The United States of America has increased visa application fees for Kenyans seeking to travel to the US.
According to the new visa application fees, Kenyans will pay Sh. 25,160 for a visit visa application. This will be an increase from the current fees of Sh. 21,760.
“Visitor visas for business or tourism (B1/B2s) and other categories, such as student (F) and exchange visitor visas (J), will increase from $160 to $185,” the US embassy in Nairobi stated.
These visa fees might get even higher if the Kenya shilling depreciates further as they are based on US dollar rates.
Kenyans seeking to travel for work will have to pay Sh. 27,880 for a temporary work visa. This category of applicants has been paying Sh. 25,840.
“The fee for certain petition-based nonimmigrant visas for temporary workers (H, L, O, P, Q, and R categories) will increase from $190 to $205,” the embassy in Nairobi added.
Travelers paying for treaty applications will now pay Sh. 42,840 up from Sh. 27,880.
“The fee for a treaty trader, treaty investor, and treaty applicants in a specialty occupation (E category) will increase from $205 to $315.”
The new fees will come into effect from June 17, 2023.
According to the US embassy in Nairobi, Kenyans who have already paid the existing fees will not have to pay the difference once the fee increase is effected.
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“All NIV fee payments made on or after 1 October 2022 will be valid for 365 days. Receipts for NIV fees paid before 1 October 2022 will continue to be valid until 30 September 2023,” the embassy said in a statement.
“The Department of State works hard to keep the costs associated with visas to a minimum, and the Department only recovers the costs of providing these consular services.”