US Visa Rule: Planning A Trip To America? Be Ready To Shell Out Extra Rs 21,000 Under Donald Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act’

US Visa Latest News: Travelling to the United States is about to become significantly more expensive for Indian visitors. A new visa rule has been introduced as part of the Trump administration’s recently passed 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act', signed into law on July 4.

This new rule includes a $250 “visa integrity fee” that will apply to all non-immigrant visa applicants, which includes most Indian travellers heading to the US for tourism, study, work, or business.

The new fee will be charged in addition to existing visa application charges, making the total cost of securing a US visa significantly higher than before.

What’s the Total Cost Now?

The $250 fee, which comes to around Rs 21,500 in Indian currency, is mandatory for anyone who needs a non-immigrant visa to enter the US. This includes popular visa categories like student visas (F-1, F-2), exchange visitor visas (J-1, J-2), and temporary work visas (H-1B, H-4), all of which are commonly used by Indian citizens.

For Indian applicants, the total estimated cost to get a US visa may now reach around Rs 40,000. This includes the new $250 integrity fee, the I-94 form fee which has increased from $6 to $24 (about Rs 2,000), and an ESTA fee of $13 (about Rs 1,100).

On top of these, travellers will still have to pay other mandatory visa-related charges, such as the Machine-Readable Visa (MRV) fee and, depending on the visa category, possible anti-fraud or reciprocity fees.

Also Read: US-India Trade Deal: How Much Does India Need A Trade Deal With The US?

Will You Get a Refund?

The US government says this new fee is meant to ensure better enforcement of immigration laws and reduce the number of people who overstay their visas. While data shows that the majority of non-immigrant visitors comply with their visa terms, a large portion of undocumented immigrants in the US are people who initially entered legally but failed to leave after their visa expired.

An estimated 42% of the 11 million undocumented people in the US are visa overstayers.

Will You Get a Refund?

Unfortunately for Indian travellers, this new visa integrity fee is non-refundable and cannot be waived or reduced. However, there is a possibility that visitors who strictly follow all visa rules—such as leaving the US on time or changing their status legally—might be eligible for reimbursement by the US Department of Homeland Security, though how this will work remains unclear.

US to Host Major International Events

The new fees are also coming into effect just as the US prepares to host major international events, including the FIFA World Cup in 2026 and the Summer Olympics in 2028. This could make travel planning even more complicated and costly for tourists, especially from countries like India, which is not part of the US Visa Waiver Program.

That means Indian citizens will have to pay this new $250 fee, unlike travellers from certain European countries, Japan, South Korea, and a few others who can visit the US for short stays without a visa.