The Department of State has issued a press release with details of a proposed fee increase.  The fees would apply to all nonimmigrant visa applications and border crossing cards. 

Under the proposed rule, applicants for all visas that are not petition-based, including B1/B2 tourist and business visitor visas and all student and exchange-visitor visas, would pay a fee of $140. Applicants for petition-based visas would pay an application fee of $150. These categories include:

•  H visa for temporary workers and trainees
•  L visa for intracompany transferees
•  O visa for aliens with extraordinary ability
•  P visa for athletes, artists and entertainers
•  Q visa for international cultural exchange visitors
•  R visa for religious occupations

The application fee for K visas for fiancé(e)s of U.S. citizens would be $350.  The fee for E visas for treaty-traders and treaty-investors would be $390. 

The Department will not begin collecting the new proposed fees until it considers public comments and publishes a final rule.  In order to view the proposed rule and to submit comments, please go to www.regulations.gov.