Us Increases Visa Fees

United States of America (USA) said that with effect from January 1, 2008 it will increase the application fee for its non-immigrant visa from $100 to $131.

A statement issued by the US Embassy public affairs section in Abuja, those applicants who paid the $100 application fee before January 1, 2008, will be processed without further payment only if they appear for a visa interview before January 31, 2008.

According to the statement, applicants who paid the prior $100 application fee and appear for visa interviews after January 31, must pay the difference of $31 before they will be interviewed.

"Any payments made after January 1, 2008, regardless of the interview date, must be for the full $131 USD fee".

The statement explained that the Department of State was increasing the non immigrant visa application fee to $131 from its current $100 because of new security-related costs and new information technology systems.

The statement further disclosed that the last time non immigrant visa fees were raised was in 2002.

It also disclosed that fees for immigrant visas would also increase by $20, from $335 to $355, on January 1, to cover similar cost increases in immigrant visa services.


source: http://businessdayonline.com/National/1739.html