A new ‘visa integrity fee’ adds a $250 cost for nonimmigrants entering the United States. The new visa fee applies to all nonimmigrant visa holders from specific countries. Travelers will pay the new fee in addition to existing visa fees. There’s no information regarding when the new fee goes into effect.
Nonimmigrant travelers from the following countries will need to pay the visa integrity fee:
- China
- India
- Mexico
- Brazil
- South Africa
- The Philippines
This applies to all business travelers, tourists, and international students. Nonimmigrant travelers from countries included in the visa waiver program will not be required to pay the fee. However, the application fee for the Electronic System for Travel Authorization is increasing from $21 to $40.
The new visa fee is part of a bill signed into law on July 4, 2025. However, the bill didn’t contain any information on when the visa would go into effect. There hasn’t been any new information since.
The fee may be refundable when the visitor’s visa expires. However, travelers must comply with multiple stipulations. These stipulations include leaving within five days of the preapproved departure date and not accepting unauthorized employment. The DHS and the State Department will oversee the refund process.
The new visa fee coincides with a decline in international travel. International visits to the U.S. dropped three and a half percent in the past six months. Despite the decline, the new fee will generate $29 billion in revenue through the 2034 fiscal year.
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