who applies for a US visa from Monday.

And "indefinite'' US visas will no longer be granted.

US Consul Mr. Edmund Leather said the fee, required by the US State Department, was to pay for the more secure machine-readable visas the office has been issuing.

The US Government has also decided to require each visa applicant to supply a passport photo, Mr. Leather said.

The changes come after the World Trade Centre bombing last year.

Mr. Leather said those holding "indefinite visas'' will now have to renew them ten years from the date they were issued.

Regular US visas will also be valid for a 10-year period.

Most Bermudians travel to the US without a visa. But some seek them to travel onward from the US or to make their entry to the US from a third country easier.

STEVEDORES SIGN NEW CONTRACT UNS Stevedores sign new contract Unionised portworkers have managed to overcome past discord with management this year, signing a new collective agreement with Stevedoring Services on Wednesday -- 16 days before the expiration date of their old one.

The new agreement is for two years and gives Bermuda Industrial Union portworkers a wage increase of 3.25 percent in the first year and an average of 3.12 percent in the second year. The news was announced in a joint press release signed by operations manager Mr. Stephen Copeland and the BIU's new chief negotiator Mr. Chris Furbert, a stevedore himself.

It came two days after Labour Minister the Hon. J. Irving Pearman announced his decision to send the BIU hotels division contract dispute before the Essential Industries Disputes Settlement Board once again.

Unionised hotel workers have voted to strike if a "speedy and equitable solution'' was not reached.

FORBES APPEAL ADOURNED COA Forbes appeal adourned Grant Forbes had his appeal adjourned to the next Appeal Court session in June after his hearing did not go ahead yesterday.

Forbes, 24, of the Railway Trail, Sandys, is the son of Deputy Police Commissioner Mr. Alex Forbes. He is appealing his conviction for wounding Derrick Seymour with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm on July 4, 1993.

His appeal is expected to go ahead on June 5 or 6, 1995.

JOBS FAIR ON MIL Jobs Fair on The US Naval Air Station is holding a Job Fair on Monday and Tuesday to help locally-hired civilian employees find new jobs.

The Base is scheduled to close on September 1.

Businesses who attend can meet about 75 civilian employees "from highly-skilled trades and craft fields as well as administrative and technical backgrounds,'' the Navy said yesterday in a news release.

The fair begins at 8 a.m. on Monday with a ribbon cutting by Capt. Tim Bryan, the Base's Commanding Officer. It continues through Tuesday at the Navy's Bermuda Triangle Club.

The loss of Base jobs is "an extremely difficult and traumatic experience for Bermudians,'' Capt. Bryan said. "The Job Fair is a crucial component of the US Navy's departure from Bermuda,'' he said. It would help move "displaced workers into productive, rewarding jobs in other sectors of the Bermuda economy.'' Anyone who wants more information is asked to contact Mrs. Bettye Martin at the Navy's human resources department. The telephone number is 293-5429.

WOMAN DENIES IMPORTING DRUGS CTS Woman denies importing drugs A 24-year-old woman pleaded not guilty in Magistrates' Court on Wednesday to importing more than $100,000 in cocaine last month and possessing it with intent to supply.

Lisa Deborah James was released by Senior Magistrate the Wor. Will Francis on $2,500 bail but ordered to surrender her passport.

The drugs have an estimated street value of $136,000, Crown Counsel Mr. Peter DeJulio said. The crimes were alleged to have occurred on February 19.