Indians planning to travel to the United States may soon face a sharp rise in visa-related costs.
Under the new “One Big Beautiful Act” recently signed by President Trump, a large fee will be added to most non-immigrant visa types starting next year.
Those visiting the US for tourism, education, or work will now need to pay a Visa Integrity Fee of $250 (around ₹21,400), as reported by Business Today.
This new law covers visa categories like H-1B (work), B-1/B-2 (tourist/business), and F and M (student) visas. Only diplomatic visas are excluded from this rule.
Will this fee be refunded if I return?
The Visa Integrity Fee is similar to a security deposit and cannot be avoided. It will be collected by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) when the visa is issued.
If a traveler follows all visa rules, such as leaving the US within five days of expiry or legally changing their visa status, they can apply to get the fee back. But if the rules are broken, the US government will keep the amount.
How will it affect Indians?
From 2026, Indian travelers applying for US visas will have to spend much more.
The standard visa application fee of $185 remains unchanged, but several new charges will apply. As per The Economic Times, applicants will need to pay:
$250 Visa Integrity Fee
$24 I-94 surcharge (to support tracking at the border)
$13 and $30 extra for those using ESTA or EVUS systems
The Trump administration says these charges are meant to reduce visa overstaying and make sure travelers follow visa rules.
However, critics argue that these new fees are unfair to honest travelers, especially from developing countries like India.
Overall, Indian visitors may now have to spend around ₹40,000 on visa fees—more than double the current cost.
