The U.S. Department of State has embarked on a worldwide review of visa reciprocity arrangements.

Following the earlier changes made in reciprocity schedules for various countries, on January 31^st of this year the Department of State announced revisions for the Netherlands as well. The changes affect the applicable fees and validity period linked to certain U.S. visa types.

Based on the Immigration and Nationality Act, the U.S. Department of State sets country-specific visa policies in place that focus on number of admissions, validity and visa fees. Rather than being embedded in formal agreements between the United States and other countries, reciprocity is grounded on the requirements imposed by other countries on U.S. travelers in practice.  

In the world of immigration law, these reciprocity schedules play an important role. The implications for Dutch nationals looking to apply for certain U.S. visas are therefore significant. To read more on the specifics with regards to fee increases and validity changes, please visit the blog, written by our trusted U.S. immigration partner, Green & Spiegel.