NONIMMIGRANT VISA UNIT
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Application and issuance fees
• I withdrew my application for a visa. Can I get a refund?
• I paid the application fee, but decided not to apply. Can I get my money back?
• My application was refused. Why can’t I get a refund?
• How do I pay the issuance fee?
• Can I pay the application and issuance fee together?
• I paid the issuance fee via bankgiro. Can I get my money back?
• Why is the issuance fee more/less than my friend?
I withdrew my application for a visa. Can I get a refund?
No. The application fee is non-refundable. However, it is valid for a year from the day you paid the fee. If you want to apply for a visa within a year, you will not be required to pay the fee again.
I paid the application fee, but decided not to apply, can I get my money back?
Once you have paid the money in the bankgiro, it CANNOT be refunded, even if you subsequently decide for any reason whatsoever, not to apply.
My application was refused. Why can’t I get my money back?
The fee that you paid is an application fee. Everyone who applies for a U.S. visa anywhere in the world must pay this fee, which covers the cost of adjudicating your application. As the application form states, this fee is non-refundable regardless of whether you are issued a visa or not. If your application was refused under Section 214(b) and you choose to reapply for a visa, whether at this Embassy or elsewhere, you will be required to pay the application fee again.
Before I applied for the visa, I paid a fee into the bank. Why am I being asked to pay an additional fee?
All visa applicants are required to pay an application fee, which is charged to cover the costs involved in the processing of a visa application. However, nationals of certain countries are required to pay an issuance fee in order for the visa to be issued. The fees are based on reciprocity and reflect the fees charged by the applicant's government for a similar service to a U.S. citizen.
How do I pay the issuance fee?
The issuance fee should be paid in either cash or bank check. Please note that this issuance fee, unlike the processing fee, is NOT to be paid in advance by bankgiro. To determine whether your nationality is subject to a reciprocity fee, please check the chart found at http://travel.state.gov/reciprocity/index.htm
Can I pay the application and issuance fee together?
No. The application fee and issuance fee are separate fees. The application fee must be paid in advance via bankgiro 5452-8948, whilst the issuance fee must be paid by cash or bank check.
I paid the issuance fee via bankgiro. Can I get my money back?
No. Unfortunately, the Embassy cannot refund wrongly paid issuance fees.
Why is the issuance fee more/less than my friend?
Issuance fees are based on reciprocity and reflect the fees charged by your government for a similar service to an American citizen. Different governments charge different fees and this is reflected in the issuance fee which we are asking you to pay.
The fee schedules indicate that the validity period of the visa is three months. However, I will not be traveling to the U.S. within the next three months. What should I do?
You should delay applying for the visa until closer to your intended date of departure.
