 185 different types of visas, there are two main categories of U.S. visas namely Non-immigrant visa which is for temporary visits such as for tourism, business, work or studying and Immigrant visa which is for people wanting to be permanent residents in the united states without any time limitation.
With these currently numerous different types of USA visa application available, these are still broken down into classifications depending on the length, nature and purpose of your stay in the United States.
Classes of Visas
A-1, A-2, and A-3
A-visas are issued to foreign government ambassadors, ministers, diplomats, as well as other foreign government officials or employees and their immediate family members traveling on official business to the United States.
B-1 and B-2
The multiple-purpose B-1/B-2 visa, also known as the “visa for temporary visitors for business or pleasure” is the most common non-immigrant visa.
The visa applicants sometimes receive either a B-1 (temporary visitor for business) or a B-2 (temporary visitor for pleasure) visa, if their reason for travel is specific enough that the consular officer does not feel they qualify for combined B-1/B-2 status.
F-1 Visa
F1 visa enables students to study full-time at an academic institution such as a university, private school, or language institute.
H Visa
HI visas are for temporary workers and come in several types, with each type allowing the individual to perform a specific job.
H1B visa is for professionals in a specialty occupation (professional visa and fashion models) who are coming to work in the U.S.; H1C visas are for nurses who intends working in particular positions; H2A visas are for agricultural workers; H2B visa is for non-agricultural workers (Unskilled Foreign Workers); H3 visas are for trainees; and H4 visa is a type of accompanying visa granted to the spouse and children under 21 years of age of the worker.
TN Status enables certain qualifying Canadian and Mexican citizens to temporarily work for an employer in the U.S. under NAFTA.
J visa
J visas are for temporary workers on J1 work and travel or J1 trainees who intend to work or train with an organization that has been approved for an exchange program under the J visa regulations.
L Visa
L visas are for international transferees who have worked for a related organization abroad for at least one year in the past three years that will be coming to the United States to work in an executive or managerial (L-1A) or specialized knowledge capacity (L-1B) at a subsidiary of a foreign company.
L2 visa, an accompanying visa, is for spouses and children under 21 years of age received with the worker.
M Visa
M visas are for individuals who want to attend an approved course of study leading to a specific educational or vocational objective and engage in full-course of study.
Immigration Program to Fund Rays Stadium
Going by Oakland’s lead, Tampa officials are now looking into an obscure federal US visa program as a means of funding their new Tampa Bay Rays stadium.
Tampa and St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce officials who had been studying on the means to pay for the new Rays stadium half-billion-dollar tab are now considering the federal American visa program called EB-5.
Also known as Immigrant Investor Program, EB-5 US visa application was created by Congress in 1990 to stimulate the U.S. economy through job creation and capital investment by foreign investors.
Basically, EB-5 visa provides a method of obtaining a U.S. citizenship for foreign nationals by investing a million dollars into a U.S. corporation.
Under the program, foreign nationals must invest one million dollars (or a minimum investment of $500,000 in a “Targeted Employment Area” – which are economically disadvantaged areas with high unemployment) each to create or to preserve at least 10 jobs for U.S. workers excluding the investor and their immediate family. This would qualify them for a green card for themselves and their families.
Once the foreign national investor’s USA visa application petition is approved, a conditional permanent residence valid for two years will be granted to the investor and their dependents. Within the period of 90 days before the conditional permanent residence expires, an evidence documenting that the full required investment has been made and that 10 jobs have been maintained, or 10 jobs have been created or will be created within a reasonable time period must be submitted by the investor.
EB-5 had been used in raising money for smaller projects, like office buildings and business parks.
For example, according to a recent Bloomberg News report, the EB-5 program has been providing funds of up to $228 million for a massive new retail, housing and basketball arena complex for the New Jersey Nets in Brooklyn, New York.
Chuck Sykes, co-chairman of the Tampa chamber group, stated that they have been exploring EB-5 visa financing, considering giving it a role in their Rays stadium financing.
Sykes and 13 other business leaders from the cities’ chambers of commerce have been meeting for nearly a year, studying on the means to fund for a new Rays stadium.
At present, Sykes’ group has been considering the EB-5 program as they try hard to find a source of funding that doesn’t rely heavily on local governments.
Created 22 years ago, foreign investors’ use of the EB-5 program has been far less than originally anticipated by Congress.
In 2007, there were only 776 foreigners who had taken the first step in the EB-5 immigration process. However, in the past few years, it has exploded in popularity as real estate developers and cities attempt to raise money as they build hotels, buy shopping centers and, occasionally, finance sports facilities.
In 2011, according to data from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, there were more than 3,805 EB-5 applications that have been filed, as compared to the fewer than 800 applications in 2007.
Meanwhile, in recent months, critics have been found attacking the EB-5 program’s results.
According to the Bloomberg article, though many foreign investors sometimes invest their money into American development projects, hoping to get a green card a couple of years later; however, in reality, some of these projects collapse, never creating the promised jobs, and eliminating the chance for the foreigners in getting their green cards.
Some critics also say that the program is not exactly the most successful as there are only few applications that were approved out of 3,805 applicants in 2011, only 1,403 were approved and with many other municipalities seeking the same sort of business investments, it is said to be an uneven method to raise money.
However, advocates of the program insist that such horror stories are not the norm and that most projects do create jobs.
Visa build Shield for Possible Hackers
With the advent of more advanced internet technologies, there is an increasing number of transactions that are now done via the internet.
As millions of people are now turning to the internet for their purchases and other business transactions, and in an era when mobile purchases on smartphones and tablets are predicted to achieve a growth of 73% to $11.6 billion in the U.S. this year, it’s no surprise that security has become a necessary obsession with businesses or organizations with dealing in the internet.
According to the market researcher Gartner, there are more than half of the world’s 13,000 large data centers and are located in the United States.
US Visa Waiver Program for UAE
Just recently, a call for the relaxation of US visa application requirements for UAE nationals was made by a leading Dubai official.
During a recent gala dinner hosted at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel in honor of the UAE and American delegates attending the Emirates airline direct flight launch to Seattle, Washington, Hamad Buamim, director-general of Dubai Chamber of Commerce, on behalf of Dubai’s business community, took the opportunity in urging the United States Government to ease the USA visa application requirements for United Arab Emirates nationals, making it easier for them to revisit the US.
Changes in US Visa Application for Japanese Immigrants
Important changes to nonimmigrant US visa application procedures have just been started and are to be implemented these last days in March.
As part of the US Embassy and Consulates in Japan’s move in transitioning to a new system for making visa appointments and paying the visa application fee, important visa changes with regards to U.S. visa applications from Japan were recently implemented. These changes include an update for L1 visas, a new interview waiver program and processing procedures for non-immigrant visas.
As announced by the U.S. Consulate in Toronto, Canada, the latest US visa updates now enables L visas for Japanese to be granted through the validity of the reciprocity schedule starting from March 15, 2012.
Mexicans Migrating in USA
Mexican migration to the United States has been a major area of contention for U.S.-Mexico bilateral relations since the early 1900s.
Initially encouraged by the United States to help ease labor force shortages in their economy due to a number of diverse factors, now, despite restrictive U.S. immigration law, Mexico continues to be the leading country of origin for legal and illegal migrant workers into the United States.
Dow to Welcome US Tourism
In the United States, tourism is one of the largest industries that serve millions of international and domestic tourists yearly. It is said to be either the first, second or third largest employer in 29 states, employing millions of workers and creating millions of jobs.
Since the revolution of air travel and by the end of the twentieth century, tourism had significantly grown in the United States as throughout the world. Travel and tourism has strengthened the U.S. economy by creating jobs in communities across the United States.
Tourists visit the US to experience the wide range of tourist attractions, from the natural wonders, cities, amusement parks, festivals, gambling, golf courses, historical buildings and landmarks, hotels, museums, galleries, outdoor recreation, spas, restaurants and sports and other entertainment venues.
Visa and Salary Main Concerns of International Employees
Just recently, a recent payment statistic affecting the salaries of particular international faculty and staff members have caused the main concern for the State of Texas.
According to Robert Seese, the director of the International Office the agency responsible for providing assistance and guidance to foreign students, faculty and staff through a variety of programs including the F-1 USA visa, J-1 exchange visitor, H1-B temporary worker and Green Card permanent resident statuses it was found out that the university pays J-1 US visa exchange visitors only “enough so that they can live” since a particular school or outside entities is sponsoring the J-1 American visa holder.
US Consular Officers against Fake Visa Dealers
Frauds and scams have always been present as long as there is a high demand for a certain thing or service, especially in cases when it is accompanied with strict rules or ways of acquiring these in-demand things. Consequently, there is a high need for people to find ways to make acquiring of these things easier.
This is true with the US visa application. As the United States of America is considered by many as the land of vast opportunities a hodgepodge of work opportunities, stable and comfortable living, world-class educational system, breathtaking man-made and natural wonders and a genuine democratic and economic freedom, it is not a surprise that thousands of people have one of their major ambitions or dreams in life to be able to live, work or even just visit the US.
