US introduces $250 'visa integrity fee' for all international visitors

A new policy introduced under a domestic policy bill signed during the Trump administration will require international visitors to pay a $250 “visa integrity fee” in addition to existing visa application costs, CNN reported.

The fee will apply to all travelers requiring nonimmigrant visas to enter the United States.

It includes tourists, business travelers, international students, and other temporary visitors.

According to the US State Department, nearly 11 million nonimmigrant visas were issued in fiscal year 2024.

Travelers from countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program, such as Australia and most of Europe, will remain exempt for short visits of 90 days or less.

The fee must be paid when a visa is issued, and no waivers will be granted. However, travelers who comply with all visa conditions may be eligible for a refund once their visit concludes. The process for reimbursement has not yet been clarified.

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Immigration attorney Steven A Brown, a partner at Reddy Neumann Brown PC, described the new fee as a type of “refundable security deposit.”

“Generally, immigration fees are to cover the expense of adjudication or issuance,” but the inclusion of a reimbursement clause complicates that purpose, Brown was quoted as saying.

“In a perfect world, there would be no overstays or visa violations.”

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which is responsible for implementing the policy, has yet to release detailed guidance on how the fee will be processed or refunded.

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“The visa integrity fee requires cross-agency coordination before implementation,” a DHS spokesperson said.

The State Department said that the fee supports its goals, including immigration enforcement, reducing visa overstays, and funding border security. Unclaimed fees will be directed to the US Treasury’s general fund, according to the policy language.

For fiscal year 2025, the fee is set at either $250 or a higher amount as determined by DHS.