The United States has unveiled a substantial increase in fees for various non-immigrant visas, including the widely used H-1B, L-1, and EB-5 categories. This fee adjustment, the first since 2016, is set to take effect on April 1. The H-1B visa, crucial for US companies employing foreign workers in specialized fields, will see its application fee (form I-129) rise from USD 460 to USD 780. The H-1B registration fee will increase from USD 10 to USD 215, effective next year. The L-1 visa fee will jump from USD 460 to USD 1,385, and the EB-5 investor visa fee will surge from USD 3,675 to USD 11,160.
The H-1B visa is extensively utilized by technology companies, including many Indian professionals. The EB-5 program allows high-net-worth foreign investors to obtain a US visa by investing a minimum of USD 500,000 in a US business, creating jobs for American workers.
The fee adjustments and changes in forms and fee structures, as outlined by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), will result in net costs, benefits, and transfer payments, according to a federal notification issued on Wednesday.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) estimates annualized net costs to the public of USD 157,005,952 for the 10-year period from FY 2024 through FY 2033, discounted at three and seven percent. The total net costs over 10 years are projected to be USD 1,339,292,617 discounted at three percent and USD 1,102,744,106 discounted at seven percent.
DHS argues that these changes will reduce administrative burdens, decrease fee processing errors, and increase efficiency in the adjudicative process, providing benefits for both the government and applicants/petitioners seeking immigration benefits. The federal notification also mentions minor reductions in visa application fees for certain categories.
