Adding to the policy shift, President Trump signed into law the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on July 4, introducing a mandatory USD 250 Visa Integrity Fee for most non-immigrant visa categories. The fee, which takes effect from fiscal year 2026, applies to B-1 and B-2 (tourist and business), F and M (student), H-1B (work), J (exchange)Only diplomatic visa categories A and G are exempt.Billed as a security deposit, the amount is non-waivable, adjusted annually for inflation, and will be refunded only if the visa holder proves full compliance, including timely departure and adherence to visa conditions. Failure to meet criteria will result in forfeiture, with the fee transferred to the US Treasury.The law also introduces additional surcharges including a USD 24 I-94 processing fee, a USD13 ESTA fee for travellers under the Visa Waiver Program, and a USD 30 EVUS fee for Chinese nationals with 10-year B-1 or B-2 visas. Together, these could raise the cost of a typical US tourist visa for Indian applicants from USD 185 to around USD 472.
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