The United States government plans to implement a new “visa integrity fee” for international visitors starting in the fiscal year 2025. The minimum fee of $250 is enough for this to not be a discretionary fee. This new fee comes on top of the recently raised Form I-94 fee, now increased from $6 to $24. This new fee is an important component of the wider One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The purpose of the act is to fundamentally reform all parts of the immigration system.
Anyone traveling into the United States is required to fill out a Form I-94 arrival and departure record. While interested in complying, they should be cognizant of the new fee tied to this mandate. Authorization for the Secretary of Homeland Security to increase the fee beyond the baseline $250 creates uncertainty for would-be travelers regarding their future travel costs.
“Travelers may find this additional charge burdensome,” noted Steven A. Brown, a partner at Reddy Neumann Brown PC. He stressed that clients need to understand that they’re agreeing to a non-refundable fee unless certain conditions occur. To receive a refund, visa holders need to comply with the conditions of their visa. They cannot work without authorization and should not overstay their visa by more than five days.
Data from 2016 through 2022 tells us a shocking story. Throughout those years, only 1% to 2% of non-immigrant visitors overstayed their visas while in the U.S. Despite this low percentage, the U.S. Congressional Budget Office anticipates that very few individuals will seek reimbursement for the new fee.
The United States, meanwhile, is looking forward to hosting the men’s World Cup in 2026. Specifically, it will play a significant role in celebrating “America 250” and hosting the FIFA World Cup. Those next two events are expected to attract hundreds of thousands of international visitors. All of this calls for the need to go beyond and adopt strong measures.
Travel industry concerns about imposing this fee have been expressed by the U.S. Travel Association regarding how travelers will navigate this new barrier. A spokesperson for the association raised questions regarding the logistics of fee collection and how it will affect visa applicants.
“The bill directs the DHS Secretary to charge the fee, but DHS does not own the visa application, issuance or renewal process — so where and when would DHS collect the fee?” – U.S. Travel Association spokesperson
Industry experts are expressing concerns over implementation of the new fee schedule. They fear complicated unintended consequences would come from its introduction. The spokesperson mentioned “significant challenges and unanswered questions regarding implementation.”
U.S. Travel Association CEO Geoff Freeman said that if imposed, fees like these would discourage foreign visitors. He stated, “The smart investments in the travel process make foolish new fees on foreign visitors and reductions to Brand USA, America’s promotion arm, that much harder to swallow.”
The economic impact is most acute for some visa types. An H-1B worker pays a $205 application fee up front. Add to that the new visa integrity fee they just introduced, and their costs will increase by more than double.
“For example, an H-1B worker already paying a $205 application fee may now expect to pay a total of $455 once this fee is in place,” – Steven A. Brown
Brown went on to recommend that anyone looking to travel think twice about expecting government-paid cancellations to be returned. He remarked, “If you get it back, great. But it is usually difficult to get money back from the government.” In addition, he recommended that consumers should treat any expected refunds as a windfall—not something to count on.
“I would rather them view it as a ‘bonus’ if they get the refund.” – Steven A. Brown
As we head towards 2026, all eyes are on these tournaments and their preparations. The new visa integrity fee will surely sour travelers’ experiences and ruin their budgets when they come to the United States.