If you’ve been manifesting a trip to Times Square, or you’re headed to the US for uni or a new job—there’s a new hurdle (aka cost) in your way. The US has introduced a $250 "Visa Integrity Fee" starting FY 2025 for most non-immigrant visa categories. That includes tourist (B1/B2), student (F, M), work (H-1B), and exchange (J) visas. Basically, unless you’re a diplomat, there’s no skipping this one.

The fee is part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed on July 4th (yes, Independence Day). Think of it as a refundable security deposit—the US government wants to ensure you follow all the visa rules, from not working illegally to leaving on time.

The Visa Integrity Fee is $250 (~₹21,400), over and above the regular visa application fees. For a standard B-1/B-2 tourist visa, which already costs $185, the total outflow now jumps to around $472 (approx. ₹40,500)—a 2.5x increase for Indian applicants. Ouch.

Also, FYI, this fee will increase yearly starting 2026, thanks to inflation adjustments by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Here’s the slightly less painful part: If you comply with your visa terms (no unauthorized jobs, no overstaying), you might get a refund. You'll need to exit the US within five days after your authorized stay—unless you’ve officially extended or changed your status.

So technically, it’s not a full loss. But getting that refund may not be as instant as your UPI payment.

The Visa Integrity Fee is part of a broader fee update. Others include:

$24 I-94 fee for arrival/departure record

$13 ESTA fee for travelers under the Visa Waiver Program

$30 EVUS fee for some Chinese nationals

So yeah, they’re tightening up across the board.
 

Let’s be honest: visa processes are confusing enough without all these new fee updates. This is exactly where StampThePassport has your back.

Whether you’re applying for a US tourist visa, prepping documents for your H-1B, or figuring out your student visa, their team helps smooth out the stress. No long forms, no guesswork, and they’ll even keep you posted on fee updates like this.

Bonus? If this article has convinced you to put your US trip on pause and travel somewhere budget-friendlier (Bali or Turkey!), they also offer curated holiday packages that are super Insta-worthy and super easy on the wallet. 🌴✈️

The Visa Integrity Fee may feel like a financial curveball, but with proper planning—and maybe a little help from travel pros—you can still make your American dream happen. Just don’t forget to add this new cost into your budgeting spreadsheet.

And if you need help decoding your next visa, don’t wing it—StampThePassport is literally built for this.