The United States will begin imposing a new “visa integrity fee” of at least $250 on international visitors, in addition to existing visa application charges. This measure is outlined in a recently passed domestic policy bill from the Trump administration.
This fee will apply to all travelers requiring nonimmigrant visas to enter the US, including tourists, business travelers, international students, and other temporary visitors. According to the State Department, approximately 11 million nonimmigrant visas were issued in fiscal year 2024.
Travelers from Visa Waiver Program countries—such as Australia and many European nations—who visit for 90 days or less will not be subject to this new fee, as they do not require visas.
The fee must be paid when the visa is issued, and no exemptions will be granted. However, travelers who comply with all visa conditions may be eligible for a refund after their visit, though the precise process for reimbursement has yet to be clarified.
Immigration attorney Steven A Brown of Reddy Neumann Brown PC described the new charge as a “refundable security deposit” in a recent blog post, noting the lack of detailed information on how refunds will be processed. In an email to CNN, Brown stated, “In terms of the purpose of the fee, it’s hard to say. Generally, immigration fees are to cover the expense of adjudication or issuance,” but he observed that the reimbursement provision could potentially mean refunding all collected fees. “In a perfect world, there would be no overstays or visa violations.”
The Department of Homeland Security, which is responsible for implementing this new fee, has not yet provided specifics regarding the refund procedure or other details of the policy’s introduction. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson informed CNN that “The visa integrity fee requires cross-agency coordination before implementation.”
A spokesperson for the State Department clarified that the fee was created to help advance the administration’s objectives of enhancing immigration enforcement, discouraging visa overstays, and supporting border security. Fees that are not reimbursed will be “deposited into the general fund of the Treasury,” as stipulated in the bill.
