When you apply for a USA visa in the US Embassy in the Philippines you're required to pay USD 100. not knowing if you'll be given or not given a VISA. is it reason enough, or they were just raising some cash from it?
2006-12-17 01:50:50 · 6 answers · asked by jon_yao 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Embassies & Consulates
When I was still In the Philippines, I used to be stunned by the amount of processing fee that the U.S. embassy impose upon visa applicants. A $100 fee is burdensome for an ordinary Filipino.
But as I live and stay in U.S. I begin to realize the reason behind the "dollar-peso" gap and the idea behind getting a U.S. visa.
First, if you are applying for a visa and planning to go on vacation to the U.S., you are expected to dole out some amount of money on your vacation - meaning, you can afford to pay for your flight, stay, and everything else when you're in U.S. - meaning, you have money to spend.
The $100 processing fee is used to cover labor and documentation (paper used, ink, stamp, legal fees, and storage) for a particular visa. Labor alone cost a lot - consul officer or consul specialist could probably be having an average hourly salary of $20, count in the other clerks, and officers to whom your documents are being routed. Legal documentation is not cheap, one document alone cost more than $100, since it's public or government document, reasonable price is set for visa. There are other cost related to the processing fee that will give you an idea that the $100 is reasonable enough.
Approved or not, the cost had already been incurred.
I hope that helps.
2006-12-17 08:05:36 · answer #1 · answered by Pinoy in Amerika 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Unfortunately, in requesting a visa, there are costs involved that need to be covered regarless if you get approved or not.
While I think $100 is a bit steep, arguing with a consulate you want a visa from would prove pointless!
2006-12-17 01:54:48 · answer #2 · answered by kimison_au 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋
It's either you pay or the American Tax payer pay the Visa clerks pay check. Embassies and Consulates help the host country greatly. They give so so so much to the host country. I don't know of one country giving the US money to improve agriculture or something like that.
2006-12-17 03:24:31 · answer #3 · answered by Charlie B 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you don't apply it doesn't cost you anything, right? After all, it's not like somebody out on the street drags you into the US embassy and forces you to apply for a visa.
Last time I checked, the line waiting to get into the US embassy out on Roxas Blvd. was a half mile long.
2006-12-17 03:50:43 · answer #4 · answered by Yak Rider 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Those are the rules bud.
Unfortunately, costs have risen due to security concerns.....it takes man hours and equipment to process visa requests.
But trust me.....it's worth the $100. ....Ya think we'd have such a long wait for citizenship or so many illegals sneaking in every day if this was such a bad place?
Pay the fee and stop whining.
*
2006-12-17 02:43:11 · answer #5 · answered by Joey Bagadonuts 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
No it isn't. But the world is an unjust place. My advice: dont apply, simple as that.
2006-12-17 02:00:55 · answer #6 · answered by faizan 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋