[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 244 (Thursday, December 20, 2007)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 72243-72245]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-24646]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

22 CFR Part 22

RIN 1400-AC42
[Public Notice: 6035]


Schedule of Fees for Consular Services, Department of State and 
Overseas Embassies and Consulates

AGENCY: Department of State.

ACTION: Interim final rule.

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SUMMARY: This rule amends the Schedule of Fees for Consular Services. 
Specifically, it raises from $100 to $131 the fee charged for the 
processing of an application for a nonimmigrant visa (MRV) and Border 
Crossing Card (BCC) and increases the immigrant visa fee by $20.00. The 
Department of State is adjusting the fees as an emergency measure to 
ensure that sufficient resources are available to meet the costs of 
processing non-immigrant and immigrant visas in light of increased 
security measures put in place since 2004 and fee collection mandates 
on behalf of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

DATES: Effective date: This interim final rule becomes effective 
January 1, 2008.
    Comment date: The Department of State will accept written comments 
from interested persons up to February 29, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties may submit comments by any of the 
following methods:
     Persons with access to the Internet may view this notice 
and submit comments by going to the regulations.gov Web site at: http://www.regulations.gov/index.cfm.
     Mail (paper, disk, or CD-ROM): U.S. Department of State, 
Office of the Executive Director, Bureau of Consular Affairs, U.S. 
Department of State, Suite H1004, 2401 E Street, NW., Washington, DC 
20520.
     E-mail: [email protected]. You must include the RIN (1400-
AC42) in the subject line of your message.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Suzanne Inzerillo, Office of the 
Executive Director, Bureau of Consular Affairs, Department of State; 
phone: 202-663-3923, telefax: 202-663-2499; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

What Is the Authority for This Action?

    The majority of the Department of State's consular fees are 
established pursuant to the general user charges statute, 31 U.S.C. 
9701 (which directs that certain government services be self-sustaining 
to the extent possible), and/or title 22 U.S.C. 4219, which as 
implemented through Executive Order 10718 of June 27, 1957, authorizes 
the Secretary of State to establish fees to be charged for official 
services provided by U.S. embassies and consulates. In addition, a 
number of statutes address specific fees. A cost-based, nonimmigrant 
visa processing fee for the machine readable visa (MRV) and for a 
combined border crossing and nonimmigrant visa card (BCC) (see 22 CFR 
41.32) is authorized by section 140(a) of the Foreign Relations 
Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1994 and 1995, Public Law 103-236 
(April 30, 1994), as amended. Various statutes permit the Department to 
retain some of the consular fees it collects, including the MRV and 
MRV/BCC fees. Section 103 of the Enhanced Border Security and Visa 
Entry Reform Act of 2002, Public Law 107-173 (May 14, 2002), amended 
section 140(a) of Public Law 103-236 to permit the Department to retain 
all MRV fees until they are expended. Public Law 103-317 (FY 95 CJS 
Appropriation Act, 8 U.S.C. 1356 note) gives retention authority for an 
increase to IV fees ``caused by processing an applicant's 
fingerprints.''
    Consistent with OMB Circular A-25 guidelines, the Department 
conducted a Cost of Service Study (COSS) from January 2003 to June 2004 
to update the Schedule of Fees for Consular Services. The results of 
that study were the foundation of the current Schedule, which was 
published as a final rule on February 2, 2005, at Volume 70, No. 21 FR 
Doc. 05-1930. The Schedule went into effect on March 8, 2005. The $100 
MRV fee, however, was based on the previous COSS completed in 2002 and 
was not raised as a result of the 2004/2005 COSS, which indicated that 
the actual cost for MRV services was $107.32. The Department intends to 
initiate collection of the fee at the increased rate on January 1, 
2008. Furthermore, on January 1, 2008, the

[[Page 72244]]

FBI will begin charging the Department of State for fingerprint and 
name checks. The additional charges will cover the FBI fees, and the 
collection of 10 prints and systems related costs.
    The increase in the Immigration visa application fee is merely the 
sum of the fee that Department must remit to the FBI for each set of 
prints taken and the collection costs to the Department.

Why Is the Department Raising the MRV and BCC Fees to $131, and the 
Immigrant Visa Application Fee to $355 at This Time?

    The primary reason for increasing the fees is that in January 2008, 
the Department will begin paying fees to the FBI for checking the 
fingerprints against the FBI's Integrated Automated Fingerprint 
Identification System (IAFIS) and for running visa applicant names 
through Security Advisory Opinion (SAO) processes.
    In addition, the $100 MRV fee that went into effect on November 1, 
2002 was based on estimates of visa demand, taking the 2001 COSS as a 
baseline. The fee was calculated taking into account the costs of 
worldwide nonimmigrant visa operations, visa demand, and other related 
costs. The 2004 COSS subsequently determined that the MRV and BCC fees 
should be set at $107.32 based on revised costs and demand. However, in 
response to public comment and its own concern over the cost to the 
applicant, the Department of State determined that it would continue to 
charge $100 per applicant rather than the actual cost to the Department 
of $107.32.
    Because of the need for additional measures to enhance border 
security, however, the costs to the Department of processing non-
immigrant visas have since risen even further. The increased costs 
include the cost of collecting ten fingerprints from applicants at all 
visa processing locations and performing name checks on all applicants. 
Based on these increased costs, the Department has determined that an 
MRV and BCC fee of $131 will be required to recover the full cost of 
processing nonimmigrant visa applications during the anticipated period 
of the current Schedule of Fees. Failure to increase the fees at this 
time could jeopardize the Department's ability to continue critical 
programs, including the enhanced border security measures recently 
undertaken. Given the uncertainty with respect to actual applicant 
volume, the fee may need to be adjusted in the future.
    The FBI fingerprint fee will also be assessed in all immigrant visa 
cases. In order to recoup the Department's cost of collecting and 
providing the 10 fingerprints to the FBI as well as the FBI fee for the 
fingerprint check, the immigrant visa fee will increase by $20.00 to 
$355. Since the Department has the authority to retain fees, this 
increase will be used to pay the FBI fee and fund the department's 
associated collection costs.
    The estimated total increase in cost for nonimmigrant visa 
applicants is $310,000,000 ($31.00 per applicant, with an estimated 
10,000,000 applicants).
    The estimated total increase in cost for immigrant visa applicants 
is $14,000,000 ($20 per applicant, with an estimated 700,000 
applicants).

Regulatory Findings

Administrative Procedure Act

    The Department is publishing this rule as an interim final rule, 
with a 60-day provision for post-promulgation public comments, and with 
an effective date less than 30 days from the date of publication, based 
on the ``good cause'' exceptions set forth at 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B) and 
553(d)(3). Delaying implementation of this rule would be contrary to 
the public interest because failure to increase the fees on January 1 
would jeopardize the Department's ability to continue critical 
programs, including visa screening procedures that are necessary for 
national security. As explained above, the FBI will begin charging the 
Department a fee to process the fingerprints of visa applicants and to 
perform name checks of those applicants beginning January 1. The 
Department's ability to perform this screening is of vital public 
interest because it is an essential component of efforts to enhance the 
nation's border security.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The Department of State, in accordance with the Regulatory 
Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 605(b)), has reviewed this regulation and, by 
approving it, certifies that this rule will not have a significant 
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.

Unfunded Mandates Act of 1995

    This rule will not result in the expenditure by State, local and 
tribal governments, in the aggregate, or by the private sector, of $1 
million or more in any year and it will not significantly or uniquely 
affect small governments. Therefore, no actions were deemed necessary 
under the provisions of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995.

Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996

    This rule is not a major rule as defined by section 804 of the 
Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Act of 1996. This rule will not 
result in an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more; a 
major increase in costs or prices; or significant adverse effects on 
competition, employment, investment, productivity, innovation, or on 
the ability of United States-based companies to compete with foreign 
based companies in domestic and import markets.

Executive Order 12866

    OMB considers this rule to be a ``significant regulatory action'' 
under Executive Order 12866, section 3(f), Regulatory Planning and 
Review. Accordingly, this rule has been submitted to OMB for review.

Executive Order 13132

    This regulation will not have substantial direct effects on the 
States, on the relationship between the national government and the 
States, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities among the 
various levels of government. Therefore, in accordance with section 6 
of Executive Order 13132, it is determined that this rule does not have 
sufficient federalism implications to require consultations or warrant 
the preparation of a federalism summary impact statement.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    This rule does not impose any new reporting or recordkeeping 
requirements. It will affect OMB collection numbers 1405-0018 and 1405-
0015 by increasing the public cost burden.

List of Subjects in 22 CFR Part 22

    Consular services, Fees, Passports and visas.

0
Accordingly, 22 CFR part 22 is amended as follows:

PART 22--[AMENDED]

0
1. The authority citation for part 22 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 8 U.S.C. 1153 note, 1351, 1351 note; 10 U.S.C. 
2602(c); 22 U.S.C. 214, 2504(a), 4201, 4206, 4215, 4219; 31 U.S.C. 
9701; Pub. L. 105-277, 112 Stat. 2681 et seq.; Pub. L. 108-447, 118 
Stat. 2809 et seq.; E.O. 10718, 22 FR 4632, 3 CFR, 1954-1958 Comp., 
p. 382; E.O. 11295, 31 FR 10603, 3 CFR, 1966-1970 Comp., p. 570.


0
2. Section 22.1 is amended by:
0
a. Revising item No. 21(a) and (b), and item 32 to read as set forth 
below:
0
b. Removing item 35(f).

[[Page 72245]]

Sec.  22.1  Schedule of fees.

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                          Item No.                               Fee
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                              * * * * * * *
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                       Nonimmigrant Visa Services
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21. Nonimmigrant visa application and border crossing card
 processing fees (per person):
    (a) Nonimmigrant visa [21-MRV Processing]..............         $131
    (b) Border crossing card--10 year (age 15 and over) [22-         131
     131 BCC 10 Year]......................................
 
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                   Immigrant and Special Visa Services
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32. Immigrant visa application processing fee (per person)           355
 [31-IV Application].......................................
 
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    Dated: December 11, 2007.
Patrick Kennedy,
Under Secretary of State for Management, Department of State.
[FR Doc. E7-24646 Filed 12-19-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-06-P