The US Embassy yesterday announced an increase in the fees of machine-readable visas for most visitor visa classes from US$131 to US$140 so as to meet the increasing cost of processing non-immigrant visas.

The increase will take effect from June 4 and according to a press release from the embassy, persons who have already paid the old fee and have appointments on or after that date will be required to pay the difference at the embassy when they show up for their appointments.

The K (fiancé) visas have also been increased to US$350. Applicants are reminded that K visas fee will continue to be paid at the embassy and not at the Demerara Bank, the release added.

The change comes after a study, which was done in June 2009, determined that the cost of accepting, adjudicating and issuing non-immigrant visas will be greater in than US$131 in the fiscal year 2010 which began on October 1, 2009. The study, the release said, is standard for estimating the cost of government service.

Also, the release said, since the last fee increase in 2008, there have been new security-related costs, new IT systems have been put in place, and there is a new mandate from Congress to charge nonimmigrant visa applicants $1 to support programmes to combat trafficking in persons.