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Get Ready To Shell Out More For A U.S. Passport

July 2, 2010: Americans who have yet to apply for a U.S. passport had better hurry up and do so. The U.S. State Department intends to raise the fees for new passports from $100 to $135 beginning July 13th.

Nationals and naturalized residents under 16 will pay $105, up from $85. The State Department says the higher fees stem from a study of how much it costs the Bureau of Consular Affairs to provide services. And it added that the new fee scale will `cover actual operating expenses for the 301 overseas consular posts, 23 domestic passport agencies and other centers that provide these consular services to U.S. and foreign citizens.`

Passport cards, which can be used by Americans traveling by land or sea on trips to the non-U.S. parts of the Caribbean, Canada and Mexico will also cost more. The card will now cost $55 for an adult, up from $45 and $40 for a minor, up from $35.

Those frequent travelers seeking to add more pages to an existing passport for visas and stamps by immigration officers will also be hit by a new charge of $82.

Under U.S. travel rules, Americans seeking to re-enter the U.S. from travel abroad must have a valid passport.

Meanwhile, immigrants seeking visas to enter the U.S. will also be hit by an increase in charges. Employment based visas will increase from $355 to a whopping $720 and those looking to pick up their diversity visas will have to pay a $440 surcharge, up from $375.

A non-immigrant visa or a visitor`s visa will now cost $140 while an E or treaty investor visa has been increased to $390, up from a mere $131. K visa recipients or those with fiancé (e) visas`, will also have to shell out a whopping $350, up from $131.

Those in the H, L, O, P and R categories will see their fees increase from $131 to $150. H, O and L visas are for mainly skilled migrants allowed to work in the U.S. while P visas are for athletes and sports men and women and R visas are for religious workers.

Interestingly, family based visa rates have been lowered, down from $355 to $330. - CaribWorldNews

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