US to Charge $250 Visa Fee for Tourists, Students from 2026 – Impact on Indian Travelers | New India Abroad

 

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Indian nationals traveling to the United States for tourism, education, or temporary work will soon face significantly higher visa costs. Beginning in 2026, a new $250 “Visa Integrity Fee” will be imposed on most non-immigrant visa categories under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1), recently signed into law by U.S. President Donald Trump on July 4.

This surcharge will apply to B-1/B-2 tourist and business visas, F and M student visas, H-1B work visas, and J-1 exchange visas, among others. Only diplomatic visa holders under categories A and G will be exempt.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will collect the fee at the time of visa issuance. Framed as a refundable security deposit, it will only be reimbursed if travelers fully comply with all visa conditions—such as leaving the U.S. within five days of visa expiration or adjusting their status legally—and submit the necessary proof.



The new $250 charge comes on top of the existing $185 Machine-Readable Visa (MRV) application fee, plus an additional $24 I-94 fee for entry/exit tracking. Indian travelers using ESTA or EVUS will also incur further charges of $13 and $30 respectively. Altogether, Indian applicants could now spend around $480 for a U.S. visa—nearly double current costs.

This fee is part of a sweeping immigration reform effort. The One Big Beautiful Bill allocates $150 billion through 2029 to bolster U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), expand detention facilities, speed up deportations, and restrict asylum access. These initiatives will be funded in part by higher visa fees and a new 1% remittance tax.

New India Abroad notes growing concern among students, tech workers, and travel businesses, warning that rising costs may deter Indian talent from choosing the U.S.

 


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