US Visa Fee Increase: Key Details and Impacts

Planning to apply for a US visa? Get ready to pay more. The United States has introduced a new fee that will significantly increase the cost of visa applications.

Understanding the New Visa Integrity Fee

The US has added a new $250 ‘Visa Integrity Fee’ on all non-immigrant visa applications. This fee will affect various visa categories, including tourist, student, and work visas.

Keshav Singhania, Head of Private Client at Singhania & Co., says this new fee will discourage many Indian students and travelers. The revised visa processing cost will be 2.5 times more than the current fees.

How Much More Will You Pay?

• For Indian nationals, the average tourist visa cost is expected to rise by 2.5 times, reaching around ₹40,000.
• Starting from 2026, US visa applicants will need to pay a total of $472 (approximately ₹40,456) in fees. This includes:
• New Integrity Fee: $250
• I-94 fee: $24
• ESTA fee: $13
• This fee applies to various visa categories, including tourist/business (B-1/B-2), student (F/M), work (H-1B), and exchange (J) visas.

Who Will Be Affected?

Technology companies from India and the US rely heavily on work visas to transfer engineering professionals to America. The new fee will significantly increase their work visa expenses.

Singhania advises applicants to secure visa appointments before 2026 when the new charge begins. He also suggests considering the working capital costs associated with the revised visa processing cost.

The new visa regulation was implemented under the Omnibus Act, part of US President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill that became law on July 4. The charge will see annual inflation-adjusted increases and serves as a security deposit.

Is the Fee Refundable?

The Visa Integrity Fee is refundable if visa holders meet specific requirements. Visa holders can claim a refund if they leave the US within five days of their visa expiry without applying for extensions or status modifications.

While this arrangement might suit tourists, students, and professionals could have their funds locked for extended periods. Singhania suggests that the visa fee should be seen as a security deposit refundable upon lawful exit from the US in compliance with one’s visa tenure and conditions.

Additional Resources

For more information, you can read about why H-1B visa applications have dropped due to the steep fee hike and Donald Trump’s anti-immigration stance here.

You can also learn more about the stringent scrutiny of US H-1B visas under the Donald Trump administration and how Indians should be prepared here.