Trump administration adds $250 visa fee for foreign visitors Oct 1

The Trump administration continues to take a harder stance on foreign visitors with a “visa integrity fee” to be implemented on Oct. 1. 

The fee would charge non-immigrant travelers visiting the U.S. $250 due at the time visas are issued and was enacted as part of the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” 

Countries such as Mexico, China, and Brazil will take on the most heat, with the cost for non-visa waiver countries now nearing $442, per the U.S. Travel Association.

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The largest numbers of international visitors in May were from Mexico, Canada, the United Kingdom, India and Brazil, according to the International Inbound Travel Association.

Gabe Rizzi, global travel management company Altour president, told Reuters that “any friction we add to the traveler experience is going to cut travel volumes by some amount.”

“As the summer ends this will become a more pressing issue, and we’ll have to factor the fees into travel budgets and documentation,” Rizzi added.

Overseas visitors to the U.S. dropped 3.1% in July from the same time last year, according to Reuters. 

The new fee comes as the U.S. prepares to host America250 events, the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup matches.

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“International visitor spending to the U.S. is projected to fall to just under $169BN this year, down from $181BN in 2024,” notes a World Travel & Tourism Council report.

Tourism Economics director of industry studies Aran Ryan told Reuters that overseas travel to the U.S. this year would grow over 10% year over year, but the latest projections now show a 3% decline.

Overseas visitors to the U.S. dropped 3.1% in July from the same time last year. (iStock)

The U.S. isn’t alone—countries worldwide are adding entry fees and tightening screening to capitalize on tourism while cracking down on abuse.

The British government recently rolled out an “Electronic Travel Authorization” (ETA) that digitizes tourists’ requests to visit the country while paying a fee of about $13. 

The ETAs are linked to a traveler’s passport in an effort to smooth security checks and “prevent abuse” of the immigration system.

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On Wednesday, the Trump administration proposed a rule to limit the length of time international students can remain in the U.S. for their studies to four years and the duration of visas for cultural exchange visitors and members of the media.

The rule would limit how long certain visa holders are allowed to stay in the U.S., according to a press release from the Department of Homeland Security.

Mexico, China and Brazil among countries facing steepest costs as total visa expenses near $442. (iStock)

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It seeks to curb “visa abuse” and increase the agency’s ability to “properly vet and oversee these individuals.”

Digital’s Landon Mion and Reuters contributed to this report.