Washington: The US State Department has announced that it will raise the fee charged for all non-immigrant US visas by more than 50 per cent to cover costs associated with increased security checks instituted after the September 11 terrorists attacks.

Effective November 1, the fee for non-immigrant visas will rise from $ 65 to $ 100, or 53.8 per cent, it said, citing a "critical revenue shortfall".

"This adjustment will bring the fee into line with the actual costs of administering non-immigrant visas services," the department said in a statement.

The current fee does not generate enough money to cover the cost of the new security procedures, which include additional screening, restrictions on the role non-us citizen embassy employees can play in visa processing and greater management oversight, it said.