The bill’s visa integrity fee dramatically raises the price to enter the United States. The Global South will be particularly hard hit.
The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” signed into law by President Donald Trump on July 4, 2025, includes a “visa integrity fee” for all non-immigrant visas, which makes visiting the United States significantly more expensive for tourists, students, and temporary workers. “Raising fees on lawful international visitors amounts to a self-imposed tariff on one of our nation’s largest exports: international travel spending,” Geoff Freeman, U.S. Travel Association CEO, said in a statement.
Tourist Visa Costs Will Increase Significantly
The States already has one of the highest tourist visa application costs in the world, which will remain $185. The additional integrity fee will be $250 for the first year and will increase annually in line with inflation. This is paid when the visa is issued, according to the provision. Foreigners whose visa requests are denied won’t be charged. Those who already have a visa won’t have to pay the fee, nor those from countries in the Visa Waiver Program.
In addition, the 1-94 Entry/Exit Fee will increase from $6 to $24. The Electronic Travel Authorization will cost $13 to $30, and the costs for the ESTA will increase from $21 to $40. Robert Hareland, a former U.S. diplomat and founder of Visa Superior, worries the higher fees will discourage people from visiting the States.
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The Integrity Fee Is Refundable
The levy is similar to a security deposit, but AK Poku, an immigration attorney, advises clients to treat the fee as non-refundable. “The reimbursement is permissive and not mandatory by law. It functions like a visa bond. To qualify for a refund, you must fully comply with the terms of your visa—no unauthorized work or status violations and you must either leave the U.S. within five days after your I-94 expires, or receive an approved extension or green card before the I-94 expires,” she says.
The refund process isn’t automatic. Reimbursements will be made after the visa expires, which is often after 10 years. The fee will potentially take effect when the U.S. fiscal year begins on October 1, 2025.
The Congressional Budget Office expects that the majority of tourists won’t seek reimbursement and estimates the funds collected from the fee will increase revenues and decrease the deficit by $28.9 billion over the 2025‑2034 period. “The funds raised won’t go toward visa processing. Instead, the law states that the revenue will be deposited into the general U.S. Treasury fund, with expectations that it’ll support immigration enforcement, including detention and deportation efforts,” Poku says.
The Integrity Fee Isn’t Likely to Stop Visa Fraud
In 2023, there were approximately 60 million non-immigrant admissions for temporary visitors, including those for business or pleasure. “The vast majority of the recipients comply with the terms of the visa and make a timely return to their home country. Those visa holders visit the States and spend a lot of money,” Hareland says.
The integrity fee is intended to discourage overstays and ensure compliance with visa terms. However, most visa holders comply with the terms of their visas. From 2016 and 2022, only 1-2% of non-immigrant visitors overstayed their visas. “For those who plan to overstay their visas, losing $250 is not a real deterrent—it’s a small price. The policy penalizes honest travelers more than it deters visa fraud,” Poku says.
The Integrity Fee Is Discriminatory
Poku stresses that for law-abiding travelers, this burdensome new cost amounts to $1,000 in additional visa fees for a family of four. “For honest travelers from lower-income countries, this additional charge may make U.S. travel unaffordable,” she says.
The levy is likely to disproportionately impact travelers from the Global South as the vast majority of those nations are not part of the visa waiver program. “In some countries, $250 is a month’s wages, making it a huge barrier for law-abiding travelers,” says Leigh Barnes, who oversees the Americas at Intrepid Travel, a responsible travel adventure company. “The fee makes the U.S. less accessible to diverse travelers.”
New Visa Fees Could Negatively Impact Tourism
The unprecedented visa costs may deter U.S. tourism, which has already dipped in 2025. Tourism is a major contributor to the economy, accounting for 11% of the U.S. job market before the pandemic. “Even a 5% drop in international visitors hits local tourism hard, impacting countless small businesses,” Barnes says. “It’s not just hotels that hurt—it’s cafés, local tour guides, and small attractions”.
International visitors spent $254 billion on U.S. travel and tourism in 2024. Yet U.S. tourism was down 14% in March 2025, which could result in a loss of $21 billion if the trend continues. Poku says the decline in U.S. tourism is due to expanding travel bans; screening of electronics and social media at customs; the risk of detention or removal without due process; countries issuing U.S. travel advisories; and ICE enforcement. The integrity fee may further depress U.S. tourism.
Next year was slated to bring a boost to tourism due to the FIFA World Cup. FIFA projected the soccer tournament will bring in $30.5 billion due to an influx of visitors from foreign countries traveling to the States for the matches. FIFA expects that 50% of attendees will be international tourists. “The World Cup draws big crowds, but adding extra costs on top of already expensive flights and hotels will push some fans to watch matches in Mexico or Canada. The U.S. risks pricing out budget-conscious travelers,” Barnes says.
Global Impact of the U.S. Integrity Fee
The integrity fee will have a ripple effect globally as the U.S. tourist visa is highly valuable. Many travelers who obtain a U.S. tourist visa can also use it to visit Mexico, much of Central America, the Caribbean, and some European countries. Turkey and Oman allow e-visas for individuals holding a valid U.S. tourist visa.
“The integrity fee isn’t a normal processing cost—it’s a trust deposit, and that’s a worrying precedent. If other countries copy this, we risk making international travel something only the wealthy can afford,” Barnes says. Poku echoes a similar sentiment, stressing that the mandatory integrity fee may set “a precedent if other countries follow suit to curb overstays or raise enforcement funds.”