Recently, the Department of State published its Schedule of Fees for Consular Services in the Federal Register, announcing the revise of the consular fees including fees for passports, immigrant visas and other consular services. The revised fees will take effect in 301 overseas consular posts, 23 domestic passport agencies and other centers that provide these consular services to U.S. and foreign citizens from July 13, 2010.
In the schedule, 27 fees are adjusted, many of which are increased. And the revise is based on a Cost of Service Study conducted by the Bureau of Consular Affairs in June 2009, which is said to be detailed and exhaustive but true and well-calculated.
For a listing of fees for passport services and other ACS services, please see
http://beijing.usembassy-china.org.cn/new_fee.html
.
“The revise of the consular services fees may be a little abrupt, but not very surprising. And since the new schedule is made based on a detailed study, we should consider it as a reasonable and understandable adjustment in the background of inflation.” Commented Edward E, Lehman, Managing Director of Lehman, Lee & Xu.