Visiting the US will soon require a $250 'visa integrity fee.' Here's what to know
Got plans to travel to the United States? Here's something you should know: There's a new $250 "visa integrity fee" that you have to pay when you apply for a nonimmigrant visa.
Donald Trump's administration recently enacted the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA)," which introduces sweeping federal tax changes and includes a provision authorizing the Department of Homeland Security to require the payment of the $250, or over P14,000, fee from foreign visitors.
Who has to pay?
The visa integrity fee applies to all individuals who are required to obtain nonimmigrant visas, including those from the Philippines, to enter the US. This would encompass travelers visiting for leisure and business, international students, and individuals on other temporary stays.
The fee will not apply to travelers from Australia, Japan, and other European nations covered under Visa Waiver Program, which enables visitors to travel to the US for 90 days or less without obtaining a visa.
The fee is paid when the visa is issued, according to the provision.
The initial $250 fee for fiscal year 2025 is just the starting point mandated by law. It will be adjusted in 2026 for inflation.
It can be reimbursed
According to the provision, the country's Secretary of Homeland Security may provide a reimbursement to the foreigner as long as they comply with their visa's restrictions. These include not accepting unauthorized employment, not seeking to extend his or her period of admission, and departing the United States not later than five days after the last day of such period.
Likewise, travelers who were granted an extension of such nonimmigrant status or an adjustment to the status of a lawful permanent resident during the visa's period of validity are also eligible for the reimbursement.
Details about how the refunds will be processed were not indicated in the act.
Meanwhile, all fees collected that are not reimbursed under law will be deposited into the Treasury's general fund and are subject to annual adjustments.
'Foolish new fees'
Earlier in July, US Travel Association president and CEO Geoff Freeman called the new visa fees "foolish" while also deeming Trump's sweeping legislative package a "giant step in the right direction" in terms of travel infrastructure and security.
"Bold, necessary investments in air traffic control and Customs and Border Protection will make a meaningful difference in the traveler's experience," he said in a statement.
"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."
Freeman added that making America the world's most visited destination requires smarter policy and legislative changes that the organization is already pursuing.
Apart from the visa integrity fee, the OBBBA also introduced increased fees for the I-94 form (from $6 to $24) and the Electronic Visa Update System ($8 to $30).
