Enacted and Proposed U.S. Visa Fees for 2026: What Changes Lie Ahead

The United States 🇺🇸 is moving ahead with a new layer of immigration charges that will touch millions of travelers and employers in late 2025 and through 2026, led by a new Visa Integrity Fee (VIF) created by Congress. The measure was enacted in Public Law 119-21 (H.R. 1), signed on July 4, 2025, by President Biden, and it sets a minimum $250 charge for most nonimmigrant visa issuances. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will announce when and how the VIF will be collected in a Federal Register notice. While the law sets the framework, full rollout details are pending agency rulemaking, meaning the fee is authorized but not yet being charged until DHS completes implementation.

How the Visa Integrity Fee (VIF) works

• The VIF is due at the time a visa is issued and is in addition to the existing Machine-Readable Visa (MRV) fee.
• The law sets a minimum of $250, but DHS may set a higher amount through regulation.
• From fiscal year 2026, the VIF will be indexed to inflation.
• As written, the VIF generally cannot be waived.
• Refunds are very limited: possible only after the visa expires and only if the traveler proves compliance (for example, timely departure, no unauthorized work, no status violations, or a lawful change of status while in the U.S.).
• Visa Waiver Program travelers are exempt from the VIF, but will instead face a higher ESTA fee.

Changes to ESTA, EVUS, and related fees

• The ESTA fee (for Visa Waiver Program travelers):
  • Adds a component of “not less than $13” starting October 1, 2025.
  • Will be indexed to inflation from FY2026 onward.
  • No waivers are authorized.
• The EVUS fee (affecting certain B-1/B-2 travelers, notably many Chinese nationals):
  • Increases to a $30 minimum on October 1, 2025.
  • Will also be indexed to inflation, with no waivers.
• These changes represent a shift toward fees that rise automatically each year, rather than remaining flat for long periods.

Other fee increases under Public Law 119-21

Public Law 119-21 also raises several other government fees tied to travel and protection programs:

These figures reflect Congress’s push to recover more processing and enforcement costs through user fees.

Confirmed USCIS and State Department actions

• USCIS has confirmed the H-1B registration fee will be $215 for the FY2026 cap season. This fee is for submitting a registration in the H-1B lottery and is separate from any petition filing fees for selected cases.
• The State Department is operating a visa bond policy for certain countries with high overstay rates. This policy rolled out on a rolling basis in 2025 and remains in effect for listed nationalities. Bonds apply only to a narrow set of B visa applicants but can affect trip planning and budgets.

Regulatory actions still pending

DHS has two major proposals that are not final:

1. A proposal to weight H-1B lottery selections based on wage levels or skills, potentially favoring higher-paid or more-skilled beneficiaries.
2. A proposal to replace “duration of status” for F, M, and J visa holders with fixed admission periods requiring extensions.

Both remain at the proposal stage; there is no final rule or effective date yet.

Policy changes overview (quick list)

1. Visa Integrity Fee (VIF): Enacted with a minimum $250, adjustable by DHS; indexed to inflation starting FY2026; refunds limited and post-visa; Visa Waiver travelers exempt.
2. ESTA fee: Adds not less than $13 from Oct 1, 2025; indexed to inflation from FY2026; no waivers.
3. EVUS fee: $30 minimum from Oct 1, 2025; indexed to inflation; no waivers. Applies to certain B-1/B-2 travelers (many from PRC).
4. Visa bond policy: Active for listed nationalities, rolled out in 2025.
5. H-1B registration fee: $215 for FY2026.
6. Other rises: I-94, asylum, parole, TPS fees and EAD changes.

Impact on travelers and employers

Travelers:
– For visa applicants in 2025–2026, the VIF is the headline change. Families, students, and skilled workers should expect an extra charge at visa issuance once DHS activates collection.
– Because the VIF is tied to inflation from FY2026, the amount will likely increase gradually year-to-year from the initial baseline.
– The limited refund path—available only after visa expiry with proof of compliance—means most applicants should treat the VIF as a sunk cost.
– Visa Waiver Program travelers avoid the VIF but will see a higher ESTA fee and annual adjustments.
– Chinese business and tourist visitors subject to EVUS should factor the higher EVUS fee into routine trip planning.

Employers:
– Should update budgets for international hiring to include the confirmed $215 H-1B registration fee for spring filing cycles.
– Should monitor DHS’s proposed H-1B weighted selection rule; a final rule could shift selection odds toward higher wage levels, affecting hiring strategy and competitive positioning.
– Any major rumored changes—such as a universal $100,000 fee for H-1B filings—are not in effect as of October 17, 2025. Reports claiming a blanket $100,000 payment for all H-1B cases do not match agency guidance.

Humanitarian applicants:
– New fees for asylum, parole, and TPS filings increase the financial burden and necessitate careful budgeting and timing to avoid lost permissions or interrupted status.

Travelers subject to visa bonds:
– Should check the State Department’s list early. Bond requirements can change upfront costs and trip timing; they apply only to certain nationalities and cases.

Key takeaway: With fees tied to inflation and limited refunds, applicants and employers should plan for ongoing, modest increases and keep documentation and compliance tight.

What happens next — timing and implementation

• DHS is authorized to collect the VIF, but must publish an implementation notice in the Federal Register that explains:
  • When collection begins
  • Exactly who is covered
  • How refunds and compliance verification will work
  • Whether the VIF will be set above the $250 floor
• Many statutory changes have an effective date of October 1, 2025, but agencies still need to align systems and issue operational guidance.
• The State Department will update consular processes to collect the VIF alongside the MRV fee, while DHS finalizes back-end tracking needed for post-visa compliance refunds.

For authoritative updates on visa processing, fee amounts, and consular operations, the U.S. Department of State maintains current guidance on its Visa Services site at U.S. Department of State – Visa Services. Agency notices will spell out the start date for the Visa Integrity Fee, list any statutory exemptions, and confirm how and when inflation adjustments apply in 2026 and beyond.

Practical next steps for readers

• Review budgets and travel plans to account for new and rising fees (VIF, ESTA, EVUS, I-94, H-1B registration, asylum/parole/TPS).
• Employers: incorporate the $215 H-1B registration fee into spring budgets and monitor DHS rulemaking for selection changes.
• Travelers: check fee amounts immediately before applying; expect annual small increases from FY2026.
• Applicants in humanitarian programs: review official instructions carefully to avoid lapses that could lead to lost work permission or interrupted status.
• Travelers from countries on the State Department’s visa bond list: confirm whether a bond will be required for your case well before travel.

As this fee regime takes shape, one theme is clear: costs will be more dynamic. By tying the VIF, the ESTA fee, and EVUS to inflation, Public Law 119-21 moves away from long-static charges. For families, students, and employers, that means building a little extra room in budgets each year. For travelers in categories with strict compliance checks, it also means keeping paperwork clean—because refunds, where allowed, will depend on it.