Indian tourists, students, and H-1B professionals heading to the United States will soon face higher visa costs, as a new $250 "Visa Integrity Fee" is being added to most non-immigrant visa categories.
This fee is part of President Donald Trump’s recently signed One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which became law on July 4.
It applies to nearly all non-immigrant visas, including tourist, business, student, work, and exchange categories. Only diplomatic visas under categories A and G are exempt.
The fee must be paid at the time of visa issuance and is in addition to existing application fees.
It will start at $250 in fiscal year 2025 and increase annually from 2026 based on inflation, as determined by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Unlike standard visa fees, this surcharge cannot be waived or reduced.
However, applicants who strictly follow all visa rules — including avoiding unauthorized work and exiting the U.S. on time — may be eligible for a refund. The fee is being treated as a security deposit to encourage lawful behavior.
According to U.S.-based immigration firm Fragomen, this is part of a broader set of new travel-related charges, including separate fees for I-94 forms, ESTA, and EVUS.
For Indian applicants, the cost of a U.S. tourist or business visa, currently $185 (about ₹15,855), could rise to around $472 (₹40,456), more than double the current rate.
