United States To Require New $250 Fee For Certain International Visitors

The United States will require international visitors who must apply for a tourist visa to pay an additional $250 “visa integrity fee.”

The provision, which hasn’t yet gone into effect, was included in the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill.’

Some travel industry insiders think the fee will deter tourism as the United States hosts the FIFA World Cup and Summer Olympics in the coming years.

The U.S. will implement a new “visa integrity fee” of $250 for foreign visitors, which some believe will deter tourism to the U.S. during massive global events.

Here’s what to know: https://t.co/T6KloXChxh

— ABC News (@ABC) July 22, 2025

The provision says travelers who comply with their visa conditions can have their fees reimbursed after concluding their trip.

More from CNN:

The fee will apply to all visitors who are required to obtain nonimmigrant visas to enter the United States. This includes many leisure and business travelers, international students and other temporary visitors. In fiscal year 2024, the US issued nearly 11 million nonimmigrant visas, according to State Department figures.

Tourists and business travelers from countries that are part of the Visa Waiver Program, including Australia and many European countries, aren’t required to obtain visas for stays of 90 days or less. The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) fees associated with the program are expected to increase to at least $40, according to the bill, nearly double the current amount.

Payment of the new “integrity fee” for nonimmigrant visas will be required at the time visas are issued, and there will be no fee waivers.

Here’s a video breakdown:

Planning to travel, study, or work in the U.S.?
You might soon have to pay a new $250 visa integrity fee — and no, it doesn’t replace your current visa costs. From tourists to tech workers, this fee applies to all nonimmigrant visa applicants under Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill… pic.twitter.com/nuWYzjvHss

— CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18News) July 22, 2025

ABC News provided further details:

A spokesperson for the U.S. Travel Association told CNBC Travel there have been “significant challenges and unanswered questions regarding implementation” on the provision and price hike for the Form I-94 that records visitor entry and departure status.

“There is no timeline for implementation of the fee or direction as to how the fee will be collected and refunded,” the U.S. Travel Association stated.

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U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman commented on the new legislation in a statement from July 3, expressing the possible harm this could do with upcoming tentpole global sporting events.

“The smart investments in the travel process make foolish new fees on foreign visitors and reductions to Brand USA, America’s promotion arm, that much harder to swallow,” he said. “Making America the world’s most visited destination — and capitalizing on the upcoming World Cup and Summer Olympics — requires smarter policy and legislative changes that we are already pursuing.”

Erik Hansen, U.S. Travel’s senior vice president of government relation affairs, said in a statement that “cost and visa wait times” are “among the top deterrents” for people considering travel to the states.

“The new visa integrity fee increases the upfront costs of visiting the U.S. 144%, while doing nothing to lower interview wait times,” he continued. “Even if it is technically reimbursable, the added complexity and cost will discourage visitors.”