The United States has rolled out a new policy introducing a mandatory $250 visa integrity fee for all non-immigrant travellers.
This charge, which allows no exemptions or waivers, is part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed during Trump’s administration.
According to the Managing Director of Programmes and Strategy at the American Immigration Council, Jorge Loweree, “Attaching an additional $250 fee has the very real potential to significantly reduce the number of people that can afford to do that.
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“There are hundreds of thousands of people who receive visas and permission from the Department of State to come to the U.S. every single month temporarily.”
The law also permits the Secretary of Homeland Security to increase the fee at any time if considered necessary.
Under the new regulation, the fee will be collected only after a visa is granted.
Applicants whose visa requests are denied will not be required to pay.
However, a refund is possible for individuals who fully comply with the conditions of their visa.
To qualify for reimbursement, travellers must avoid engaging in unauthorised employment, refrain from seeking to extend their stay, and leave the US within five days of their visa’s expiration.
Lawful permanent residents may also be eligible for refunds, though the specific process for claiming them has yet to be outlined.
This policy is expected to have the most impact on tourists, business travellers, and international students.
In addition to the visa integrity fee, the law introduces several other fee increases affecting foreign nationals. For instance, the cost of obtaining Form I-94—which documents the arrival and departure of foreign nationals—has risen.
While air and sea travellers typically receive the form electronically, those entering by land, who previously paid $6, will now pay $24 for each issuance. It remains uncertain which categories of land travellers will be affected by the adjustment.
Travellers from visa waiver countries using the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) will also face increased costs. The fee has been raised to a minimum of $13, with future adjustments to be tied to inflation.
The legislation further imposes higher charges on various immigration-related services.
Temporary Protected Status applications now cost $500, while initial Employment Authorisation Documents (EADs) are set at $550, with renewals priced at $275. Asylum seekers will pay a $100 annual fee.
Humanitarian parole applications now attract a $1,000 charge, and applicants seeking an EAD based on parole will pay $550 for the initial card and $275 for renewals.
In immigration court, the cost of adjusting status is now $1,500, with cancellation of removal set at $600. Most appeals and motions will now cost $900.
