US announces massive hike in H-1B and other visa fees. Here’s all you need to know
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The Newz Radar
New Delhi: The United States has announced a steep hike in the fee for various categories of non-immigrant visas, including the H-1B, L-1 and EB-5. These visas, which are most popular among Indians, will affect thousands who apply every year.
As per a news agency report, the hike will come into force starting April 1st. Here’s all you need to know about the increased fee.
Starting April 1st, the application fee for an H-1B visa or form I-129 will be increased from the current USD 460 to USD 780 — a 69.5 per cent hike. Furthermore, the H-1B registration will be increased from USD 10 to USD 215, starting next year.
The fee for L-1 visas has been hiked from the current USD 460 to USD 1,385 — a 201 per cent hike. This non-immigrant visa category is designed for intra-company transferees and allows multinational companies to transfer certain employees from their foreign offices to work in the US temporarily.
Additionally, investor visas or EB-5 visas will soon cost USD 11,160, instead of the current USD 3,675 — a 203 per cent increase.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) argues that the final rule changes will bring several benefits, including reduced administrative burdens and fee processing errors for the government. It is expected to enhance efficiency in the adjudicative process and enable a better assessment of the cost of providing services, allowing for better-aligned fees in future regulations.
In its federal notification, the DHS said fee adjustments, as well as changes to the forms and fee structures used by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), will result in net costs, benefits, and transfer payments.
The estimated annualised net costs to the public over the 10 years (FY 2024 through FY 2033) are projected to be USD 157,005,952, discounted at three and seven per cent. The total net costs over a decade are estimated at USD 1,339,292,617 discounted at three per cent and USD 1,102,744,106 discounted at seven per cent.
Applicants and petitioners seeking immigration benefits will also reportedly experience benefits, including reduced fee processing errors, increased efficiency in the adjudicative process, simplification of the fee payment process for some forms, elimination of the USD 30 returned check fee, and, for many applicants, limited fee increases and additional fee exemptions to reduce financial burdens. The federal notification also notes minor reductions in visa application fees in several categories.
