Starting in the coming months, international travelers and students traveling to the United States on a “non-immigrant” visa may be required to pay an additional fee of $250.
According to law firm Envoy Global, the new provision applies only to visitors from countries that require a non-immigrant visa for entry, as outlined in the One Big Beautiful Bill recently signed by President Trump.
At the moment, it is unclear when the new “visa integrity fee” will officially go into effect. However, according to industry experts, starting in 2026, the $250 price could even increase due to inflation. The final amount will be determined by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.
Visitors can be reimbursed if they comply with the terms of their visa, including “not accepting unauthorized work” and not staying in the country beyond the validity date of the visa for more than five days.
However, the provision says compensation is mandatory and will have to be paid in addition to a fee attached to the foreign nationals’ arrival/departure registry, known as the “Form I-94 fee.” The “One Big Beautiful Bill” also increased the price of the form from $6 to $24. The new fee must be paid at the time of visa issuance, according to the legislation. Therefore, visitors whose visa application is rejected will not be charged.
Several insiders say the new measure will disrupt the travel plans of millions of tourists and others ahead of major events to be hosted in the United States, including the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympics.
Thus, with the new fee, the U.S. government seeks to strengthen its visa system in order to reduce cases of overstay. “This legislation is a giant step in the right direction when it comes to improving America’s travel infrastructure and security”, said U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman. Bold, necessary investments in air traffic control and Customs and Border Protection will make a meaningful difference in the traveler’s experience.”
“Making America the world’s most visited destination—and capitalizing on the upcoming World Cup and Summer Olympics—requires smarter policy and legislative changes that we are already pursuing,” he added.
To date, it is also unclear how travelers will pay the fee. For this reason, a spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security merely stated, “The visa integrity fee requires interagency coordination prior to implementation.”
Further questions surround how and when the reimbursement process will be initiated. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the State Department will take several years to implement a refund process. On that basis, the CBO estimates that implementing the provision would increase revenue and reduce the deficit by $28.9 billion over the period 2025-2034.
