WASHINGTON — Even though the dollar is weak overseas, beginning in January most people will have to shell out more money for U.S. visas. The higher charges will help pay for increased processing costs caused by new security measures imposed after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

The State Department said last week it will raise application fees for tourist, business and student visas by 31 percent, from $100 to $131, and for immigrant visas by 6 percent, from $335 to $355, on Jan. 1.

The State Department is required by law to cover the cost of the additional procedures, including more complete fingerprinting of applicants, through the fees it charges. But since the last price bump in 2002, it has absorbed losses.

"We are now collecting 10 fingerprints from each applicant and the cost charged by the FBI to review those fingerprints no longer allows us to do this," according to the statement.

It addressed only nonimmigrant visas. But the department's Bureau of Consular Affairs confirmed later that immigrant visa fees also would go up Jan. 1 for the same reasons.

It was not immediately clear when the department would announce the higher fees for immigrant visa applications. Unlike tourist, business and student visas, these fees are paid to processing centers in the United States and not through U.S. embassies and consulates abroad.

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