Thinking about visiting the U.S.? Well, you may have to pay a fee if you want to enter the country. The government of the United States is going to start charging a new fee to many people who want to visit the country. This fee is called “visa integrity fee” and it will cost at least $250. It is added to the normal price that you already pay to get a visa. That means if someone wants to enter the United States with a visa, now they will have to pay more money than before.
This new rule was included in a law from the U.S. government. Even though it hasn’t started yet, it is already approved and soon it will be required for many travelers from other countries. So, let’s learn more about this ‘’visa integrity fee’’.
Who will have to pay this fee?
This new charge will be for all people who need a nonimmigrant visa. That includes:
- People traveling as tourists.
- People going to do business or work for a while.
- Students going to study in the United States for a few months or years.
- Other people who plan to stay only for a while and then return to their country.
In 2024, almost 11 million visas of this type were issued, so many people will have to pay this fee when it starts. But there’s something important: people from certain countries who don’t need a visa for short trips (like those in the Visa Waiver Program, such as Spain, France, Germany, or Australia) won’t have to pay this new fee if their trip lasts less than 90 days.
When do you have to pay it and can it be refunded?
The new fee will be paid when the visa is approved. That means when the person already has all the papers ready and the government says the visa is accepted, they will have to pay $250. Also, there will be no exceptions: everyone who needs a visa will have to pay, no matter if they are young, older, students, or tourists.
However, the government also says that the money can be refunded after the trip, as long as the person follows all the visa rules. For example, if someone has a 3-month visa and leaves before that time is up, they might get the money back.
Even though that sounds good, it’s still unknown how to ask for the refund. The government said that this will be explained later, because several offices need to coordinate before putting it into practice.
Why is this fee going to be charged?
The government of the U.S. explained that this fee has several purposes:
- To improve the control of who enters and leaves the country.
- To prevent people from staying longer than allowed.
- To strengthen security at the border.
- To pay the costs of the visa and security system.
In case someone doesn’t want to do any paperwork to get the refund, or doesn’t meet the visa rules, the money will be included in the government’s general fund.
$250 forever?
For now, the minimum price will be $250, but that could change. The law says that the Department of Homeland Security can decide on another amount if it thinks it’s necessary. Also, the amount can increase every year depending on inflation.
What do some people think?
An organization called the U.S. Travel Association, which works to promote tourism in the United States, said that this new fee is nothing positive, because it makes visiting the country more difficult and expensive. Even if the money can be refunded, they think many people won’t want to deal with extra paperwork and big payments. What do you think about this change?