[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 22 (Thursday, February 2, 2012)]
[Rules and Regulations]

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

AGENCY: Bureau of Consular Affairs, State.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This rule adopts as final the interim final rule published in
the Federal Register on June 28, 2010 (Public Notice 7068).
Specifically, the rule made changes to the Schedule of Fees for
Consular Services (Schedule) for a number of different fees. This rulemaking adopts as final the changes to these fees.

DATES: Effective February 2, 2012.

This rule establishes the following fees for the categories below,
as determined by the CoSM:

--Passport Book Application Services for Applicants Age 16 or Over
(including renewals): from $55 to $70
--Additional Passport Visa Pages: from $0 to $82
--Passport Book Security Surcharge (Enhanced Border Security Fee): from
$20 to $40
--File Search and Verification of U.S. Citizenship: from $60 to $150
--Application for Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the
United States: from $65 to $100
--Administrative Processing of Formal Renunciation of U.S. Citizenship:
from $0 to $450*
--Passport Card Application Services for Applicants Age 16 or Over
(including renewals): from $20 to $30
--Passport Card Application Services for Applicants Under Age 16: from
$10 to $15
--Making arrangements for a Deceased Non-U.S. Citizen Family Member:
from a charge of Consular time spent on the service, previously $265 an
hour plus expenses to $200 plus expenses
--Immigrant Visa Application for Immediate Relative and Family
Preference Applications: from $355 to $330
--Immigrant Visa Application for Employment-Based Applications: from
$355 to $720
--Immigrant Visa Application for Other Visa Classes: from $355 to $305
--Diversity Visa Program Fee: from $375 to $440
--Affidavit of Support Review (only when reviewed domestically): from
$70 to $88
--Determining Returning Resident Status: from $400 to $380
--Immigrant Visa Security Surcharge: from $45 to $74
--Providing Notarial Service: First service (seal): from $30 to $50
--Providing Notarial Service: Each additional seal: from $20 to $50
--Certification of a True Copy or That No Record of an Official File
Can be Located: First copy: from $30 to $50
--Certification of a True Copy or That No Record of an Official File
Can be Located: Each additional copy: from $20 to $50
--Provision of Documents, Certified Copies of Documents, and Other
Certifications by the Department of State (domestic): from $30 to $50
--Authentications (by posts abroad): from $30 to $50
--Processing Letters Rogatory and Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act 275
(FSIA) Judicial Assistance Cases: from $735 to $2,275
--Scheduling/Arranging Appointments for Depositions: from $475 to
$1,283
--Attending or Taking Depositions, or Executing Commissions to Take
Testimony: from $265 per hour plus expenses to $309 per hour plus
expenses
--Providing Seal and Certification of Depositions: from $70 to $415
--Consular Time Charges: from $265 to $231

Administrative processing of formal renunciation of U.S. citizenship was previously a no-fee service. Under the new fee structure, the renunciant must now pay a fee for this service. The
Department has decided that the renunciant should pay this fee at the
visit during which he or she swears the oath of renunciation. The
proposed and interim final rules referred to it as ``Documentation of
formal renunciation of U.S. citizenship,'' at Item 8 of their
respective reproductions of the Schedule of Fees. See 75 FR 36522,
36532; 75 FR 6321, 6328. This final rule makes a technical correction
to the title of the service, labeling it ``Administrative processing of
formal renunciation of U.S. citizenship.''
    Please note there are two additional clarifications the Department
of State is making in this final rule. First, the Immigrant Visa
application for employment-based applications is based on I-140 and I-
526 petitions and also includes investor visas. The interim final rule
incorrectly stated that employment-based visas are based on the I-140
petition only. Second, since publishing the interim final rule on June
28, 2010 (75 FR 36522), the Department reexamined the CoSM's inputs to
the Diversity Visa Lottery Fee. Upon reexamination, it was decided that
the present fee adequately accounts for the costs of processing the
immigrant visa application and enhanced security. The Department,
therefore, has decided it will not charge the separate Immigrant Visa
Application Processing Fee or Immigrant Visa Security Surcharge to

[[Page 5178]]

Diversity Visa Lottery selectee-applicants and will amend the Schedule
of Fees to so reflect.