Travellers visiting the US will have to pay a “visa integrity fee” under Donald Trump’s new “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”.
The fee, $250 (£186) for the 2025 fiscal year, applies to all visitors travelling to the US on a non-immigrant visa (but not those who travel with a visa waiver).
It’s due to affect millions of tourists, international students and workers after the Trump administration’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” was signed into law on 4 July 2025.
The fee will be charged on top of existing visa application costs – including a newly increased “Form 1-94 fee”, now $24 (£18).
According to section 10007 of the Act: “In addition to any other fee authorized by law, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall require the payment of a fee, equal to the amount specified in this subsection, by any alien issued a nonimmigrant visa at the time of such issuance.”
It also states that the $250 charge cannot be waived or reduced.
However, travellers on a non-immigrant visa may be able to have the fee reimbursed if they comply with all visa conditions, including not accepting unauthorised employment, while in the US.
Those who depart the US no later than five days after their visa expires or gain “lawful permanent resident” status will also be eligible for a reimbursement.
The charge is not yet set up to be collected but will be effective during the US fiscal year, which runs from 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2025.
The law doesn't specify exactly when or how the fee will be paid or reimbursements will be issued.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told CBNC: “The visa integrity fee requires cross-agency coordination before implementation.”
It added: “President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill provides the necessary policies and resources to restore integrity in our nation’s immigration system.”
The visa integrity fee can be changed by the Secretary of Homeland Security and will be adjusted annually, per inflation.
A “Report of the Visa Office” found that almost 11 million nonimmigrant visas were issued in 2024 alone.
Many UK travellers, as well as those from more than 40 countries such as Australia, Japan and Singapore, do not need visas to enter the US for less than 90 days under the Visa Waiver Programme. These tourists will be exempt from the charge. Most visit on an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (Esta), which is also due to increase in price – almost doubling from the current $21 (£16) fee to $40 (£30).
The Independent has contacted the Department of Homeland Security for comment.
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