New Law Says U.S.-Bound Travelers Must Pay a New $250 Fee — But Questions Remain

The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” recently signed into law by President Donald Trump, contains a provision stating that those visiting the U.S. must pay a so-called “visa integrity fee” of $250.

According to the law, this new fee applies to anyone trying to enter the country with a nonimmigrant visa, but there seems to be a method for getting the fee reimbursed.

Here’s what we know so far.

Travelers Headed to the U.S. Subject to New ‘Visa Integrity Fee’

Tourists, businesspeople, students, and more now must pay a $250 “visa integrity fee,” according to the recently passed “One Big Beautiful Bill.” The fee will stay at that rate through the U.S. fiscal year, which ends on September 30, 2025, after which it will fluctuate according to inflation. Also, the law grants the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) the power to raise the fee should it see fit.

CNBC reports that the new visa integrity fee is in addition to the existing visa structure, which means this $250 charge must be paid on top of the fees a visa-seeker is already subject to, such as the $205 fee for an H1-B worker visa.

Most travelers to the U.S. must already pay a “Form I-94 fee,” which now costs $24 (up from the previous rate of $6), and the new visa integrity fee must be paid on top of this.

According to the law, the visa integrity fee is paid when a visa is issued, so if a visa application is denied, the applicant won’t need to pay the $250. The law also provides a method for getting the fee reimbursed. Visa holders can get this fee reimbursed if they abide by its rules, which state that the holder cannot seek unauthorized employment and must leave the country within 5 days of visa expiration, among other aspects.

Questions Remain

Despite the visa integrity fee becoming law, much remains unknown, and it has not yet gone into effect.

CNBC spoke to the U.S. Travel Association, which said that it remains unclear how travelers will pay the fee and how the U.S. government will collect it.

Even more questions surround the reimbursement process, especially because many U.S. visas are valid for several years, and the government hasn’t indicated that it’s set up a process for providing those reimbursements. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates it could take years to set up.

It also adds even more uncertainty around the effects of such policies on tourism in the U.S. This new fee will likely impact leisure travelers and tourists the most, who surely will not be excited to add an additional $250 to the cost of their trip. Multiply that by each person in the family who needs a visa and it adds up quickly.

Final Thoughts

The U.S. looks set to institute a new (and expensive) fee for travelers hoping to visit the country for short work stints, leisure, study, and more.

However, much remains unknown about its implementation, including when this new fee will start to be collected.

This is a developing story, and we’ll be sure to update it when we learn more.