The U.S. State Department is increasing nonimmigrant visa application fees for the first time in about ten years. “Nonimmigrant” visas are for travelers to the United States for specific, time-limited purposes, such as business meetings, tourism, study, or employment. Common examples are B1 visas for business, B2 visas for tourism, E visas for persons engaged in trade or investment, H1B visas for specialty occupation workers, and L visas for intracompany transfers from overseas operations. Individuals pay the application fee when applying for visas at U.S. consulates and embassies around the world.
Here is a summary of the current and new fees:
B visitors for business or tourism: $160 to $185
F, M, J students and scholars: $160 to $185
H, L, O, P, Q, R temporary workers: $190 to $205
E investors and traders: $205 to $315
The State Department sets the fees based upon the cost of its services to process the visa. E visas typically involve extensive documentation and accordingly require significantly more time for the visa officer to review. That explains the larger increase in the E visa application fee.
If you pay the current fee before June 17, 2023, the fee will remain valid until the receipt expires.