By – Ms Mamta Jani, Founder, Ontrack Education

In a move that creates an additional financial and compliance layer for U.S. nonimmigrant visa holders, the U.S. government has created a “Visa Integrity Fee” as part of an overarching immigration and budgetary reform package, informally referred to as the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” The new regulation covers popular visa categories like F-1 (students), H-1B (specialised workers), and B1/B2 (business and tourist visitors) and represents a dramatic policy change in the convergence of immigration compliance and funding.

What Is the Visa Integrity Fee?
Beginning in the 2025 fiscal year, all U.S. nonimmigrant visa grantees will have to pay a required Visa Integrity Fee. Initially set at $250, the fee is intended to fund enforcement and processing activity involving immigration compliance. Yet the fee isn’t static—starting in 2026, it will rise each year, with an inflation adjustment tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

Can You Get a Refund?

In some specific restricted circumstances, a Visa Integrity Fee refund might be afforded, but only if two integral conditions are satisfied:

● Strict Compliance with Visa Terms
● The applicant must not have participated in unauthorised employment, overstayed their visa, or otherwise contravened U.S. immigration laws.
● Lawful Departure or Adjustment
● Besides compliance, one of the following must be the case:
● The visa holder departed from the U.S. within five days of the expiration of their I-94, neither having requested an extension nor a change of status.
● The person acquired a lawful extension or adjustment (e.g., a green card) prior to the expiration of their authorized stay.

Worth noting is that waivers or reductions are not allowed, whether in cases of financial difficulty or individual situations. Except if a sponsoring entity decides to cover the expense, the fee is the visa recipient’s sole obligation and is sent to the general fund of the U.S. Treasury.

Who Is Affected?

Impaction of this charge will spread to sectors that are heavily dependent on international talent, students, and business travellers. Here’s how it can impact various groups:

• International Students (F-1): While many already bear the cost of tuition, living costs, and SEVIS fees, this is another obligatory expense. Schools will have to raise advising and provide enhanced visa counselling.
• Tech and STEM Employers (H-1B): Businesses will experience higher expenses when hiring foreign employees or extending visas. HR units will have to tighten compliance monitoring and budgeting processes in handling workforce planning.
• Business Travellers (B1/B2): Infrequent visitors for short-term business meetings or events might be deterred by the added fee, particularly if they enter multiple times within a limited period.

Why It Matters
Although the charge is a small administrative fee, it represents a broader policy move: the establishment of an explicit connection between visa compliance and financial responsibility. This might result in more stringent enforcement protocols, increased checks on visa conditions, and requests for more stringent documentation from both visa holders and sponsors.

Employers, schools, and individuals will need to be more proactive now. Knowing the nuances of this policy—most importantly, the stringent refund policy requirements—will be essential. Noncompliance could not only cost the fee but also potentially put future visa status at risk.

In a nutshell, the Visa Integrity Fee is not just another fee line item—it’s a new chapter in the way the U.S. addresses nonimmigrant mobility, compliance, and fiscal policy.