A New Visa Fee Coming Soon

What Is This New Fee? This fee is called the “Visa Integrity Fee” and its official purpose is to ensure compliance with visa conditions. It was included in the Trump administration’s recent “One Big Beautiful Bill” (OBBB) and is a new fee for nonimmigrant visas that will be charged in addition to the already existing MRV application fee and reciprocity fee. When Will the Visa Integrity Fee Take Effect? This is unclear as of now. Even though the visa integrity fee became law on July 4th of this year, the implementation will likely take more time. Some estimates are for October 2025, with the new fiscal year. Once in Effect, When Will This New Fee Be Payable? The fee will be due upon visa approval or issuance and will be distinct from the already existing visa-related fees, which are paid in advance. This means the visa integrity fee will only become due if a visa application is approved. The fee also does not apply to applications for change or extension of status filed from within the United States. What Is the Fee Amount? The visa integrity fee will start at a minimum of $250, with annual adjustments based on the Consumer Price Index. Who Must Pay the Fee? The new visa integrity fee will apply to each applicant for a nonimmigrant visa (i.e., visitors, workers, students, and their dependents applying for visas). Possible Reimbursement? The visa integrity fee is framed as an incentive, with the law stating that it “may” be reimbursed if, at the end of the visa validity period, the visa holder can demonstrate that he or she complied with all terms and conditions of the visa, departed the U.S. at the end of their authorized stay, or lawfully extended or adjusted their status from within the U.S. However, at this time, it is entirely unclear how this reimbursement process would work, and the government likely expects most applicants not to follow through on any reimbursement claims.