Summary#
This bill lets the Department of State use certain passport and visa surcharges and some fraud-prevention fees to pay for consular services. It changes wording in the Passport Act to focus on "costs of providing consular services," allows transfers of unobligated fee balances into the Consular and Border Security Programs account, and adds a conforming change to a 2006 State Department authorities provision. It also directs the Secretary of State to pursue the goal that 80 percent of nonimmigrant visa applicants be interviewed within 3 weeks of application receipt, while allowing exceptions for security and resource needs.
What it means for you#
- If you apply for a nonimmigrant visa, the State Department is authorized to take steps aimed at reducing interview wait times. The bill sets a goal (not a guaranteed entitlement) that 80% of applicants be interviewed within 3 weeks.
- The Department may use certain collected surcharges and fraud-prevention fees to support consular work, including services and protection for U.S. citizens overseas.
- The bill allows some unspent fee balances to be moved into accounts that pay for consular operations, which could be used to staff or run consular services.
Expenses#
- The bill authorizes using existing passport and immigrant visa surcharges (from a 2005 appropriations provision) and fees from the Fraud Prevention and Detection Account for consular services.
- It also authorizes transferring unobligated balances from certain Department of State accounts to the Consular and Border Security Programs account.
- No publicly available information on total cost estimates, specific budgetary impacts, or new appropriations is included in the bill text or provided metadata.
Proponents' View#
No publicly available information.
Opponents' View#
No publicly available information.