USCIS Launches Immigration Inquiry Mailbox for Canadians
WASHINGTON— U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today announced the creation of a general inquiry mailbox for customers in Canada. Currently Canadians cannot access the National Customer Service Center through the 1-800 number to ask about general immigration questions. Canadian customers may now inquire about general immigration information at USCIS.Canada@dhs.gov in addition to obtaining immigration information at www.uscis.gov.

The creation of this mailbox signifies a major step in USCIS’ outreach to Canadians since the dissolution of the Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS) Ottawa office in 2003. ¬For more information on USCIS and its programs, visit www.uscis.gov.

Visas

Important notice
Beginning October 22, 2008, all applicants applying for nonimmigrant visas in Montreal and Vancouver must use the new DS-160 application form, which is accessible on https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/.

After completing the new DS-160, the applicant will electronically submit the application and will be providedwith a confirmation page that includes only limited biographical information and a bar code. Applicants must bring this confirmation page with them to their interview. Please note: if the online application has not been completed fully and properly the applicant’s case cannot be processed and a new interview appointment will be required.

This first pilot version of the DS-160 will only be available in English. Future versions will allow the user to see translations of the site in other languages, including French.

Application Fees for Non-Immigrant Visas to Increase on January 1, 2008
OTTAWA – The U.S. Embassy would like to inform the traveling public that effective January 1, 2008, the application fee for a U.S. non-immigrant visa will increase from US$100 to US$131. This increase allows the U.S. State Department to recover the costs of security and other enhancements to the non-immigrant visa application process. This increase applies both to non-immigrant visas in passports and to border crossing cards issued to certain applicants in Mexico.

Applicants who paid the prior US$100 application fee before January 1 will be processed only if they are scheduled and appear for a visa interview before January 31. Applicants who paid the prior US$100 application fee and appear for visa interviews after January 31, 2008 must pay the difference - US$31 - before they will be interviewed.

The State Department is required by U.S. law to recover the cost of processing non-immigrant visas. The application fee has increased twice since 9/11, the last time in 2002.

Expedited Non-Immigrant Visa Appointments
Applying for a visa
Visa Wait Times
Visa Waiver Program
Canadian Citizens
Border Comments or Complaints