US Embassy Postpones Hiking Of Visa Fees For 18 Days
In a notice, the embassy revealed that the new changes would be enforced from Saturday, June 17.
Marvin Chege 
The United States (US) Embassy in Nairobi on Friday, June 2 postponed the updating of the fee structure for different categories of Visa applications.
In a notice, the embassy revealed that the new changes would be enforced from Saturday, June 17.
President Joe Biden's administration extended the commencement date by 18 days after they were initially meant to commence on Tuesday, May 30 for specific non-immigrants.
An image of a US visa application. /FILE
"Kindly be advised that the planned worldwide increase in U.S. visitor fees has been postponed until June 17, 2023," the embassy noted.
The embassy however did not reveal the reasons behind postponing the increase in visa processing fees. Among those affected by the changes published on Wednesday, May 3, included, temporary workers, students, tourists and investors.
In line with President Biden's foreign policy, 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 (Ksh21,800 to Ksh25,206) from June 17.
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 (Ksh25,887 to Ksh27,931)
The fee for a treaty trader, treaty investor, and treaty applicant in a speciality occupation (E category) will increase from $205 to $315 (Ksh27,931 to Ksh42,918).
"Individuals who already paid the existing, lower NIV fee will not have to pay the difference once the fee increases on May 30, 2023," the US Embassy stated in part.
All non-immigrant visa fee payments made on or after October 1, 2022, are valid for 365 days. Furthermore, receipts for non-immigrant fees paid prior to October 1, 2022, will continue to be valid until September 30, 2023.
Despite the visa fee hike for some specific travellers, the US Embassy expressed its commitment to expedite the approval from the application process of Kenyans applying for visas.
"U.S. Embassy in Nairobi continues its concerted efforts to meet the demand for visa services. Additional information on the fee increase can be found on the Bureau of Consular Affairs website, travel.state.gov, and on the U.S. Embassy Nairobi webpage, https://ke.usembassy.gov/visas/." added the embassy.
On September 16, 2022, the embassy announced that it changed the requirements for non-immigrants applying for Visa renewals. That is, those applying for a tourist, business, student and crew visa renewal will be exempted from taking interviews in the changes.
