A new $250 “visa integrity fee” will soon apply to nearly all travelers to the United States who require a nonimmigrant visa — including tourists, students, and temporary workers — under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed into law on July 4.
The fee is in addition to all other application and processing fees, and it cannot be waived or reduced. While the law says the fee may be reimbursed after the visa expires, details around the process remain unclear.
Who Has to Pay the Fee?
The visa integrity fee will apply to all nonimmigrant visa categories (such as B-1/B-2, F-1, H-1B, L-1, O-1, and TN) and must be paid at the time of visa issuance. Visa-exempt travelers using the Visa Waiver Program will not be charged this fee.
The $250 fee is the minimum amount required by law for fiscal year 2025, but the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may raise the fee through rulemaking. Beginning in 2026, the fee will increase annually based on inflation.
Can Travelers Get the Money Back?
In theory, yes, but only if they meet strict conditions. Travelers must:
- Fully comply with the terms of their visa
- Not overstay their authorized period of stay by more than five days
- Not accept unauthorized employment
- Depart the U.S. on time, extend their status, or adjust to lawful permanent residence (green card)
Reimbursements can only be issued after the visa has expired. But with many visas valid for years and no system currently in place for processing refunds, the fee will likely be nonrefundable.
What Does this Mean for Immigrants and Employers?
For travelers and international students
The new fee adds a significant cost to the visa process, especially for families or students already navigating high application fees and travel expenses. A single tourist visa for a family of four, for example, could now include $1,000 in visa integrity fees alone.
For employers of foreign workers
The fee also applies to employment-based visas. An H-1B worker applying for a visa abroad — whose employer already pays a $780 application fee and a $500 anti-fraud fee — may now be expected to pay at least $250 more under the new visa integrity fee. Employers may need to decide whether to cover the new fee as part of a benefits package or leave it to the employee. Either way, it’s an added administrative and financial burden, especially as companies already absorb substantial legal and filing costs in sponsoring foreign workers.
What employers can do now
- Plan ahead: Factor the new fee into your 2025 immigration budget and be prepared for additional fee increases in future years.
- Communicate with candidates: Let foreign hires know early that this new cost may apply and whether your company plans to reimburse it.
- Stay updated: Implementation has not yet begun, and DHS and the State Department are still working out logistics.
What Else is Changing?
The visa integrity fee is just one of several new or increased immigration-related charges under the OBBBA:
- Form I-94 fee will increase from $6 to $24
- ESTA fee will increase from $4 to $13
- TPS and parole fees will increase significantly, including:
- $1,000 for parole applications (up from $630 max)
- $500 for initial TPS filings (up from $80)
- Annual $100 surcharge for asylum applications still pending
Bottom Line
The visa integrity fee represents a fundamental shift in how the U.S. funds its immigration system, and in who bears the cost. While lawmakers say the refundable design will promote compliance, travelers may face a long, uncertain road to reimbursement, if it ever arrives.
Boundless will continue monitoring agency updates and provide clear guidance as soon as the new fees take effect.