The United States government has announced a new $250 Visa Integrity Fee as part of sweeping immigration reforms under the recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

The bill was signed into law by President Donald Trump on July 4.

The fee, which functions similarly to a security deposit, is set to take effect in 2026 and applies to all applicants for non-immigrant visas.

Under the new policy, foreign nationals seeking visas in categories such as B-1/B-2 (tourist/business), F and M (student), H-1B (employment), and J (cultural exchange) will be required to pay the additional charge.

Diplomatic visa holders in the A and G categories will be exempt.

The Department of Homeland Security will collect the fee alongside existing visa processing charges.

The Integrity Fee will be adjusted annually for inflation and may be refundable if visa holders comply with U.S. immigration requirements.

The legislation also introduces additional mandatory travel-related charges, including a $24 I-94 arrival/departure record fee, a $13 ESTA fee for Visa Waiver Program participants, and a $30 Electronic Visa Update System charge for Chinese nationals with 10-year B-1/B-2 visas.

None of these fees are eligible for waivers.

These changes are part of a broader push by the Trump administration to strengthen immigration enforcement and encourage compliance with visa conditions.

With the new fees in place, the cost of obtaining a U.S. tourist or business visa which currently costs $185 (approximately N292,000) will now total around $435 (about N686,000 with the additional Integrity Fee.