NEW "VISA INTEGRITY FEE" AND USCIS CHARGES TAKE EFFECT

On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), introducing a new $250 "Visa Integrity Fee" for most nonimmigrant visa applicants.

Effective October 1, 2025, the fee applies to individuals applying at U.S. embassies or consulates for common visa categories including:

• H (temporary workers)

• L (intra-company transferees)

• F (students)

• J (exchange visitors)

• B (tourist/business visitors)

The fee is refundable only if the visa holder complies fully with their visa terms and departs the U.S. on time. However, the process for reimbursement remains undefined, raising questions about delays, eligibility, and enforceability. The Visa Integrity Fee will not apply to Canadians or travelers entering under the Visa Waiver Program (ESTA). 

Additional USCIS Fee Increases

In a related move, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has also rolled out new fees for a range of immigration filings, effective July 22, 2025. Highlights include:

• $100: Form I-589 (Asylum)

• $550: Initial Form I-765 (EAD) for asylum, parole, and TPS categories

• $275: EAD renewal for those same categories

• $250: Form I-360 (Special Immigrant Juvenile applicants)

• $24 minimum: New nonrefundable I-94 arrival/departure fee

• $50–$500: Form I-821 (TPS registration), depending on category

USCIS will reject applications postmarked after August 21, 2025, if they do not include the new fees. Importantly, fee waivers will not apply to the new OBBBA fees, only to preexisting charges.

Compliance and Cost Planning

The Visa Integrity Fee is intended to reduce visa overstays by tying financial reimbursement to compliance. Employers and individuals should be aware, however, that any violation—however minor—could forfeit the refund. Furthermore, the bill allows DHS to raise the fee at its discretion, with no defined cap beyond inflation adjustments.