The newly required US visa integrity fee applies to “any alien issued a nonimmigrant visa at the time of such issuance,” according to the proposed act. The fee must be paid in addition to any other fee authorized by law. The current cost is set at $250, although it may be adjusted upward and will be adjusted for inflation. The fee is refundable at the end of the visa term if the visa holder has fulfilled all US immigration rules. Perhaps this could become a new opportunity for bail bond agencies?
It will get costly for a visitor to consider the United States as a travel destination, and it can be risky, even more so now.
Every citizen of a country not part of the U.S. visa waiver program, including any citizen who has traveled to Iran or other blacklisted countries and wishes to visit the United States, must pay a fee of US$185.00 per applicant, including children, when applying. The U.S Department of State does not issue visa application fee refunds for those applications that are denied.
In a new development, and amid a sharp decline in international tourism arrivals, the Trump administration is not making it easier, but rather more costly and risky for foreigners to enjoy the privilege of spending money in “the land of the free.”
The new fee aims to restore integrity to the U.S. immigration system. Visitors to the United States will be required to pay a “visa integrity fee” under a new law.
The fee is comparable to a bail bond, which is at least $250, in addition to other visa fees, and is refundable at the end of the visa term, provided the traveler didn’t overstay their visa and didn’t break any other rules while visiting the U.S. The fee will be charged once a tourist or business visa is approved.
The One Big Beautiful Bill also raised the mandatory Form I-94 fee for foreigners from $6 to $24.
For a family of four from Montenegro, India, Saudi Arabia, Peru, Colombia, Jamaica, and almost anywhere in the world, the cost before even setting foot on American soil is $1,836.00. Even after paying this fee, the final decision on whether a visitor is accepted into the country rests with the US immigration officer, who asks some tough questions upon arrival at a US airport after a long overseas flight.
It appears that U.S. tourism promotional agencies, such as Brand USA and US Travel, are once again silent due to concerns about their own sharply reduced funding by the U.S. government.
While it could be assumed for certain that those that are trying to mislead a US consulate to obtain a non immigrant visa with the purpose to immigrant would calculate a $250 fee if succesfull, a legitimate visitor on a budget would not and devert to Canada or another destination.
The fee may not only hurt the US visitors industry, but also Caribbean nation, or nations in Central and South America that rely on international visitors to connect through a US airport. The U.S. is one of the few countries in the world where passengers in transit between nations need to obtain a visa.
No formal start date has been announced to begin the collection of the “visa integrity fee.” Starting in 2026, the $250 price could increase to account for inflation.
This development is not only regrettable, but it will make the U.S. an even less desirable future travel destination, putting millions of hard-working professionals in hotels, DMCs, tour guides, shops, and transportation in a tough spot.
At the recently concluded Destination International annual conference in Chicago, US destinations are very concerned and have no recourse to turn to anyone to avoid an overprotective immigration system that has gone out of line.
