New Visa Integrity Fee Could Impact International Travelers
President Donald Trump’s economic blueprint, known as the “Big Beautiful Bill,” contains a provision that could significantly affect international tourism in the United States. This new policy, outlined in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, requires foreign visitors to pay a “visa integrity fee” upon entering the country. The measure has raised concerns among travel industry experts and stakeholders, especially given the challenges the sector has faced under Trump’s stringent immigration policies.
The visa integrity fee is set at $250 per visa during the U.S. fiscal year 2025, which runs from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025. However, the legislation gives the Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, the authority to adjust the fee as needed. After this period, the fee will be adjusted for inflation, according to the bill.
This new fee applies to nonimmigrant visa holders, including tourists, business travelers, and international students. Some travelers from countries like Australia, Japan, and several European nations may be exempt due to the Visa Waiver Program. Notably, the fee will only be charged once a visa is issued, so those who apply and are denied will not have to pay it. It is also an additional charge on top of existing visa fees and does not replace them.
For example, an H-1B worker who currently pays a $205 application fee may now face a total cost of $455 once the visa integrity fee is implemented. The fee will also be added to the “Form I-94 fee,” which was increased from $6 to $24 under Trump’s economic plan. This fee is required for anyone submitting a Form I-94, which is used to track arrivals and departures.
Travelers might be eligible for reimbursement if they meet certain conditions, such as not engaging in unauthorized employment or overstaying their visa by more than five days. However, the process for reimbursement remains unclear, with the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimating that it could take several years for the Department of State to implement a system for refunds.
Experts suggest that the fee should be considered nonrefundable. Steven A. Brown, a partner at the Houston-based immigration law firm Reddy Neumann Brown PC, advises clients to treat the fee as a “bonus” if they receive a refund, noting that government refunds are typically difficult to obtain.
The U.S. Travel Association has expressed uncertainty about how the fee will be collected. A spokesperson noted that while the bill directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to charge the fee, DHS does not oversee the visa application, issuance, or renewal process. This raises questions about where and when the fee will be collected.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told CNBC that implementing the visa integrity fee will require cross-agency coordination. The CBO has projected that the fee will generate significant revenue over the next decade, with an estimated increase of $28.9 billion in revenues and a reduction in the deficit from 2025 to 2034.
Despite these projections, many details about the implementation of the fee remain unresolved. As the policy moves forward, it will be crucial for travelers and industry professionals to stay informed about how the visa integrity fee will be applied and managed.
