The United States Government has introduced a new $250 “visa integrity fee” for all non-immigrant visa applicants, a development likely to affect tourists, business travellers, and international students from across the world, including Nigeria.
The new charge is part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law recently by President Donald Trump. According to the provisions of the law, the fee is non-waivable and must be paid once a visa is issued. Applicants whose visa requests are denied will not be required to pay the fee.
The Act also gives the Secretary of Homeland Security the power to increase the fee. However, a refund may be granted to travellers who fully comply with the terms of their visa—such as avoiding unauthorised work, not overstaying their visit, and departing the United States within five days after the end of their permitted stay.
Lawful permanent residents are also eligible for a refund, though details of the reimbursement process are not yet clear.
In addition, the cost of obtaining Form I-94—used to document the entry and status of foreign nationals in the US—has been increased. While the fee currently stands at $6 for land border entrants, it will rise to $24 under the new legislation.
Other changes introduced by the Act include increased charges for the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), which will now cost not less than $13 per travel approval, with inflation-adjusted increments annually. ESTA applies to travellers from visa waiver countries, mostly in Europe and Asia.
Also affected are asylum seekers and humanitarian parole applicants. A $1,000 fee has been introduced for humanitarian parole requests, while Employment Authorisation Documents (EADs) will now attract $550 for initial applications and $275 for renewals.
Applicants for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) will pay $500, with associated EAD fees mirroring those of asylum applicants. Additionally, those with pending asylum cases will now pay an annual $100 fee.
Immigration court filing fees have also been increased significantly: $1,500 for adjustment of status, $600 for cancellation of removal, and $900 for most appeals and motions.
The new measures have sparked debates among immigration advocates and policy analysts, especially as they affect low-income migrants and international students already grappling with high travel and tuition costs.