If you’re heading to America shortly, you need to know something—your holiday is going to be more expensive.
Effective January 1, 2026, most people seeking to apply for or reapply for a U.S. nonimmigrant visa will be charged a new $250 “visa integrity fee.” The new fee is added on top of existing visa application fees, and it doesn’t matter whether you’re coming in on holiday, to study, or to work.
Let’s demystify what’s happening and how it may affect you or a friend or family member.
What is this new fee
It is one of the so-called “big, beautiful bills” enacted into law by President Donald Trump on July 4, 2025. The bill levies 22 new immigration charges, and the visa integrity fee is one of the most sweeping in scope.
In the law, the purpose of the new $250 fee is to “encourage lawful behavior among foreign visitors to the United States.” That is, it’s a way of encouraging visitors to do things according to U.S. immigration law.
Who pays
If you are not a diplomat or employee of an international organization (visa types A and G), chances are that you will have to pay this new fee.
Some of the impacted visas include:
- B-1/B-2: Business or tourism visas
- F-1/F-2: Student and family members
- J-1/J-2: Exchange program (research or cultural program)
- H-1B/H-4: Temporary workers and dependents
- L-1, O-1, P, TN: Employment visas
and hundreds more.
If you’re from Ireland or Italy and under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), this won’t immediately affect you, but the ESTA application fee (how you enter visa-free) already increased from $21 to $40.
What’s changing in 2026
Here’s what you can look forward to:
- $250 Visa Integrity Fee for the majority of nonimmigrant visas.
- Effective January 1, 2026
- Applies to new visas, renewals, and changes in status
- Increases annually with inflation (CPI)
❌ Still unclear who will actually be collecting the fee (State Department or DHS)
Can you get a refund
Maybe—but it won’t be easy.
The bill says the Secretary of Homeland Security can refund the fee if you can show you complied with all the requirements of your visa, including:
- Not past the length of your visa
- Not permitted if your visa doesn’t allow
- Not seeking an extension
But the thing is: the refund process is still ambiguous, and it could be difficult and slow—particularly for visitors.
Key points summary
New $250 visa fee starts January 1, 2026
Applied to most categories of nonimmigrant visas (tourist, student, employee)
Fee is aside from your regular visa fee
Will increase every year with inflation
❓ Refundable, but likely to be a complicated process
✋ Diplomats and certain countries exempted
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❓ FAQ: What You Need to Know
Q: When does the $250 visa fee become effective
A: January 1, 2026, but essentially is paying for fiscal year 2025.
Q: Do I still need to pay the regular visa fee
A: Yes. The $250 “visa integrity fee” is in addition to this.
Q: I’m simply a tourist in the U.S. on vacation. How does this impact me
A: If you hold a B-2 tourist visa, you’ll be charged the new fee.
Q: Is the fee also payable by students or exchange visitors
A: Yes. F-1, J-1, and other visa holders will be required to pay it as well.
Q: Can I talk my way out of paying
A: Maybe. You may qualify for a refund, but we’re not yet certain how to obtain it.
Q: What if I am arriving from a Visa Waiver Program country
A: You do not need to pay the visa fee—but your ESTA fee is now $40.
✈️ The bottom line
If you are visiting America to study, work in Silicon Valley, or experience something of a lifetime in New York, you will have to shell out a little extra. From 2026, the US visa system is not only complex—it’s also pricier.
Plan ahead, obey the rules, and line up your documents. For in the land of opportunity, even the forms of application cost money.
