English 
Português 
Español 
The Visa Integrity Fee is no longer a proposal — it is a mandatory line item in the budget of nearly every foreign national applying for a U.S. nonimmigrant visa. Created by Section 100007 of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Public Law 119-21, signed on July 4, 2025, the $250 charge took effect at the start of fiscal year 2026, on October 1, 2025. For anyone planning tourism, study, exchange programs, or temporary work in the United States, understanding what this fee is, when it applies, and what can be recovered is no longer optional.
What the Visa Integrity Fee Is
The Visa Integrity Fee is a supplemental federal charge, established by statute and administered by the Department of Homeland Security in coordination with the Department of State. It does not replace the consular processing fee, known as the MRV fee, nor should it be confused with USCIS petition fees in employment-based categories. The amount is set at $250, and the law itself provides for annual inflation adjustments starting in FY2027, calculated by the DHS Secretary.
Unlike the MRV fee — paid at the time of scheduling a consular interview and non-refundable regardless of outcome — the Visa Integrity Fee is charged only when a visa is actually issued. Denied applications do not trigger the new charge, although the MRV fee remains forfeited.
Who Pays and Who Is Exempt
The rule is broad. The fee applies to the majority of nonimmigrant visa applicants, including the most common categories for international travelers:
- B-1/B-2: tourism, family visits, and business travel
- F-1 and M-1: academic and vocational students
- J-1: exchange programs, au pairs, trainees, researchers
- H-1B, H-2A, and H-2B: specialty occupation, agricultural, and seasonal workers
- L-1A and L-1B: intracompany transferees
- O-1: individuals with extraordinary ability
- P-1, P-2, and P-3: athletes, artists, and cultural groups
- E-2: treaty investors
Diplomatic and official categories A and G remain exempt, per the language of Section 100007. Visa Waiver Program beneficiaries entering with ESTA also do not pay the Visa Integrity Fee, since they technically do not receive a visa — though they continue to pay the ESTA fee, which was adjusted upward in parallel.
Total Cost of a U.S. Visa in 2026
The calculation varies by category. For a typical B-1/B-2 applicant processed at a consulate, the total combines the $185 MRV fee and the $250 Visa Integrity Fee, reaching $435 upon approval. The $24 I-94 fee frequently cited in the press applies only to land-border entries processed by CBP and is not automatically part of the cost for air travelers.
Employment-based categories carry a more complex structure. An H-1B worker, for example, requires an employer-sponsored I-129 petition before the consular stage, with fees exceeding $2,800 when the electronic registration, Fraud Prevention and Detection Fee, ACWIA Fee, and Asylum Program Fee are combined. On top of that, the $250 Visa Integrity Fee is added when the visa is processed abroad.
Can the Fee Be Refunded
The statute includes a partial refund mechanism, but with strict criteria. The Visa Integrity Fee is, in principle, refundable to the visa holder who fully complies with all visa terms: departing the United States by the authorized date, not engaging in unauthorized employment, and not seeking adjustment of status outside the paths allowed by statute. Anyone who overstays, works outside visa conditions, or obtains a green card through a path characterized as irregular under the statute forfeits the right to a refund.
In practice, as of early 2026, DHS had not yet published a final rule detailing the operational procedure for requesting a refund. Applicants should treat the fee as a sunk cost in the near term and regard any future reimbursement as a bonus, not a financial planning element.
Why Congress Created This Fee
The stated rationale presented during the legislative debate combined two objectives: generating revenue for immigration enforcement programs and discouraging status violations. The chosen name — integrity — reinforces the premise that the mechanism aims to anchor good-faith behavior after visa issuance, tying the refund to compliance with visa conditions.
Critics in the global mobility sector point to three significant side effects: higher costs for middle-income families in major visa-issuing markets; potential pressure on tourist flows and sporting events such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup; and the impact on educational programs that depend on the arrival of international students.
What This Means for Travel Planning
An increase of more than 130% in total cost for a family needing four tourist visas requires a revised timeline and budget. A few steps can reduce the friction:
- Check the validity of existing visas before entering the renewal queue. B-1/B-2 visas issued with ten-year validity remain valid through the expiration date printed on the foil.
- Consider the Interview Waiver, where eligible, for renewals within the window permitted by the Department of State, avoiding travel and time off work.
- Schedule travel with adequate lead time relative to consular processing, which varies by post. The Department of State’s official dashboard shows up-to-date wait times by location.
- Clearly document compliance with visa conditions during the stay, preserving evidence of timely departure, employer statements, and enrollment records. This documentation will support any future refund request once the procedure is regulated.
The Impact on the Brazilian Market
Brazil ranks among the leading countries for U.S. visa issuance, alongside Mexico, India, and China. In absolute volume, more than half a million B-1/B-2 visas are processed annually at Brazilian consular posts. The Visa Integrity Fee alone adds over R$1.4 billion in potential revenue from the Brazilian market, based on mid-2026 exchange rates and current demand levels.
For long-term applicants — particularly those pursuing immigrant categories such as EB-1, EB-2, EB-2 NIW, EB-3, and EB-5 — the proportional impact is smaller, since those categories already carry high petition costs. For the occasional tourist and the exchange student, however, the new reality demands careful calculation and earlier financial preparation.
What to Expect Next
DHS is expected to publish supplemental regulations detailing the billing process, the annual adjustment mechanism, and the refund protocol. Until then, visa holders should assume the Visa Integrity Fee is a full charge paid at the time of issuance, and treat the remaining validity window of any current visa as a planning asset that is worth more today than it was in 2024.
Victoria Harper
Editor-in-Chief
Leading journalism and editorial content at Visto n’ Visa, Victoria helps make immigration topics clear, trustworthy, and easy to understand. Her focus is on delivering useful, human, and relevant content for people exploring new paths abroad.
