Goodbye to low-cost journey – U.S. imposes obligatory “integrity fee” of at the least $250 on foreigners with visas

Thinking about visiting the U.S.? Well, you’ll have to pay a price if you wish to enter the nation. The authorities of the United States goes to start out charging a brand new price to many individuals who wish to go to the nation. This price known as “visa integrity fee” and it’ll value at the least $250. It is added to the conventional worth that you simply already pay to get a visa. That means if somebody desires to enter the United States with a visa, now they must pay extra money than earlier than.

This new rule was included in a legislation from the U.S. authorities. Even although it hasn’t began but, it’s already accepted and shortly will probably be required for a lot of vacationers from different international locations. So, let’s study extra about this ‘’visa integrity price’’.

Who must pay this price?

This new cost shall be for all individuals who want a nonimmigrant visa. That consists of:

• People touring as vacationers.
• People going to do enterprise or work for some time.
• Students going to review within the United States for a number of months or years.
• Other individuals who plan to remain just for some time after which return to their nation.

In 2024, nearly 11 million visas of this kind have been issued, so many individuals must pay this price when it begins. But there’s one thing essential: individuals from sure international locations who don’t want a visa for brief journeys (like these within the Visa Waiver Program, akin to Spain, France, Germany, or Australia) received’t must pay this new price if their journey lasts lower than 90 days.

When do it’s important to pay it and may it’s refunded?

The new price shall be paid when the visa is accepted. That means when the particular person already has all of the papers prepared and the federal government says the visa is accepted, they must pay $250. Also, there shall be no exceptions: everybody who wants a visa must pay, regardless of if they’re younger, older, college students, or vacationers.

However, the federal government additionally says that the cash might be refunded after the journey, so long as the particular person follows all of the visa guidelines. For instance, if somebody has a 3-month visa and leaves earlier than that point is up, they may get the cash again.

Even although that sounds good, it’s nonetheless unknown the right way to ask for the refund. The authorities stated that this shall be defined later, as a result of a number of workplaces have to coordinate earlier than placing it into apply.

Why is that this price going to be charged?

The authorities of the U.S. defined that this price has a number of functions:

• To enhance the management of who enters and leaves the nation.
• To stop individuals from staying longer than allowed.
• To strengthen safety on the border.
• To pay the prices of the visa and safety system.

In case somebody doesn’t wish to do any paperwork to get the refund, or doesn’t meet the visa guidelines, the cash shall be included within the authorities’s common fund.

$250 perpetually?

For now, the minimal worth shall be $250, however that might change. The legislation says that the Department of Homeland Security can determine on one other quantity if it thinks it’s needed. Also, the quantity can enhance yearly relying on inflation.

What do some individuals suppose?

An group referred to as the U.S. Travel Association, which works to advertise tourism within the United States, stated that this new price is nothing constructive, as a result of it makes visiting the nation tougher and costly. Even if the cash might be refunded, they suppose many individuals received’t wish to cope with further paperwork and large funds. What do you consider this transformation?