US Visa Reciprocity Changes to Fees & Validity Periods
The United States Department of State (DOS) recently made a number of significant changes to visa validity periods and application fees affecting Australian and French citizens.
Australian nationals
The E-1 and the E-2 reciprocity fee for Australian nationals was increased from $105.00 to $3,574.00.
Additionally, the H-1B/H-4 reciprocity fee increased from $105.00 to $1,295.00 and the L-1/L-2 reciprocity fee increased from $105.00 to $1,790.00.
The maximum validity period for the L-1/L-2 visa was shortened from 60 months to 48 months.
French nationals
The validity periods for the L-1/L-2, E-1 and E-2 visas for citizens of France have been shortened.
For French citizens, the maximum validity period of an L-1/L-2 visa is now 17 months, and the maximum validity period of an E-1 and E-2 visa is 25 months.
The H-1B/H-4 visa fee for French citizens has increased to $480.00.
Other countries that have recently undergone reciprocity fee and/or visa validity periods updates include: Andorra, Spain, Bahrain, Bulgaria, Argentina, Belgium, Norway, Chile, Malta, Mauritania, Guinea Bissau, Madagascar, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Austria.
If you have any queries about the changes and the impact on your US immigration application, speak to our US immigration specialists.
Last updated: February 16, 2020
Author
Founder & Principal Attorney Nita Nicole Upadhye is a recognized leader in the field of US business immigration law, (The Legal 500, Who's Who Legal and AILA) and an experienced and trusted advisor to large multinational corporates through to SMEs. She provides strategic immigration advice and specialist application support to corporations and professionals, entrepreneurs, investors, artists, actors and athletes from across the globe to meet their US-bound talent mobility needs.
Nita is an active public speaker, thought leader, immigration commentator, and immigration policy contributor and regularly hosts training sessions for employers and HR professionals.
