New U.S. visa fee criticized for hurting tourism efforts

Travellers to the United States who are required to have a visitor’s visa to enter the country will soon need to pay an extra “visa integrity fee” costing US$250. The fee, which is intended to reduce the number of visitors who overstay their visa eligibility dates, has been criticized for heaping more hardships on America’s tourism industry.

In a statement, the U.S. Travel Association described the visa integrity fee on foreign visitors as a “foolish” move that undercuts otherwise smart investments in travel infrastructure and security.

Geoff Freeman, the CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, suggested that the act of imposing new costs on travellers — while simultaneously slashing funding for Brand USA, the nation’s tourism marketing arm — undermines efforts to attract international visitors and support the US economy.

The visa integrity fee applies to all visitors who are required to have visas to enter the U.S., including tourists, business travellers and international students from certain countries. Many world nationals can visit the United States without needing a visa. But those who are required to have a visa will now have to pay the extra fee. The fee will be at least US$250 during the U.S. fiscal year 2025, running from Oct. 1, 2024, to Sept. 30, 2025, and may increase after that.

Most visa holders comply with their visa terms, says U.S. government data. Between 2016 and 2022, between 1%-2% of visa-holding visitors overstayed their visas in the United States, according to the U.S. Congressional Research Service.