BEGINNING June 4, the U.S. Embassy in Georgetown, along with all U.S Embassies worldwide, will increase the Machine-Readable Visa (MRV) fees to ensure sufficient resources meet the increasing cost of processing nonimmigrant visas (NIVs).  The new MRV fee for most visitor visa classes will be $28,000 ($140); for K (fiancé) visas the fee will now be $70,000 ($350).   Applicants are also reminded that all K visa fees will continue to be payable at the embassy and not Demerara Bank.
The Department of State, under which the U.S. Embassy in Georgetown lies, is required by law to recover the cost of processing nonimmigrant visas through the collection of the MRV fee.  Periodically, independent contractors conduct a Cost of Service Study to determine direct and indirect costs to the U.S. Government of providing consular services, such as nonimmigrant visa processing. Such a study was completed in June 2009 using an activity-based costing model, which is standard for estimating the cost of government services.
The study determined that the cost of accepting, adjudicating, and issuing nonimmigrant visas will be greater than $131 in Fiscal Year 2010, which began October 1, 2009.  Also, since the last fee increase in 2008, there have been new security-related costs, new IT systems have been put in place, and there is a new mandate from Congress to charge nonimmigrant visa applicants $1 to support programs to combat trafficking in persons.
Applicants who have already paid the old fee of $26,200 ($131) will need to pay the $1,800 ($9) difference at the Embassy when they come for their appointment, if the appointment is on or after June 4.  
(US Embassy release)