U.S. to Charge Travelers $250 ‘Visa Integrity’ Fee — Experts Say It Could Raise $30 Billion Over Next Decade

The United States will soon begin charging travelers a $250 “visa integrity fee” in order to enter the country.

The rule, which was included in the recent budget reconciliation package, will apply to all visitors who need nonimmigrant visas to enter and cannot be waived.

However, some travelers eventually may be able to get the fee reimbursed.

CNBC provides more details:

The fee will be at least $250 during the U.S. fiscal year 2025, which runs from Oct. 1, 2024, to Sept. 30, 2025. However, the secretary of Homeland Security is free to set the fee higher, according to the provision.

Thereafter, the visa integrity fee will be adjusted for inflation.

The “visa integrity fee” applies to all visitors who need nonimmigrant visas, which includes tourists, business travelers and international students.

Some visitors, including those from Australia, Japan and many nations in Europe, may not need visas to enter under the Visa Waiver Program.

The fee is paid when the visa is issued, according to the provision. Thus, visitors whose visa requests are denied will not be charged.

To be eligible for a refund, visa holders must meet the conditions outlined in the visa, including not engaging in unauthorized employment and not overstaying the visa’s expiration date by more than five days.

While illegal immigrants are largely the result of people crossing the southern border, many also enter the U.S. on tourist visas and then disappear indefinitely after securing cash in hand employment.

According to some experts, the fee may raise as much as $30 billion over the next decade, which could be used to pay down the national debt.

Fortune Magazine notes:

All told, the Congressional Budget Office estimates the new fee could cut the federal deficit by $28.9 billion over the next ten years.

During the same period, the CBO expects the Department of the State to issue about 120 million nonimmigrant visas.

In 2023 alone, more than 10.4 million nonimmigrants were issued visas, according to DOS data. CBO expects a “small number” of people will seek reimbursement, as many nonimmigrant visas are valid for several years.

CBO also expects the Department of State would need several years to implement a process for providing reimbursements. Still, the fee could generate billions, the agency estimates.

The fee has not yet been implemented and it is not clear when it will begin.

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