The United States is set to introduce a $250 “visa integrity fee” for most non-immigrant visas, starting with the 2026 fiscal year, under the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” signed into law on July 4, 2025.
This new fee applies to a wide range of non-immigrant visa categories—including tourist (B-1/B-2), business, student (F and M), worker (H-1B), and exchange visitor (J) visas—and will be added to existing application costs.
Who must pay and how much?
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All non-immigrant applicants are required to pay the integrity fee, with exceptions only for diplomatic applicants in A and G categories.
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For Indian nationals, the total visa cost is expected to jump to around $472 (about ₹40,000) when factoring in the $250 integrity fee, the $24 I-94 fee, and the $13 ESTA fee—roughly 2.5 times the current cost.
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Fee rules and refunds
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The new fee acts as a security deposit and is refundable only under strict conditions, such as timely departure (within five days of visa expiry) and no overstay or change of status violations. Refunds are not automatic; applicants must submit proof of compliance.
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The fee cannot be waived or reduced for most applicants and is indexed to inflation, meaning it will rise annually based on the Consumer Price Index.
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In fiscal 2025, the Department of Homeland Security may set a higher base if needed, and from 2026 onward, increases will be automatic and recurring.
Broader impact
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The fee, alongside other surcharges, is intended to bolster immigration compliance and enforcement.
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Applicants from India and around the world face “a significant increase” in costs, affecting tourists, students, and skilled workers. For students, the policy may impact over 420,000 Indian nationals, and for businesses, notably IT firms, the cost of sending staff on H-1B visas will also rise sharply.
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Only select diplomatic categories are exempted.
Additional requirements and possible future changes
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The U.S. is also considering new rules to impose fixed stays for certain visa holders (F, J, I), which could affect many international students.
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Applicants for student visas (F, M, or J) from India must now set their social media accounts to ‘public’ before the visa interview.
In summary:
From fiscal 2026, nearly all non-immigrant U.S. visa applicants will pay a $250 integrity fee—refundable only in limited circumstances—on top of existing charges, leading to significantly higher costs for travel, study, or work in the U.S..
