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Visas

Consular Section

Change in Visa Processing Fees (April 13, 2012)


View the Arabic version if this annoucement

Effective April 13, 2012, the Department of State will adjust visa processing fees.  The fees for most nonimmigrant visa applications and Border Crossing Cards will increase, while all immigrant visa processing fees will decrease.

The Department is required to recover, as far as possible, the cost of processing visas through the collection of application fees.  For a number of reasons, the current fees no longer cover the actual cost of processing nonimmigrant visas.  The nonimmigrant visa fee increase will support the addition and expansion of overseas facilities, as well as additional staffing required to meet increased visa demand.

Although most 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 U.S. citizens) will decrease.

 

Nonimmigrant Visa Processing Fees

Type of Visa

Previous Fee

New Fee

Tourist, Business, Transit, Crew Member, Student, Exchange Visitor, and Journalist visas

$140

$160

Petition-Based visas (H, L, O, P, Q, and R)

$150

$190

Treaty Investor and Trader visas (E)

$390

$270

Fiancé(e) visas (K)

$350

$240

Border Crossing Cards (age 15 and older)

$140

$160

Border Crossing Cards (under age 15)

$14

$15

 

Because of a reallocation of costs associated with immigrant visas, all categories of immigrant visa processing fees will decrease.

Immigrant Visa Processing Fees

Type of Visa

Previous Fee

New Fee

Immediate Relative and Family Preference Applications

$330

$230

Employment-Based Applications

$720

$405

Other Immigrant Visa Applications

$305

$220

Diversity Visa Program Fee

$440

$330

Determining Returning Resident Status

$380

$275

 

The proposed fees were published in the Federal Register March 29, 2012, and will take effect in 15 days.  To view the interim final rule, visit www.regulations.gov. 

Comments will be accepted until 60 days after publication.  At that time, the Department will consider the public comments, and the published final rule will include the Department’s response to any comments received.

Fee information may also be found on the Bureau of Consular Affairs website, travel.state.gov, and on the websites of U.S. embassies and consulates.

Visa applicants will pay the basic MRV application fee of $140 (in either U.S. dollars or the equivalent in Jordanian dinar) through any branch of the Cairo-Amman Bank in accordance with existing practices, with the balance of any MRV fees paid on-site at the U.S. Embassy on the day of the appointment. Applicants are reminded to ensure that they bring sufficient funds (U.S. Dollars; Jordanian Dinar or a Visa/Mastercard credit card) to their appointment to avoid any delay in the processing of their visa application.

Non-Immigrant Visa Applicants must use the DS-160 application form for all visa classes except K-1 and E visas.

The Consular Section now accepts Visa/Mastercard payments for all consular transactions EXCEPT for Machine Readable Visa (MRV) fees for non-immigrant (i.e., visitors and student) visas which are payable only at Cairo Amman Bank.

 

Important Information Regarding the Diversity Visa Program

There have been instances of fraudulent websites posing as official U.S. Government sites. KCC will not send selectee notifications via e-mail.  Visit the Diversity Visa page for more information.

Security Notice:

Visitors to the American Embassy must pass through security checkpoints, including walk-through-metal-detectors (WTMD) similar to visiting an airport. It may also be necessary to undergo additional screening, to include hand-held metal detectors and pat down inspections. Prior to passing through the WTMD you must remove all metal items, including jewelry, coins, watches and belt buckles. For this reason, your visit to the Consular Section will be much easier and faster if you leave these items at home or in the car, so that you can proceed through security with the minimum disturbance.

Contact us:

For Questions about Nonimmigrant visas*:

  • ResponseAmman@state.gov. You may reach us by telephone between 2:00 and 3:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday by dialing (06) 590 6952.

For Questions About Immigrant visas*:

For Questions about American Citizen Services:

  • Amman-ACS@state.gov. You may reach us by telephone between 2:00 and 3:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday by dialing (06) 590-6950.

* Please note that under U.S. law, specifically the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) 222(f), visa records are confidential. Therefore, only the applicant or the applicant’s attorney can inquire about the status of a visa application.

Questions

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  • Why is the Department of State increasing the basic nonimmigrant visa application fee to $160 from its current $140?

    Why is the Department of State increasing the basic nonimmigrant visa application fee to $160 from its current $140?

    • We are required by law to recover the cost of processing nonimmigrant visas through the collection of visa application processing fees, also called Machine-Readable Visa (MRV) fees.  The cost-of-service model is updated annually to determine direct and indirect costs to the U.S. government when providing all consular services, such as nonimmigrant visa processing.  This update was completed in December 2011 using an activity-based cost model, which is standard for estimating the cost of government services.

      The activity-based cost model takes into account all costs to the U.S. government, including a major cost driver:  visa workload volume.  Items that impact the model include an increase in the number of visas processed or new regulations requiring additional security screenings.  The model also includes costs of major Department initiatives, particularly those related to meeting the increase in demand for nonimmigrant visas.

      The $160 fee also includes the unrecovered costs of processing Border Crossing Cards for certain Mexican citizen minors.  By law, the fees for Border Crossing Cards for minors are frozen at $13 (not including other statutory surcharges).  However, the cost of processing these applications is much greater.

  • When do the new processing fees go into effect?

    When do the new processing fees go into effect?

    • April 13, 2012

  • What should I do if I have already paid the $140 MRV fee but my interview is scheduled for after July 12, 2012?

    What should I do if I have already paid the $140 MRV fee but my interview is scheduled for after July 12, 2012?

    • Applicants will be charged the fee in effect on the day of the payment.  The Cairo Amman Bank will begin to collect the new $160 fee on April 13, 2010. If you have already paid the $140 and your interview is scheduled between April 13, 2012 and July 12, 2012, you will not need to pay any additional fees. If your interview is scheduled after July 12, 2012, please be prepared to pay the difference of $20 or 14.2 JD in cash or by credit card (Mastercard or Visa) at the Embassy on the day of the interview.  You will not be interviewed until the fee has been paid.

  • Can I get a refund if I overpaid?

    Can I get a refund if I overpaid?

    • Application fees are assessed based on the day you remit payment, not on the day you interview.  Therefore, no refunds will be given.  However, these receipts will continue to be valid for the usual one year from the date of issuance.

  • Why is the Department establishing new, higher fees for certain types of nonimmigrant visas, while at the same time decreasing the fees for E and K visas?

    Why is the Department establishing new, higher fees for certain types of nonimmigrant visas, while at the same time decreasing the fees for E and K visas?

    • The December 2011 cost-of-service model update costs shows that certain categories of nonimmigrant visas cost more to process than other categories of nonimmigrant visas.  The new fees reflect the costs of each visa service.

  • How does this MRV processing fee differ from reciprocal issuance fees?

    How does this MRV processing fee differ from reciprocal issuance fees?

    • The MRV processing fee is paid by all visa applicants, worldwide, with certain limited exceptions, for example, those pertaining to government officials. It must be paid in advance, whether or not the visa is granted. The reciprocal issuance fee is an additional charge paid by visa applicants from certain countries in certain categories and is based on similar fees U.S. citizens are charged for visas to visit those countries. The reciprocity fee is charged only if the visa is granted.

  • Why are the fees for immigrant visas decreasing?

    Why are the fees for immigrant visas decreasing?

    • For the first time, the cost-of-service model calculated services performed on behalf of other federal agencies, allowing the Department of State to seek reimbursement under the Economy Act.  This has had a considerable impact on our costs when processing immigrant visas, because much of this work intersects with the USCIS immigration process.

      We expect the cost of processing immigrant visas to remain stable, while the volume will increase, leading to lower costs in the short term.  As a result, immigrant visa processing fees have decreased.

  • Will this fee increase discourage people from traveling to the United States?

    Will this fee increase discourage people from traveling to the United States?

    • The proposed fees accurately reflect the processing costs we incur, and regulations require full cost recovery through fees.  Past increases in nonimmigrant visa fees did not negatively impact the number of applications received worldwide. The cost is still small compared to the cost of round-trip airfare from most countries to the United States. In addition, the total cost of a tourist visa, when averaged over ten years, is $16 per year.

  • Will other countries respond by increasing the visa fees they charge American citizens?

    Will other countries respond by increasing the visa fees they charge American citizens?

    • Some countries may increase visa and entry fees they charge American
      citizens. However, we expect that countries for which there are currently reciprocity fees will not do so because, under the principle of reciprocity, we will be able to offset the nonimmigrant fees increase with a simultaneous reduction in reciprocity fees. For these countries, the combined total of nonimmigrant visa fees and reciprocal issuance fees will remain the same.

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