Visa fee increase

[rosejosh 2]

I heard that there's an increase on visa fees and medical exam fees. When will it be effective? I'm planning to pay the visa fee but it's still $240.. Is that a problem or good news?

[AnnaMaria 68]

The new visa prices go into effect Sept 12th 2014.

It depends on how you feel about paying more money for your visa if it is good news or not, personally, we were hoping we would have to pay at least another $1000 in addition to all the fees we have paid so far. (Sarcasm)

[rosejosh 2]

It can't be. Hehe. So meaning if I pay on Monday, it is still $240?

[Ian H. 207]

You should be bound by the old fees, if you pay before the 12th. So, yes.

It can't be. Hehe. So meaning if I pay on Monday, it is still $240?

[SweetOpossum 55]

Hello,

I think this info is also helpful:

Important Notice - New Application Fees: Nonimmigrant and immigrant visa application fees for certain visa categories will change on September 12, 2014. All visa applicants must pay the fee amounts in effect on the day they pay, with the exception of Immigrant Visa application processing fees paid domestically to the National Visa Center (NVC), which will be effective as of the date of billing.

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.

Fees that will increase (nonimmigrant fees only): Visa fees paid will be accepted 90 days after the new fees go into effect, as follows:

• 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.
• If you paid your visa fee before September 12, 2014, and your 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.

*** Source: http://www.travel.st...fiance-k-1.html ***

I have my interview on September 12, and I already paid, I was worried I needed to pay the difference, but the information above made it clear to me that there was no need.

I heard that there's an increase on visa fees and medical exam fees. When will it be effective? I'm planning to pay the visa fee but it's still $240.. Is that a problem or good news?

[rosejosh 2]

I paid the visa fee earlier today. It's still $240

[dsldesch 27]

I'm not sure I understand which fees related to the K1 process are changing. Is the filing fee for the I-129f also changing? And how often do these fee changes occur? As I'm now preparing our initial petition, I'm not sure if I should expect future changes down the line (but it would be good to prepare for them, in case I need to set aside aditional funds above what I've expected so far).

[Darnell 8,479]

there are 2 fees. restudy the K-1 flowchart in the guides section.

[dsldesch 27]

there are 2 fees. restudy the K-1 flowchart in the guides section.

Thank you for your prompt response, Darnell, but I'm afraid it does not answer my questions. I have studied (and upon your suggestion,re-studied) the K1 flowchart, and nowhere on the page does it explicitly mention any fees (I even searched for the word "fee" after I couldn't find it, and it's not used on the page).

That being said, I do know there are two fees--filing fees for the I-129f and visa fees for the visa itself. That's why I asked if this fee increase will affect the filing fee for the I-129f. Based upon your assertion that there are two fees, I suspect it's safe to assume these increases will not affect the filing fee, am I correct?

My second question was more general: do fee increases happen regularly, and are they something I should plan ahead for?

[Pitaya 2,577]

Welcome to the forum.

Thank you for your prompt response, Darnell, but I'm afraid it does not answer my questions. I have studied (and upon your suggestion,re-studied) the K1 flowchart, and nowhere on the page does it explicitly mention any fees (I even searched for the word "fee" after I couldn't find it, and it's not used on the page).

That being said, I do know there are two fees--filing fees for the I-129f and visa fees for the visa itself. That's why I asked if this fee increase will affect the filing fee for the I-129f. Based upon your assertion that there are two fees, I suspect it's safe to assume these increases will not affect the filing fee, am I correct?

My second question was more general: do fee increases happen regularly, and are they something I should plan ahead for? In the three years on my visa journey I have seen fee increases and I have also seen fee decreases, with no apparent regularity. These programs are self-sufficient, depend on the fees for their main source of revenue.

For K1: The first fee is the visa petition fee payable to USCIS (around step 2 in the flowchart), the second fee is the visa application fee payable to the DOS (around step 9 in the flowchart). The recent fee increase pertains to the visa application fee. Uncle Darnell was perhaps being a bit too cryptic in his initial reply. Check out the DOS Nonimmigrant Visa for a Fiance(e) K-1 FAQs for more information about the K-1 Process and associated fees: http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/immigrate/types/family/fiance-k-1.html

Good luck on your immigration journey.

[rosejosh 2]

I'm not sure I understand which fees related to the K1 process are changing. Is the filing fee for the I-129f also changing? And how often do these fee changes occur? As I'm now preparing our initial petition, I'm not sure if I should expect future changes down the line (but it would be good to prepare for them, in case I need to set aside aditional funds above what I've expected so far).

Filing doesn't change I guess. Only the fee when your fiancé is working for an interview.