New Consular Fees in Effect on July 13, 2010

July 7, 2010

WASHINGTON - The Department of State published its Schedule of Fees for Consular Services in the Federal Register on June 28, 2010.  The schedule includes fees for passports, immigrant visas and other consular services. The changes will take effect on July 13, 15 days after publication in the Federal Register. Applicants with appointments on or after July 13, 2010 will be charged according to this new fee schedule. The revised fees 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.

The 27 adjusted fees are based on a Cost of Service Study completed by the Bureau of Consular Affairs in June 2009. The study, which was the most detailed and exhaustive ever conducted by the Department of State, established the true cost of providing these consular services, which by law must be recovered through collection of fees.

Under the new fee schedule, passport and other Consular fees are set as follows:

Passport and Citizenship Services:

• The passport fees for adults will change from US$ 100 to US$ 135.
• The passport application fee for minors will change from US$ 85 to US$ 105.
• The fee for adult passport renewals will change from US$ 75 to US$ 110.
• A new fee of US$ 82 for additional passport pages will be imposed.
• The fee for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad will change from US$ 65 to US$ 100.
• A new fee of US$ 450 is being established for documentation of formal renunciation of U.S. citizenship, which applies only to those persons who choose to take the Oath of Renunciation pursuant to Sec. 349(a)(5) INA.

Immigrant and Special Visa Services:

• The fee for immediate relative and family preference cases (processed on the basis of an I-130, I-600 or I-800 petition) will now be US$ 330.
• All other IV applications including self-petitions, special IVs, and Diversity Visas will cost US$ 305.
• The Diversity Visa (DV) fee (which is charged in addition to the application processing fee and security surcharge) will change from US$ 375 to US$ 440.
• The IV security surcharge - which must be collected from all IV applicants who are not fee-exempt - will increase from US$ 45 to US$ 74.
• The fee for determining returning resident status is decreasing from US$ 400 to US$ 380.

Documentary Services:

• Notarial and authentication services, which currently range from US$ 20 to US$ 30, will all be US$ 50.

Judicial Assistance Services:

• The fee for processing of letters rogatory will increase from US$ 735 to US$ 2,275.
• Fees for taking depositions and executing commissions to take testimony will change as follows:
  • scheduling/arranging appointments for depositions, from US$ 475 to US$ 1,283;
  • attending or taking depositions or executing commissions to take testimony, from the consular time charge of US$ 265/hour to US$ 309/hour plus expenses;
  • swearing in witnesses for telephone depositions and supervising telephone depositions, from the consular time charge of US$ 265/hour to US$ 231/hour;
  • providing seal and certification of depositions, from US$ 70 to US$ 415.

The Embassy accepts payment in U.S. dollars or the equivalent in Lempiras. Exact change is required. International credit cards (Visa, Master Card, American Express, Diners and Discover) are acceptable at the Embassy only (not at the Consular Agency in San Pedro Sula). Personal checks are not acceptable.