8 U.S.C. § 1351 — Nonimmigrant visa fees

The Secretary of State^* must set the fees for preparing and checking visa applications by “nonimmigrants” from each foreign country and for issuing visas to those people. When practicable, for each foreign country, the fees must match the total of all similar visa, entry, residence^*, or other fees, taxes, and charges that the country imposes on United States nationals. This reciprocal rule applies to the country whose nationals or “stateless residents” the nonimmigrants are. This section does not define “nonimmigrant,” “foreign country,” “stateless residents,” or “similar fees, taxes, or charges.” Transit visas issued to “aliens” traveling to or from the United Nations headquarters district under the Headquarters Agreement must be free (“gratis”). This section does not define “alien^*,” “headquarters district,” “Headquarters Agreement,” or “gratis.” Subject to criteria the Secretary of State sets—including the person’s length of stay and the financial burden on the charitable organization^*—the Secretary must waive or reduce the application and issuance fee for a person coming to the United States mainly for, or to take part in activities related to, a charitable purpose involving health or nursing care, providing food or housing, job training, or another similar direct service^* or assistance to poor or otherwise needy people in the United States. This section does not define “charitable purpose,” “health or nursing care,” “job training,” “direct service or assistance,” or “poor or otherwise needy.”