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Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Planning a US trip? Donald Trump's new policy may add extra Rs 20,000 to your visa cost - Here's all you need to know
Planning a trip to the United States? Get ready to pay a new Rs 22,000 ($250) visa fee under a new policy introduced by the Trump administration. The fee, part of a broader domestic policy law aimed at tightening immigration controls, has triggered alarm within the global travel and tourism industry. What is the fee and who will have to pay it? The new charge, called a 'visa integrity fee,' applies to anyone applying for a non-immigrant visa to the US, The New York Times reported. This includes tourists, students, business travelers, temporary workers, and medical visitors. The $250 fee is in addition to the existing $185 non-immigrant visa application cost, bringing the total to $435 for affected applicants. In 2024 alone, more than 11 million people were issued non-immigrant visas, according to US State Department data. Who will have to pay the fee? The new fee will affect travellers from countries such as India, Mexico, Brazil, and China, all of which are outside the US visa waiver program. Anyone applying for a non-immigrant visa, such as for tourism, business, work, or study, will be required to pay the fee. However, not all travellers will be impacted. Who won't have to pay the fee? Travelers from visa waiver countries, which include most of Europe, as well as Australia, the UK, Japan, South Korea, Israel, Chile, and Qatar are exempted from the new charge. Most Canadian visitors are also not affected by the fee. Will the travellers get a refund? Possibly—but there is still confusion around whether the new fee can be refunded. Officials say it may be refundable, but the process remains unclear. Travelers may be eligible for reimbursement after their trip, provided they comply fully with the terms of their visa. However, the law does not currently spell out how such refunds would be processed or when travelers can expect to receive them. How will it affect tourism? The tourism industry is voicing concern that the new fee could discourage international visitors. While the broader law includes provisions to improve immigration systems and travel infrastructure, many industry leaders believe the added costs will act as a barrier. Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the US Travel Association, welcomed the law's aims to improve security and infrastructure but called the new visa fees 'foolish,' warning they could hurt international tourism to the US. Parisa Karaahmet, a partner at immigration law firm Fragomen, said the lack of clear information on how the refund system will work may deter travelers. 'This may be especially true given the limited information currently available on how and when these funds might be refunded upon departure from the US,' she said in an email to the New York Times. Are there other fee increases? Yes, several other travel-related fees are also going up: The I-94 form fee, which is used to record arrivals and departures will rise from $6 to $24. The Electronic Visa Update System (EVUS) fee, required for some Chinese nationals—will jump from $8 to at least $30. The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) fee—used by travelers from visa-waiver countries, will increase from $21 to $40. The new law also allows these fees to rise annually with inflation, further increasing the financial burden on international travelers in the future. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup co-hosted by the US , Canada, and Mexico on the horizon, the timing of these changes is causing added concern, especially among global football fans and tour operators. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
USA Today
17-07-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Entry to the US is getting more expensive
The cost of coming to the United States is going up. The recently passed legislative package (referred to as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act) includes a new law approving fee hikes for travelers using the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) or the Electronic Visa Update System (EVUS) systems and new charges for migrants apprehended at the border. From a minimum $13 ESTA fee to $5,000 penalties for arrests of undocumented people, the act reshapes the financial landscape of entering the U.S. While the U.S. is trying to attract more global tourists, it's also getting serious about fees that will impact border crossing for both travelers and migrants. What is the 'visa integrity fee' for non‑immigrant visas? The visa integrity fee is a mandatory $250 fee to be paid by nonimmigrant visa applicants. It is applied in addition to any other existing visa-related fees. The purpose of the fee is to support enforcement and administrative efforts related to U.S. visa policy and border security. "Attaching an additional $250 fee has the very real potential to significantly reduce the number of people that can afford to do that," Jorge Loweree, Managing Director of Programs and Strategy at the American Immigration Council, told USA TODAY. "There are hundreds of thousands of people who receive visas and permission from the Department of State to come to the U.S. every single month temporarily." The visa integrity fee does not replace or offset any other fees, like the DS-160 application fee, biometrics, or reciprocity fees, and it cannot be waived or reduced. The act also does not limit how the fee may be increased or applied across visa categories, leaving it to the Secretary of Homeland Security to implement via regulation. U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman said in a statement after Congress' approval of the legislative package: This legislation is a giant step in the right direction when it comes to improving America's travel infrastructure and security. Bold, necessary investments in air traffic control and Customs and Border Protection will make a meaningful difference in the traveler's experience ... 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. 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. Brand USA did not provide a comment. How much is the ESTA fee to enter the US? Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Congress extended funding for Brand USA by reaffirming the ESTA fee structure and introducing mandatory fee hikes. Starting in fiscal year 2025, the law mandates that ESTA include "not less than $13 per travel authorization." It also links future increases to the Consumer Price Index, allowing for annual inflation-based adjustments to take effect beginning in 2026. Currently, the U.S. General Services Administration states the total cost is $21, noting that applicants will pay a $4 processing fee and a $17 authorization fee if approved. "Some of these policy decisions are incoherent," Loweree said. "You see fee hikes on one end, and on the other, claims that the goal is to increase tourism." The law also codifies a new fee for EVUS, used by certain Chinese nationals, setting a minimum at $30, or more at the discretion of DHS. Like the ESTA fee, the EVUS fee will increase annually based on inflation. There's also a separate $5,000 'inadmissible alien apprehension fee' applied to those caught between ports of entry. Who has to apply for ESTA? U.S. Customs and Border Protection recommends that citizens from countries in the Visa Waiver Program who don't have a visitor's visa and plan to be in the U.S. for 90 days or less apply. Which countries are part of the Visa Waiver Program? This story was updated to add new information.
USA Today
17-07-2025
- Business
- USA Today
ESTA and border fees to rise under new US travel and visa law
The cost of visiting or moving to the United States is going up. The recently passed legislative package (referred to as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act) includes a new law approving fee hikes for travelers using the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) or the Electronic Visa Update System (EVUS) systems and new charges for migrants apprehended at the border. From a minimum $13 ESTA fee to $5,000 penalties for arrests of undocumented people, the act reshapes the financial landscape of entering the U.S. While the U.S. is trying to attract more global tourists, it's also getting serious about fees that will impact border crossing for both travelers and migrants. "Something that the act does is guarantee funding for Brand USA (America's destination marketing organization). Yet the ESTA and ... the nonimmigrant visas are being raised – sort of curtailing the intended purpose of funding Brand USA," Jorge Loweree, Managing Director of Programs and Strategy at the American Immigration Council, told USA TODAY. Brand USA did not provide a comment. What is the 'visa integrity fee' for non‑immigrant visas? The visa integrity fee is a mandatory $250 fee to be paid by nonimmigrant visa applicants. It is applied in addition to any other existing visa-related fees. The purpose of the fee is to support enforcement and administrative efforts related to U.S. visa policy and border security. "Attaching an additional $250 fee has the very real potential to significantly reduce the number of people that can afford to do that," Loweree said. "There are hundreds of thousands of people who receive visas and permission from the Department of State to come to the U.S. every single month temporarily." The visa integrity fee does not replace or offset any other fees, like the DS-160 application fee, biometrics, or reciprocity fees, and it cannot be waived or reduced. The act also does not limit how the fee may be increased or applied across visa categories, leaving it to the Secretary of Homeland Security to implement via regulation. U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman said in a statement after Congress' approval of the legislative package: This legislation is a giant step in the right direction when it comes to improving America's travel infrastructure and security. Bold, necessary investments in air traffic control and Customs and Border Protection will make a meaningful difference in the traveler's experience ... 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. 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. How much is the ESTA fee to enter the US? Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Congress extended funding for Brand USA by reaffirming the ESTA fee structure and introducing mandatory fee hikes. Starting in fiscal year 2025, the law mandates that ESTA include "not less than $13 per travel authorization." It also links future increases to the Consumer Price Index, allowing for annual inflation-based adjustments to take effect beginning in 2026. "Some of these policy decisions are incoherent," Loweree said. "You see fee hikes on one end, and on the other, claims that the goal is to increase tourism." The law also codifies a new fee for EVUS, used by certain Chinese nationals, setting a minimum at $30, or more at the discretion of DHS. Like the ESTA fee, the EVUS fee will increase annually based on inflation. There's also a separate $5,000 'inadmissible alien apprehension fee' applied to those caught between ports of entry. Who has to apply for ESTA? U.S. Customs and Border Protection recommends that citizens from countries in the Visa Waiver Program who don't have a visitor's visa and plan to be in the U.S. for 90 days or less apply. Which countries are part of the Visa Waiver Program?
