What's New

U.S. Eliminates Visa Issuance Fee For Students, Reduces Issuance Fee for Other Visas Types, and Adjusts Consular Exchange Rate

Effective Saturday, October 11, 2003 the consular sections at the United States Embassy and Consulates General in India will no longer collect issuance fees for student, exchange visitor, transit and crewman visas issued to Indian nationals. Fees for issuing other visitor and business visas will drop from $75.00 per visa to $50.00 per visa. At the same time an adjustment to the consular exchange rate used will further reduce all rupee denominated costs of applying for visas and passports at the US Embassy and Consulates General.

It is important to note that the nonrefundable $100.00 nonimmigrant visa application fee is not being eliminated and must still be paid for ALL visa applications that currently require the payment of an application fee, including applications for student, exchange visitor, transit and crewman visas and most other nonimmigrant visa types.

In addition to the visa issuance fee changes, the U.S. consular sections are also adjusting the exchange rate used for consular transactions from Rs. 49 to Rs. 46 to the dollar. Effective October 11, the $100 visa application fee will require a bank draft in the amount of Rs 4,600 made out to the US Embassy or Consulate General where the person is applying. Applicants for visas that still require an issuance fee should also submit a second draft made out to the Embassy or Consulate General in the amount of Rs 2,300 to cover the $50 issuance fee. Applicants for student, exchange visitor, transit and crewman visas no longer need to submit this second bank draft. Please note that the exchange rate is subject to future change.

The October 11 adjustment in exchange rate will lower the rupee price of all consular transactions, including services for American citizens. U.S. passport applications for children under 16 will decrease to Rs 3,220, and adult passport renewal applications will cost Rs. 2530 while first time adult passport applicants will pay Rs 3,910. A single notary seal will cost Rs 1,380.

US law requires virtually all visa applicants to pay a non-refundable $100 application fee, but issuance fees are based solely on reciprocity. The fee reductions announced today are being made to bring US visa fees in line with the $150 visa fee charged to U.S. citizens by the Government of India. Since India does not charge more than $100 for student visas and the other visa types mentioned above we are able to eliminate the issuance fee for these visas.

Further information on U.S. visa and consular services is available on the Consulate website at
http://kolkata.usconsulate.gov.