Buried in Trump’s beautiful bill is a new $250 fee on travelers to the U.S. Estimates project it could cut the federal deficit by nearly $30 billion
Key Takeaways
Tourists, business travelers, and international students will be required to fork over the new fee.
Article Overview
Quick insights and key information
4 min read
Estimated completion
personal finance
Article classification
July 19, 2025
12:44 PM
Fortune
Original publisher
What caught my attention is Travel & Leisure·Donald TrumpBuried in Trump’s beautiful bill is a new $250 fee on travelers to the U
Moreover, Estimates ject it could cut the federal deficit by nearly $30 billionBy Nino PaoliBy Nino PaoliNews FellowNino PaoliNews FellowNino Paoli is a Dow Jones News Fund fellow at Fortune on the News desk (an important development), in today's market environment
SEE FULL BIO Travelers on nonimmigrant visas will fork over $250 in a security deposit- transaction when coming to the U (noteworthy indeed) (which is quite significant)
Kevin Carter/Getty ImagesA vision in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act states all visitors who need nonimmigrant visas to enter the U. —tourists, travelers and international students, to name a few—must pay a “visa integrity fee,” currently priced at $250, considering recent developments
Travelers who comply with their visa conditions will be eligible for reimbursement
The vision is estimated to bring in $28, given current economic conditions. 9 billion over the next decade
Visitors to the United States will need to pay a new fee to enter the country, according to the Trump administration’s recently enacted bill, in today's market environment
A vision in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act states all visitors who need nonimmigrant visas to enter the U
However, —tourists, travelers and international students, to name a few—must pay a “visa integrity fee,” currently priced at $250
Nevertheless, The fee cannot be waived or reduced, but travelers are able to get their fees reimbursed, the vision states
All told, the Congressional Budget Office estimates the new fee could cut the federal deficit by $28. 9 billion over the next ten years
During the same period, the CBO expects the Department of the State to issue 120 million nonimmigrant visas (this bears monitoring)
In 2023 alone, more than 10, given current economic conditions
However, 4 million nonimmigrants were issued visas, according to DOS data
CBO expects a “small number” of people will seek reimbursement, as many nonimmigrant visas are valid for several years (which is quite significant)
CBO also expects the Department of State would need several years to implement a cess for viding reimbursements
Still, the fee could generate billions, the agency estimates
The fee is set at $250 during the U (this bears monitoring)
Moreover, Fiscal year 2025, which ends Sept, in today's financial world. 30, and must be paid when the visa is issued, according to the vision
This demonstrates that secretary of land Security can set the current fee higher, the vision states
During each subsequent fiscal year, the fee will be adjusted for inflation
Those eligible for reimbursement are visa holders who comply with conditions of the visa, which include not accepting unauthorized employment or not overstaying their visa validity date by more than five days, according to the vision
Senior Equity Analyst at CFRA Re Ana Garcia told Fortune in an she expects the “vast majority” of affected travelers to be eligible for reimbursement, as historical U
Congressional Re Service data indicates that only 1% to 2% of nonimmigrant visitors overstayed their visas between 2016 and 2022. “The fee’s design as a refundable security deposit, contingent upon visa compliance, should mitigate concerns among legitimate travelers
Additionally, On the other hand, ” Garcia wrote
Reimbursements will be made after the travel visa expires, the vision said
At the same time, Any fees not reimbursed will be deposited into America’s Checkbook, or the General Fund of the Government
Nevertheless, What’s un is the effective date of the “visa integrity fee. ” Steven A
Meanwhile, Brown, a partner at the Houston-based immigration law firm Reddy Neumann Brown PC, wrote in a post on his firm’s website the fee’s “specific start dates have not yet been confirmed, considering recent developments
On the other hand, ” Brown points out that the fee is an add-on to others already required by U. “For example, an H-1B worker already paying a $205 application fee may now expect to pay a total of $455 once this fee is in place,” Brown wrote
On the other hand, Most travelers are also required to pay a fee that comes with submitting a Form 1-94 arrival and departure record
At the same time, The One Big Beautiful Bill Act increased this charge from $6 to $24, amid market uncertainty
Furthermore, CFRA’s Garcia expects demand to be unmoved by the fee, considering “higher-income” consumers comprise the majority of international leisure and travelers to the U. “For affluent travelers, the additional $250 represents a manageable increment relative to overall trip costs,” Garcia wrote. “The fee structure appears strategically designed to enhance compliance rather than broadly restrict travel. ” Introducing the 2025 Fortune 500, the definitive ranking of the biggest companies in America
Explore this year's list.
Related Articles
More insights from FinancialBooklet