New fees for US immigrant visa applicants starting Sept. 12

Filipinos applying for US non-immigrant visas may have to pay higher consular fees starting September 12, the US Embassy in Manila said Wednesday.

In an announcement on its website, the embassy said the State Department already published an interim final rule in the Federal Register regarding the fee changes last Aug. 28.

"For Immigrant Visa processing, the fees for family-sponsored immigrants and the domestic review of an Affidavit of Support will increase while all other immigrant and special visa processing fees will decrease," it said.

The fee for K or Fiancé(e) visas, a non-immigrant visa category processed by the Immigrant Visa Unit, will increase from $240 to $265, the embassy said.

Changes in new immigrant visa processing fees include:

- immediate relative and family preference applications: $230 to $325
- employment-based applications: $405 to $345
- other immigrant visa applications: $220 to $205
- determining returning resident status: $275 to $180
- waiver of two-year residency requirement: $215 to $120
- affidavit of support review, when reviewed domestically: $88 to $120

Medical exam fee increase starting Oct. 1

Meanwhile, the embassy said St. Luke’s Medical Center Extension Clinic (SLEC), the Embassy’s accredited medical facility, will increase the medical examination fee for adult applicants by US$22 starting Oct. 1.

"The new medical exam fees will be US$245 for adults. There is no increase of medical fees for children 14 years of age or younger. Fee will remain at US$185," it said.

It added the fees must be paid in Philippine pesos. The rate of exchange in determining the US dollar fees in pesos shall be the rate used by the embassy for collecting the consular fees.

Non-refundable

The embassy said fees that will decrease are not refundable.

"If you paid a visa fee before September 12, 2014 and that fee decreased, we cannot give you a refund," it said.

For fees that will increase (nonimmigrant fees only), visa fees paid will be accepted 90 days after the new fees go into effect.

"If you paid your visa fee before September 12, 2014, and your visa interview is on or before December 11, 2014, you do not have to pay the difference between the new and old fee amounts," it said.

But it added that if an applicant paid a visa fee before September 12, 2014, and the visa interview is on or after December 12, 2014, "you will be required to pay the difference between the old and new fee amounts – no exceptions." —Joel Locsin/KBK, GMA News

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