With the US Department of State announcing an increase in non-immigrant visa fees, thousands of students are set to be impacted by the decision as they will have to pay 185 dollars now as opposed to 160 dollars from May 30, 2023.
"Effective May 30, 2023, the fee for visitor visas for business or tourism (B1/B2), and other non-petition based NIVs such as student and exchange visitor visas, will increase from $160 to $185,” said a statement by the US State Department.
Students believe cost increase an additional burden
According to students, the rise in fees, which translates to Rs 15,140, could add to an already expensive affair of studying in the US.
“I feel the increase in visa fees is not entirely fair as already I had to pay a lot for my university application fees. I paid anywhere between 60-100 dollars to different institutes for the same,” said Ashni Sundani, who is planning to pursue her Masters' at the University of California.
Though the United States is often considered one of the most popular study-abroad destinations for Indian students, with 1,25,000 study visas issued from the country in 2022, the rising cost of living has made many of them plan their budgets far in advance.
“I am looking at the increase in visa fees as just another additional cost that I have to deal with but it does affect my overall budget a bit since I have to consider charges attached to my accommodation, food, transport, and more in the US,” stated Nidhi Shetty, who is enrolling in a Master’s course in Industrial Engineering from the University of Buffalo.
Another student, Anusha Shah, echoed a similar point. “I am mentally prepared to shell out a lot more money as it’s expected that there will be a lot of obstacles when it comes to studying in the US,” added Shah.
Visa charges won’t be the deciding factor for studying in US
As Fall 2023 intake, which runs from August to December, nears, the US Consulate in Mumbai is prepping for a student visa session on April 14 for students with a valid I-20 form or US university admission letter.
While the increase in student visa fees could emerge as one of the major queries that students might have this Friday, experts believe the increase will not be a major deterrent for US-bound students.
“Considering the high education cost in the US, a mere increase of 25 dollars will not stop students from studying in the country as it does not make much of a difference in their overall expenses,” stated Ajay Sharma, President and Founder of Abhinav Immigration Services.
Increasing ‘interest’ in loans
Student loans are seen as financial aid to help individuals access higher education, a concept that is steadily gaining ground among Indian students.
The rise in fees for visas, university applications, and more could be a hurdle for students applying for loans unless they make a wise move.
“Although Indians have been going abroad to study for decades, student loans are a relatively new phenomenon. There is a proliferation of options, but Indian students would likely benefit from fixed-rate, dollar-denominated loans that can be issued without a cosigner or collateral,” explained Sasha Ramani, Director of Corporate Strategy, MPower Financing.
US authorities maintain procedure routine
Though the Free Press Journal is awaiting responses from the US Consulate in Mumbai on a set of questions sent by us, an official has asserted that the development is part of routine consular fee increases.
According to a release by the State Department, an Activity-Based Costing (ABC) methodology is used to calculate the cost of providing consular services, including visa services.
“Visas for work and tourism are essential to President Biden's foreign policy, and we recognise the critical role international travel plays for the U.S. economy,” the statement said.
The fees for most non-petition-based Non-Immigration Visas (NIVs) were last updated in 2012, and certain other NIV fees underwent the process in 2014.
