A new additional fee for non-immigrant visas has been announced in the United States. This was reported by Upl.uz.
This fee amounts to 250 dollars and is called the "visa integrity fee," meaning a fee for reliability. This measure is part of the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," which was signed by US President Donald Trump at the beginning of this month.
The new financial obligation will affect almost all foreign citizens. This group includes tourists, business travelers, and students coming to study at American educational institutions.
According to statistics from the State Department, nearly 11 million non-immigrant visas were issued in the 2024 fiscal year, indicating the potential scope of the new fee. The fee amount may be adjusted periodically based on the inflation rate.
The new fee will be charged in addition to existing consular fees. This fee will only be required from applicants whose visas have been approved.
If the visa is denied, the fee will not be collected. For example, according to attorney Steven Braun from the law firm Reddy Neumann Brown PC, a specialist currently paying 205 dollars for an H-1B visa will have to pay a total of 455 dollars once the new rules come into effect.
Although the law has been passed, the start date for collecting the fee and the payment mechanism are not yet clear. The law assigns the task of implementing this to the Department of Homeland Security.
However, as analysts have pointed out, this department typically does not handle visa applications and approvals, which may lead to legal and organizational issues. A State Department representative stated in a comment to CNN that the purpose of the fee is to fund measures to strengthen immigration control, prevent violations of visa rules, and ensure border security.
The bill also provides for the possibility of refunding the paid amounts. If the traveler can prove that they fully complied with the conditions of stay in the country, they will have the right to get their money back.
The main requirements are the absence of illegal employment and leaving the USA within no more than five days after the specified period. However, the money can only be refunded after the visa period expires.
Due to the long-term issuance of many non-immigrant visas, the US Congressional Budget Office believes that few people will take advantage of this opportunity. There are more than 20 main types of non-immigrant visas in the USA, which are divided into many smaller groups.
This creates a complex and multi-layered system for entering the country.
