United States imposes increased visa fees for Belarusians: Detailing the new costs for application
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law in early July 2025, introduces a new visa fee starting in 2026. The mandatory $250 "visa integrity fee" will apply to most nonimmigrant visa applications for the U.S., including tourist (B-1/B-2), student (F/M), work (H-1B), and exchange (J) visas.
Key details of the visa fee under the Act include:
- The fee is in addition to existing visa application fees, making travel notably more expensive for many international visitors. - Citizens of Visa Waiver Program countries are exempt from this fee but still pay the usual ESTA fee for short visits. - The fee must be paid when the visa is issued and cannot be waived or reduced, but visa holders may be reimbursed later if they comply with their visa conditions. - The fee will be adjusted for inflation in subsequent years. - The Congressional Budget Office projects this fee could generate up to $28.9 billion in deficit reduction over 10 years.
For companies, especially those in technology and other industries that rely heavily on temporary skilled workers, this fee increases the cost of hiring foreign talent. This could potentially affect recruitment strategies and operational budgets.
The travel and tourism industry has expressed concern that this additional fee may discourage international visitors, negatively affecting tourism revenue, hospitality, and associated sectors. U.S. Travel Association criticized the fee as "foolish," especially when combined with reductions in marketing efforts for the U.S. as a travel destination.
Since the fee applies to a broad spectrum of nonimmigrant visitors—including tourists and students—it may reduce the competitiveness of the U.S. as a destination relative to other countries without such fees or with lower costs of entry. The absence of clear reimbursement procedures complicates planning for travelers and employers alike.
The total cost of a tourist visa, including the new fee, could rise to $450-470, more than double the current amount. The high fee and potential difficulties in reimbursement have raised concerns among businesses and tourism organizations, who fear it could harm international tourism and not improve travel conditions.
This new visa integrity fee, as part of The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, could potentially increase business costs, particularly for tech and other industries relying on temporary skilled workers, as the cost of hiring foreign talent becomes more expensive. Concurrently, the travel and tourism industry may experience a decline in international visitors due to the added visa fee, which could negatively impact tourism revenue, hospitality, and related sectors, as suggested by the U.S. Travel Association.
