Jamaicans Spend Billions On US Visa Application Fees This Year
The United States has been the “go to” destination for the majority of Jamaicans seeking a getaway for many years.
Because of this, many persons are willing to pay the US $160 application fee for a chance to enter the United States.
According to a report by The Gleaner, The United States (US) Embassy in Kingston has confirmed that Jamaicans spent a whopping US$25 million (which equates to roughly J$3 billion) this year on application fees for visas to enter that country.
That is nearly double the estimated J$1.5 billion secondary schools would pull in if every parent paid the controversial auxiliary fees.
According to Consul General at the US Embassy in Kingston Michael R. Schimmel, 159,000 visa applications were submitted to the entity. That represents the highest figure in two decades.
Schimmel also gave an explanation for how the money received for application fees is used.
“It’s a 10-year visa. If you travel once every 10 years to the US, each application would cost only US$16,” said Schimmel as he pointed out that the cost for the visa is computed by the General Accounting Office in the United States to cover the cost of the service.
“Everything collected goes back into border security. The consular fees goes straight back into border security to increase border protection,” added Schimmel.
Schimmel also noted that 30 per cent of visa applicants in 2014 were turned down compared to 35 per cent in 2015.
That means Jamaicans who were not granted a visa spent more than J$1 billion in application fees.
Source: The Gleaner