International students, work permit holders and PR holders of Canada now have to pay additional $250 fee on top of current visa fees to visit USA.
If you are Canadian citizen or from visa waiver program countries you are exempt from this new visa fees. But if you are not from visa exempt country and even you are Canadian Permanent Resident (PR) you have to pay this additional visa fee.
What is this fee and who will pay it?
This new additional fees is $250 called integrity fee implemented by USA under the new Big Beautiful Bill. As said earlier its not implemented on Canadian Citizens and on USA visa waived countries.
If you are planning to get US non immigrant visa for e.g. Tourist Visa, student visa, spouse visa and more you have pay this fee on top of current $185 fee. This adds to $435, now you have to spend more to visit USA.
Which Countries are impacted from this fee?
The big countries impacted are China, India, Brazil, Mexico and other non visa exempt countries. Around 11 million people visited USA on non immigrant visa in 2024.
There were 331,602 international students from India alone in USA, a data from USA government This will impact US universities who rely on international students to fund their programs. After Indians, Chinese students form second most international students group in USA.
Is the new US fee refundable ?
We don’t know yet. But there is possibility that USA will make this fee refundable if visitors leave USA after completion of their purposed trip and follow all the conditions of the visa issued.
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