US Doubles Visa Fees / Bad news for Indians! Trump increased US visa fees, going to US will become more difficult

US Doubles Visa Fees: There is bad news for Indians dreaming of visiting, studying or working in America. Soon you may have to loosen your pocket more for the visa, as the visa fee is going to increase by more than double. The US has announced the implementation of a new visa integrity fee, which can be heavy on your pocket from 2026. This fee will be applicable to almost all non-immigrant visa holders including tourists, students, business travelers and technology professionals.

What is Visa Integrity Fee?

US President Donald Trump signed a major law called One Big Beautiful Bill on July 4, 2025, which mentions this new visa integrity fee. Under this law, an additional fee of $250 (about Rs 21,400) will have to be paid for every non-immigrant visa. This fee is a kind of security deposit, which has to be paid at the time of getting the visa. The special thing is that this amount will increase every year on the basis of Consumer Price Index (CPI), that is, the burden on the pocket will increase every year.

According to reports, this fee will be applicable on all non-immigrant visas like B1/B2 (tourist/business), F/M (student), H1B (work) and J (exchange). Only those with diplomatic visas (A and G category) will be able to avoid this fee.

How much will the cost increase?

Currently, the fee for a B1/B2 visa is around $185 (about Rs 16,000). But after the new visa integrity fee, this cost will increase to around $472 (about Rs 40,456). That is, two and a half times more than the current fee! Apart from the visa integrity fee of $250, it also includes I-94 fee of $24 and ESTA fee of $13. According to Sanjeev Rai of Hyderabad Overseas Consultants, with the new fee, Indians will have to spend around Rs 37,500 for B1/B2 visa.

However, it has not been officially confirmed yet and the exact amount is also not clear. But it is certain that this increase will be a big setback for Indian travelers, especially students and professionals.

When will this fee be applicable?

According to Sanjeev Rai, the new visa fee rule is likely to come into effect from January 2026. This means that if you are thinking of going to America next year, then you will have to keep a higher budget ready than before. This fee will be charged by the US Department of Homeland Security and it will be increased every year on the basis of CPI.

What is the refund rule?

According to reports, this visa integrity fee will work like a security deposit, which can be refunded with certain conditions. If you leave the US within five days of your visa expiring and neither ask for a visa extension nor change your status, you can claim this fee for a refund. But these conditions are very strict, especially for students and professionals, whose visas can last for several years. In such a situation, their money can be stuck for a long time.

What will be the impact on Indians?

This fee hike will have the biggest impact on Indian students, tourists and technology professionals. Every year millions of people from India go to the US for tourism, studies and work. But now with the increase in the cost of visa, this dream will become more expensive for them. Especially for students, who already bear the burden of tuition fees and living expenses, this additional fee is no less than a big shock.

Many people can now turn to countries like Europe, Canada or Australia, where visa fees are low and the process is easy. Immigration consultants say that people can hurry to apply for visas by the end of 2025, so that they can avoid the new fee. This can lead to congestion and delays in visa appointments.

Why was this fee introduced?

The US says that this visa integrity fee has been introduced to ensure compliance with visa rules and prevent illegal migration. The Trump administration believes that this fee will prevent people from violating visa conditions. However, many experts say that this fee can be heavy for common travelers, especially those from developing countries like India, and can also discourage legitimate travel.

What should Indian applicants do?

• Apply early: If you are planning to go to the US in 2025, then apply for a visa by the end of this year to avoid the new fee.
• Increase the budget: Keep a budget ready in advance for the fee that will be applicable from 2026.
• Consider alternative countries: If the cost of America seems high, then look for options in countries like Europe or Canada.