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Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
What is US visa integrity fee? Here's who pays extra $250 and how to get refund
The Donald Trump administration's announcement of a 'visa integrity fee' could have big repercussions for the tourism industry. The $250 fee was a provision in Trump's recently enacted tax bill, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. It has yet to be implemented, ABC News reported. However, it could harm the flow of visitors to the country, especially in light of the FIFA World Cup next year. Trump administration introduces US Visa integrity fees(Representational Image) Details about the new provision and its implementation are scant. This has led to 'significant challenges and unanswered questions regarding implementation,' a U.S. Travel Association spokesperson told CNBC Travel. Here is everything you need to know about the visa integrity fee and how it could impact you. US visa integrity fee: Who does it apply to? The fee applies to all visitors who require non-immigrant visas to enter the United States. This includes tourists, business travelers, as well as international students. The amount cannot be waived. Citizens of over 40 countries that are part of the Visa Waiver Program could be exempt from the new fee. This includes Japan, Australia, and several European countries. Visa integrity fee: Will the amount be the same for all categories? Yes, all visitors need to pay at least $250 for the US fiscal year 2025, which runs from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025. The Secretary of Homeland Security has the power to set the fee higher, according to the provisions of the Big Beautiful Bill. After that, the visa integrity fee will be adjusted for inflation, CNBC reported. US visa integrity fee: Can it be reimbursed? As per ABC News, the travelers who do not overstay their visa or take part in unauthorized work could be reimbursed once the visa expires, but the exact details are unclear as of now. According to the provision, the fee must be paid when the visa is issued. Individuals whose visa requests are denied will not have to pay the amount. Potential impact of visa integrity fee on US travel plans The fee makes it more expensive to travel to the US since it will be levied 'in addition to' other charges, including regular visa fees. The regular charges also include the 'Form I-94 fee.' The charge must be paid by anyone who needs to give a Form I-94 arrival and departure record, and this applies to most travelers. The Big Beautiful Bill had hiked the fee from $6 to $24, per the outlet. The extra charges could lead to many travelers and international students thinking twice about their US study or visit plans. This comes as the country is preparing to host the FIFA World Cup in 2026 alongside Mexico and Canada, and the 2028 Olympics as well. The visa integrity fee and the lack of clarity regarding its implementation could lead to a drop in numbers, especially of B visa holders, Steven A. Brown, partner at Reddy Neumann Brown, a Houston-based immigration law firm, told the outlet. FAQs: What is the visa integrity fee? It is a $250 levy on all visitors who need a non-immigrant visa to enter the US. When will the visa integrity fee be implemented? The exact details regarding the implementation remain unclear. Will the visa integrity fee replace other visa fees? No, it will be charged in addition to other visa fees.
CNBC
7 days ago
- Business
- CNBC
The most powerful passports of 2025: The US and the UK fall, while India rises
Singapore has the world's strongest passport — again, according to the latest Henley Passport Index. The ranking, released Tuesday, shows the small nation-state retaining the top spot in the index, after it broke a six-way tie for the accolade earlier this year. In 2024, Singapore shared the top ranking with Japan, Germany, Italy, Spain and France. The latest ranking shows Japan and South Korea tied for second place, with the other former No. 1 contenders tied for third place with Denmark, Finland and Ireland. The Henley Passport Index is a widely followed ranking of global passports, which assesses passport strength by one metric — the number of destinations holders can visit without needing to obtain a visa. The index ranks countries according to data provided by the International Air Transport Association, it said. The ranking focuses mainly on ease of travel, while another ranking closely monitored by CNBC Travel, the Nomad Passport Index, ranks passports by five criteria, including taxation, and is more focused on global citizenship. Henley's latest ranking shows the U.S. passport slipping to 10th place from United Kingdom's passport also moved down the list, landing in sixth place from fifth, it showed. This represents a continuation of a "long-term downward trend" for the two countries — both of which were once considered the most powerful passports in the world, according to Henley & Partners. "Notably, the U.S. is now on the brink of exiting the Top 10 altogether for the first time in the index's 20-year history," the company said in a statement. The top 10 list shows a ranking mostly dominated by European countries, but led by three key Asian economies: 1 Singapore 2. Japan2. South Korea3. Denmark3. Finland3. France3. Germany3. Ireland3. Italy3. Spain4. Austria 4. Belgium4. Luxembourg4. Netherlands4. Norway4. Portugal4. Sweden5. Greece5. New Zealand5. Switzerland6. United Kingdom7. Australia7. Czechia 7. Hungary7. Malta7. Poland8. Canada8. Estonia8. United Arab Emirates9. Croatia9. Latvia9. Slovakia9. Slovenia10. Iceland10. Lithuania10. United States Singaporeans can access 193 countries without needing a visa, while the countries tied for the 10th spot can access 182, according to the ranking. India's passport jumped the most of any country in the past six months, rising to 77th from 85th, according to Henley & Partners. An analysis of the ranking over the past decade showed the UAE rising 34 places in the ranking, the company said. It is the only "big riser" to break into the top 10 during this time, it said. China also rose 34 spots in the past 10 years, the company said, a move it called "particularly impressive" considering that China doesn't have visa-free access to Europe's Schengen Area. Afghanistan's passport remained in last place on the list, granting visa-free access to just 25 countries worldwide, the company said.
21-07-2025
- Business
What travelers should know about new $250 'integrity fee' for US tourist visas
Travelers planning to visit the United States and apply for a tourist visa may experience some sticker shock after a new "visa integrity fee" goes into effect. What to know about new US visa Integrity Fee Although it has yet to be implemented, President Donald Trump's megabill -- which encompasses tax cuts, spending packages and immigration policy and was signed into law earlier this month -- includes a provision that gives the Department of Homeland Security authority to charge fees on foreign visitors. The new $250 "visa integrity fee," as defined in the legislation, applies to travelers who are applying for non-immigrant visas to enter the U.S. and cannot be waived. The $250 fee applies for fiscal year 2025, which began Oct. 1, 2024, and ends Sept. 30, 2025. It may subsequently be adjusted for inflation. Citizens visiting from the more than 40 countries included in the Visa Waiver Program may be exempt from the new fee. Travelers who don't overstay their time or participate in unauthorized work may be eligible for reimbursement once the visa expires. US Travel officials, experts respond to new visa integrity fee 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. 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."
Observer
19-07-2025
- Business
- Observer
US non-immigrant visa may cost more: Report
Muscat: Visitors to the US with non-immigrant visas will need to pay a 'visa integrity fee, making travel expensive under the new 'One Big Beautiful Bill' Act. The fee has not yet been implemented, and it is not clear when it will begin, according to the CNBC Travel report. Visa applicants would need to pay $250 in the fiscal year 2025 from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025. The fee is expected to be hiked after the fiscal year or adjusted for inflation, the report said. Currently, the cost for a US B1/B2 visa issued by the US Embassy in the Sultanate of Oman is over RO70. Applicants of tourist/business (B-1/B-2), student (F/M), work (H-1B), and exchange (J) visas will have to pay the integrity fee, and if the visa is denied, then there is no need to pay the fee. It will need to be paid once your visa is issued. Visa holders must comply with the conditions of the visa and not overstay the period. Once the visa validity date expires, the reimbursements will be made. To get their money back, visa holders must comply with the conditions of the visa, which include 'not accepting unauthorized employment' and not overstaying the visa validity date by more than five days, according to the provision. Reimbursements will be made after the travel visa expires, according to the CNBC Travel report.
CNBC
18-07-2025
- Business
- CNBC
Travelers to the U.S. must pay a new $250 'visa integrity fee' — what to know
Key Points Visitors to the United States will need to pay a "visa integrity fee," according to a new law. The fee will be at least $250, is on top of other visa fees, and may be reimbursable. However when the fee starts, and how to get a refund, remain unclear. Visitors to the United States will need to pay a "visa integrity fee," according to a provision of the Trump administration's recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The fee applies to all visitors who need nonimmigrant visas to enter, and cannot be waived. However travelers may also be able to get the fees reimbursed, according to the provision. Details about the new requirement are scant, which has resulted in "significant challenges and unanswered questions regarding implementation," a spokesperson from the U.S. Travel Association told CNBC Travel. However, here is what is known thus far. How much is the fee? The fee will be at least $250 during the U.S. fiscal year 2025, which runs from Oct. 1, 2024, to Sept. 30, 2025. However, the secretary of Homeland Security is free to set the fee higher, according to the provision. Thereafter, the visa integrity fee will be adjusted for inflation. Who must pay the new fee? The "visa integrity fee" applies to all visitors who need nonimmigrant visas, which includes tourists, business travelers and international students. When is the fee paid? The fee is paid when the visa is issued, according to the provision. Thus, visitors whose visa requests are denied will not be charged. Does the fee replace other visa fees? No, the provision states that the new fee is "in addition to" other fees, including regular visa fees. "For example, an H-1B worker already paying a $205 application fee may now expect to pay a total of $455 once this fee is in place," Steven A. Brown, a partner at the Houston-based immigration law firm Reddy Neumann Brown PC, wrote in a post on his firm's website. Additionally, the fee must be paid on top of a "Form I-94 fee," which the One Big Beautiful Bill Act increased from $6 to $24. That fee must be paid by anyone who is required to submit a Form 1-94 arrival and departure record, which applies to most travelers. How can travelers get reimbursed? To get their money back, visa holders must comply with the conditions of the visa, which includes "not accept[ing] unauthorized employment," and not overstay the visa validity date by more than five days, according to the provision. Reimbursements will be made after the travel visa expires, it says. What isn't known The fee has not yet been implemented, according to Brown. It is not clear when it will begin. "I believe it would need a regulation, or at least a notice in the Federal Register, regarding implementation on collection," said Brown. It is also unclear how travelers will pay the fee, the U.S. Travel Association told CNBC. "The bill directs the DHS Secretary to charge the fee, but DHS does not own the visa application, issuance or renewal process — so where and when would DHS collect the fee?" the spokesperson said. In response to CNBC's enquires, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said: "The visa integrity fee requires cross-agency coordination before implementation." More questions surround how and when the reimbursement process kicks in. Since many visas are valid for several years, the U.S. Congressional Budget Office said it expects "a small number of people would seek reimbursement." Moreover, "CBO expects that the Department of State would need several years to implement a process for providing reimbursements. On that basis, CBO estimates that enacting the provision would increase revenues and decrease the deficit by $28.9 billion over the 2025‑2034 period." Brown said he is advising clients to treat the fee as nonrefundable. "If you get it back, great. But it is usually difficult to get money back from the government," he said. "I would rather them view it as a 'bonus' if they get the refund." The purpose of the fee "President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill provides the necessary policies and resources to restore integrity in our nation's immigration system," a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told CNBC. Data shows most visa holders comply with their visa terms. For the fiscal years between 2016 and 2022, between 1%-2% of nonimmigrant visitors overstayed their visas in the United States, according to the U.S. Congressional Research Service. However, an estimated 42% of the approximately 11 million unauthorized population living in the United States entered the country legally, but overstayed their period of admission, the data shows. Effect on incoming travelers Brown said the visa integrity fee will likely impact B visa holders — or leisure and business travelers — and international students more than other types of travelers. "For B visa holders, they may not want to add an additional $250 per person to their trip costs," he said. The new fee, plus the I-94 fee, come as the United States prepares to host several major events in 2026, including the "America 250" celebration, in honor of the country's 250th anniversary, and parts of the FIFA World Cup. These hurdles are compounded by problems at Brand USA, the destination marketing organization that promotes inbound travel into the United States, which saw the One Big Beautiful Bill Act slash its funding from $100 million to $20 million. The cuts came after the U.S. Commerce Department fired nearly half of Brand USA's board members in April. Brand USA did not respond to CNBC's request for comment. Ahead of the passage of the new legislation, U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman praised the bill's contributions to U.S. infrastructure, air traffic control and border security. But, he added: "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." — CNBC's Kaela Ling contributed to this report.
