December 21, 2007

Effective January 1, 2008, the application processing fee for a U.S. nonimmigrant visa will increase from $100 to $131.  This is the first price increase for U.S. visa processing since 2002, despite many enhanced security procedures and technologies introduced over the past five years.

The increase in price reflects the real cost of processing each non-immigrant visa application, including new security checks and technology designed to make travel to the United States safer, such as new fingerprinting devices, facial-recognition software and other enhanced biometric security features.

“For over three years, the cost of processing each visa application has exceeded the fee of $100,” said U.S. Consul General William Howe. “This latest increase will finally reflect the actual costs of processing non-immigrant visas and making travel to the U.S. as safe and secure as possible for Indonesians.”
 
The U.S. Department of State is required by law to recover the cost of processing non-immigrant visas through the collection of this visa application fee. The application fee is paid at the time of the interview at the U.S. Embassy, and is non-refundable.    

In addition, the application fee for a U.S. immigrant visa (including diversity visas) will increase $20, from $335 to $355, effective January 1, 2008.  The fee accurately reflects the cost of enhanced biometric security features which have been added to the immigrant visa system.  Those applicants who paid the prior $335 application fee before January 1, 2008 will be processed without further payment even if they appear for an immigrant visa interview after January 1, 2008. 

October 2, 2007

The DV-2009 lottery has begun! Please see our Immigrant Visa Website for more information! 

October 2, 2007

The U.S. Embassy in Jakarta and the U.S. Consulate General in Surabaya are pleased to announce a new application procedure that will provide better customer service and more efficient processing of visa applications. Applicants for Non-Immigrant Visas to the United States may now schedule interview appointments using the Online Non-Immigrant Visa Appointment System. Use of the online appointment system will be mandatory beginning November 1, 2007 for all regular non-emergency situations.

The system provides improved customer service, including the benefit that applicants for Non-Immigrant Visas may now schedule interviews at the time most convenient for them.  Additionally, applicants outside of Jakarta or Surabaya will no longer need to make a long-distance phone call to schedule their appointments.  After scheduling an appointment online, an applicant will receive an immediate confirmation of the appointment which should be printed and brought to the interview.

The NIV Online Appointment System may be accessed by any computer with internet access. In addition to instructions in English, applicants may view translated instructions in Indonesian.

March 28, 2007

As of January 22, 2007, consular offices abroad were instructed to cease accepting certain immigrant visa petitions because consular officers lacked the means to perform the required criminal background checks on American citizen petitioners, as required by the Adam Walsh Act.

Subsequently, the Department of State and USCIS worked to develop a mechanism whereby USCIS will perform these required "Adam Walsh Act" checks for any petitions accepted abroad by consular officers.

Effective immediately, consular posts abroad will accept petitions for immediate relative immigrant classification from American citizens who are resident in their consular districts, including members of the armed forces, as well as true emergency cases, such as life and death or health and safety, and others determined to be in the national interest.

Examples of family emergency include minor children who would be unexpectedly left without a caretaker.

Examples of national interest include facilitating the travel of United States military and other USG direct hire employees assigned overseas who are pending transfer on orders and need to petition for immigrant classification of their spouse and minor children at posts overseas.

For more information, please contact us at jakconsul@state.gov.  

January 25, 2007

Recent legislation has led to changes in the procedures American citizens resident abroad will follow if they wish to sponsor an immediate relative (spouse, parent or minor child) for an immigrant visa. Effective immediately, the immediate relative petition (I-130) must be filed with the USCIS office responsible for the petitioner's place of residence (that is, the place of residence of the American citizen who is filing the petition). Consular offices at U.S. embassies and consulates are no longer authorized to accept I-130s, although they will continue to provide guidance to American citizen petitioners and their family members. Responsibility for acceptance and approval of immigrant visa petitions rests solely with USCIS.

American citizens should submit their I-130 at the CIS office responsible for their place of residence. This procedural change may result in a processing delay for some applicants. The Department of State recognizes and sincerely regrets the inconvenience this may cause.

October 4, 2006

As of October 16, 2006, applicants for non-immigrant visas must use the electronic visa application form. As of that date, hand written application forms are no longer accepted. You can find the electronic visa application form at http://evisaforms.state.gov.  We thank you for your cooperation.

October 4, 2006

The DV-2008 lottery has begun! Please see our Immigrant Visa Website for more information! 

August 16, 2006

Please see this page for information on new security measures to protect the aviation system in the United States.

August 16, 2006

The Embassy is proud to announce the launching of the Consular Section's new website. Keep posted to this page for other new information.