Getting or not getting a visa for any reason whatsoever is not as important as the exploitation of the innocent visa seekers that has become the hallmark of most of the so-called countries of the First World. In earlier days, the nominal visa fee was charged only when the passport-holder was approved for granting visa.
However, in recent years it has been observed, that visa fee (now highly exorbitant) is taken in advance with no chance of a refund on refusal. Below are the latest conditions that are posted on the UK High Commission's website (http://ukinpakistan.fco.gov.uk/en/visiting-uk/visas) for payment process:
How to pay
Applicants may pay by Demand Draft made payable to "British High Commission Islamabad" or in cash at the bank counter in the Visa Application Centres.
Fees for dependants: Dependants are charged the same fee as the main applicant unless otherwise stated. All dependants who are travelling must pay the fee whether or not they are included in the main applicant's passport.
Refunds: Your visa application fee will be refunded only if the application is withdrawn in writing prior to any processing taking place or if your biometric information has not been taken.
Refunds will not be given if your application is refused or if a long term visit visa is granted for less than the period applied for.
These fees are effective for all visa applications made from 09th May 2012. The consular rate of exchange is 152 Rupees [PKR] to £1.
And in the case of USA as taken from their website http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1263.html
Coming to the US Temporarily - Non-immigrant Visa Services
Non-immigrant visa application processing fees are tiered, as shown below, based on the visa category you apply for.
Notice: Every visa applicant must pay the visa application processing fee for the visa category being applied for, unless the application fee is not required, as listed below.
Description of Service and Fee Amount (All fees = $ in US currency)
Nonimmigrant visa application processing fee (non-refundable) for all categories below:
Non-petition-based non-immigrant visa (except E): $160:00
Since exchange rate of US dollar and Pak rupee is subject to fluctuation, $160 approximately amounts to PKR 15,520 at the rate of Rs 97 per 1 US $.
A, green card holder widow, over 60 years applied for a five-year term visit visa to UK, paying a hefty sum of more than Rs 50,000. One of us had personally helped her in filling the forms and know for certain that the woman's bank balance was less than Rs 1 million so this amount was of immense value to her. Her USA citizenship interview was due, so she just wanted to pay a visit to her son, who is a British national, on her way to USA. In a totally surprise move, the UK High Commission refused to give her the visa which not only left the lady highly disappointed but she felt robbed by the loss of her money. The irony is that with her new American passport she will never have to apply for a British visa again.
This implies that a person would have to pay the requisite amount of fee whether or not his visa is approved. In case of approval there is no loss but where visa is refused the entire money is lost. This shows an extremely appalling attitude of these civilised (sic) countries towards the poor folk of the Third World countries - it is blatantly exploitative. They have made issuance of visas a profitable business venture knowing very well that they are in high demand. In the name of visa processing, the huge non-refundable amounts they collect from visa-seekers are perhaps sufficient for them to run their entire operations in Pakistan. Being one of the two leading countries of the world, both the UK and the US should have had the grace to keep a small amount as non-refundable visa processing fee and the remaining fee in accordance with the tiers and type of visas could be taken after approval. Such an act would have helped save hard-earned money of those innumerable people who apply with great hopes, pouring out their life-long savings or taking loans and then face dejection on refusal by ordinary visa officers of these embassies.
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CATEGORY / Type / Description Fee Rupees[PKR]
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VISIT
General Visitor
Short term visit [up to six months, single or multiple entry] 11,850
Longer term visit - up to 2 years 41,050
Longer term visit - up to 5 years 75,400
Longer term visit - up to 10 years 108,850
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