Consulate Announces Change to Visa Issuance Fee
Posted Apr 10, 2000
As readers of the MurthyBulletin may be aware, visa applications generally involve two separate fees.
The visa-processing fee (formerly known as the machine readable visa or MRV fee) of $45 or the foreign currency equivalent is a non-refundable fee. Visa applicants from all countries are required to pay the visa-processing fee.
If the visa is actually issued, applicants may also be required to pay a visa issuance fee. Visa issuance fee amounts are set by reciprocity, meaning that a visa applicant pays the amount that the person's country would charge a U.S. citizen who applies for a similar visa in that country. One result of this reciprocity system has been that persons from some countries pay no visa issuance fee at all, while persons from other countries, including India, pay a considerable fee.
The visa issuance fee for Indian citizens in many non-immigrant categories such as the H-1, B-1, B-2 and F-1, to name a few examples, had been $100 for a regular multiple entry visa valid up to the maximum time allowed (duration varies depending upon category). For a visa with a shorter validity period, the applicant paid less: $25 for a six-month validity visa or $50 for a one-year visa. (Note that these validity periods are for the visa only; the allowed period of stay is determined by the INS Inspector at the port of entry upon arrival in the United States.)
The U.S. Consulate in Chennai, India (formerly Madras) has now changed and simplified the visa issuance fee structure, effective from April 15, 2000. The fee, when paid in Rupees in India will be Rs. 3300, regardless of type of visa or its validity period. The Consulate has commented that they expect that many applicants will now be paying less than before. Payments are to be made by demand draft, payable to the American Consulate General in Chennai. Note that the new fee structure is effective from April 15, 2000.
The visa processing fee or the previous MRV fee, which is Rs.1980 remains unchanged and must be paid by a separate demand draft.
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