The Embassy of the United States of America in St Andrew yesterday announced several changes to its Consular Section's visa operations.

The visa fee remains at US$131 (J$10,087) but as of Monday, non-immigrant US visa applicants will have to pay an additional US$21 (J$1,655) to access the visa service.

Customer service

Speaking at a press conference at the Courtleigh Hotel in New Kingston, US Consular General, Edward Wehrli, said the new system is being implemented in a bid to improve the level of customer service now being offered by the department.

"We've been keenly aware for a long time that there's been a high level of disappointment with the ease of working a visa appointment," he said. "We do listen and we hear what the public has said."

Wehrli said the embassy had received several reports that the present visa-appointment system was vulnerable because some individuals were selling appointments.

No travel agency deals

However, he denied any deals with travel agencies to buy dates from the embassy in order to resell them to applicants.

While it was difficult for many applicants to schedule dates on the embassy's website, many travel agencies were charging customers up to $2,000 to book an appointment.

"I can say categorically no one had any special arrangements or facilities of any kind," he said. "If travel agencies were able to book appointments, they were like any other service provider who would keep an eye on the website and book an appointment on your behalf."

Wehrli said this was not prohibited.

US visa changes

Monday, November 17: National Commercial Bank will begin collecting the visa application fee of US$131 instead of Paymaster.

Wednesday, November 19: The US-based Computer Sciences Corporation will begin providing visa information and scheduling appointments through a pay-for-service telephone call centre staffed by operators. The corporation will also open a self-service website option at a slightly lower cost.

Wednesday, November 19: DHL will become the embassy's official courier company to deliver passports with visas to all successful applicants.

DHL will have a counter in the Consular Section waiting room where applicants will make arrangements for delivery of their passports.

How much will it cost?

The cost for the call centre option will be US$13 to obtain visa information and schedule an appointment for a non-immigrant visa interview.

The fee covers an eight-minute conversation and would allow an applicant to reschedule the appointment twice if necessary.

The 24-hour/seven-day-a-week self-service website will cost US$10 to obtain information and secure an online non-immigrant visa appointment.

DHL will deliver passports to applicants' addresses for US$8.50. Only one fee will be charged per family of up to five members.