AMERICA’S NEW $250 “VISA INTEGRITY FEE” SPARKS GLOBAL BACKLASH – The fee is set to take effect on October 1st as part of immigration crackdown
Travel to the United States just got even pricier as the Trump administration has unveiled a brand-new $250 “visa integrity fee”, set to take effect on October 1st — part of its ongoing hardline immigration crackdown.
For travelers from countries outside the U.S. visa waiver system — including Mexico, Brazil, India, China and Argentina — this means a tourist visa will now cost a staggering $442, making it one of the most expensive in the world.
The fee, tucked under the Big Beautiful Bill Act, is being presented as a move to “protect America’s borders.” But critics warn it risks choking off international travel at a time when the U.S. economy can least afford it. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council, visitor spending in America is already projected to sink to $169 billion this year — down from $181 billion in 2024.
The Trump administration is also pushing through tougher rules to limit how long students, cultural exchange visitors, and even foreign journalists can stay in the U.S.
All of this comes on the heels of Trump’s travel ban just two months ago, which blocked entry from 12 mainly African and Middle Eastern nations — including Afghanistan, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen — while slapping tighter restrictions on citizens from another nine countries like Cuba, Venezuela, and Sierra Leone.
Critics are calling the visa fee a “tourist tax” that risks alienating allies and scaring off legitimate visitors. But for Trump’s base, it’s yet another sign that the administration is doubling down on its promise to keep America’s doors “secure.”
