Q COSTARICA — Starting in 2026, applying for a visa to enter the United States will be significantly more expensive due to a new mandatory US$250 surcharge added to current fees.
The measure was approved as part of the new immigration law known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” signed by President Donald Trump on July 4, 2025.
The objective of the legislation is to reduce the number of people who enter as tourists and then remain illegally, strengthening immigration control.
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The new “Visa Integrity Fee,” as it has been dubbed, will apply to all nonimmigrant visas, including tourist (B-1/B-2), student (F, M), temporary work (H-1B), and exchange programs (J-1), among others. With this new imposition, the total processing cost will increase from US$185 to US$435.
According to the State Department, this fee will be mandatory and unavoidable for both new applications and renewals initiated after the law goes into effect.
For this reason, interested parties are advised to complete their procedures as soon as possible to avoid the increase.
Although an exact implementation date has not yet been announced, it is estimated that the fee will begin in late 2025 or early 2026.
The only possible relief is the possibility of making the surcharge refundable if the visitor complies with all immigration laws during their stay in the United States.
This change will particularly impact those planning to attend the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held in Mexico, Canada, and primarily the United States, which will host most of the tournament’s matches.
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Millions of fans wishing to travel to soccer’s biggest event must now factor this additional expense into their budgets.
The Visa Integrity Fee represents a dramatic shift in U.S. immigration and economic policy, with direct effects on tourists, students, and temporary workers around the world.
The United States issued nearly 11 million nonimmigrant visas in 2024, according to State Department figures.
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