The U.S. Department of State has increased certain nonimmigrant visa (NIV) application processing fees. These fee increases are effective as of May 30, 2023.

• The application fee for visitor visas for business or tourism (B1/B2s) and other non-petition based NIVs such as student and exchange visitor visas, has increased from $160 to $185.
• The application fee for certain petition-based nonimmigrant visas for temporary workers (H, L, O, P, Q, and R categories) has increased from $190 to $205.
• The application fee for a treaty trader, treaty investor, and treaty applicant in a specialty occupation (E category) has increased from $205 to $315.

Other consular fees remain the same, including the waiver of the two-year residency required fee for certain exchange visitors. Applicants who have already paid a visa application fee that is currently valid and non-expired, but who have not yet appeared for their visa interview or are waiting for their case to be processed, will not be charged any additional fees.

COVID-19 Vaccination

As of May 12, 2023, nonimmigrant travelers no longer need to show proof COVID-19 vaccination in order to board a flight to the United States.  Please see: The Biden-Harris Administration Will End COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements for Federal Employees, Contractors, International Travelers, Head Start Educators, and CMS-Certified Facilities | The White House

Apply for a Visa without an Interview

The following groups may qualify to apply for a visa without an interview (interview waiver):

• under 14 years old if one parent holds a visa
• 80 years and older
• anyone renewing the same type of visa that expired in the last four years or is still valid
• First-time applicants for petition-based employment visas or F, M or Academic J visas who have previously traveled to the United States on a visa or ESTA

To confirm whether you qualify for this option, please visit https://www.ustraveldocs.com/cz/cz-niv-visarenew.asp.  We strongly encourage applicants to use this option if they qualify.  If you qualify but refuse the interview waiver application, we will not grant an emergency appointment for an earlier interview.

Cases Refused 221(g) Under the Presidential Proclamations Rescinded Nov. 8

Cases refused under 221(g) solely due to the applicant’s presence in a country covered by a regional COVID proclamation may request that their case be reconsidered without submitting a new application or requiring a new payment of a MRV fee. If you would like a consular officer to reconsider your visa application, please send an email to consprague@state.gov. You must provide the date of your interview and your visa type (i.e. B1, J1).

A note to out-of-district applicants

If you travel from out of town to apply for a visa in Prague, please note that we will not prioritize your appointment or any follow up requirements due to a need to travel. We do not guarantee visa processing within any given timeframe.  Due to current circumstances, we may have to cancel appointments on short notice.

Please visit our Global Support Services (GSS) website for complete information on applying for a nonimmigrant U.S. visa, including a directory of nonimmigrant visa categories.

Uniting for Ukraine

On April 21, 2022, President Biden announced Uniting for Ukraine, a new streamlined process to provide Ukrainian citizens who have fled Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression opportunities to come to the United States. This represents a key step toward fulfilling the President’s commitment to welcome Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.  Visit this link for information on how to apply.