Latest news with #H-1B
Cedar News
8 hours ago
- Business
- Cedar News
U.S. Introduces New 'Visa Integrity Fee' for All Foreign Visitors Starting 2025
A new law passed under the Trump administration's One Big Beautiful Bill Act will require all foreign visitors to the United States who need nonimmigrant visas to pay a 'U.S. visa integrity fee' starting in fiscal year 2025. The new charge will be a minimum of $250 and cannot be waived, according to the legislation. The fee, which is in addition to existing visa costs, is aimed at promoting compliance with U.S. immigration rules. However, travelers may be eligible for reimbursement under certain conditions. Who Must Pay the U.S. Visa Integrity Fee? The fee applies to all nonimmigrant visa categories, including: Tourists (B-1/B-2) Business travelers International students (F-1, M-1, etc.) The visa integrity fee will be paid only if a visa is approved. If a visa application is denied, the fee will not be charged. Does the Fee Replace Other Visa Costs? No. The new fee is in addition to existing visa application fees, such as the $205 for an H-1B application. It also adds to the Form I-94 fee, which was recently raised from $6 to $24. Travelers should prepare to pay significantly more when applying for U.S. visas after the new rule takes effect. Is the Fee Refundable? Technically, yes — but only if visa holders comply with all conditions: Do not accept unauthorized employment Do not overstay the visa by more than 5 days Reimbursement will occur after the visa expires, but no system has been announced yet to manage this process. Legal experts are advising travelers to treat the fee as nonrefundable, given the uncertainty. When Will the Fee Be Implemented? No specific date has been set. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has stated that inter-agency coordination is required before launching the new fee. It's unclear how or where the DHS will collect it, since the State Department handles the visa issuance process. Impact on International Travel Immigration experts warn that the U.S. visa integrity fee could deter tourists and students due to higher travel costs. It also comes as the U.S. prepares to host major events in 2026 — including its 250th independence anniversary and part of the FIFA World Cup. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the policy will generate $28.9 billion in revenue and help reduce visa overstays — a long-standing issue in U.S. immigration enforcement.
Hindustan Times
9 hours ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Laid-off H-1B grad counts the days on borrowed time. Here's more to his ordeals
One recent graduate, after securing his first job on an H-1B visa, was laid off just a few weeks into the role. Now, nearly nine months later, he's still unemployed and clinging to hope on a temporary visa. After being laid off from his first job on an H1B visa, a 2024 graduate has struggled to find work for nine months.(X/@USAndIndia) The 2024 data science graduate told M9News that he's applied to over 300 positions since the layoff, but not a single job offer has come through. ALSO READ| India techie's F-1 visa 'Refused' for a this very reason, Redditor weighs in Laid-off graduate now battles immigration clock 'Every day feels like a countdown,' he said. 'I'm doing everything I can, but I'm running low on time, money, and hope.' Notably, after completing his Master's degree from a U.S. university and gaining internship experience, he landed a dream job. But only 30 days in, he was let go. 'I never thought my first job would only last 30 days. I feel stuck in limbo. There's no closure,' he admitted. 'I'm just surviving on borrowed time,' he sighed. Following the layoff, he used the standard 60-day grace period to try to find another job. When that window expired, and he had no offer of another one, he switched to the B2 visa, a temporary tourist visa, in an extreme measure to remain in the country legally and keep his job search. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has yet to review his application. 'Layoffs don't just end jobs—they uproot lives,' an immigration attorney told M9 News. 'And the current system provides no safety net.' ALSO READ| One family emergency away from losing your H-1B Visa? Indian techie's hidden fear US Visa ordeal stories like his aren't rare anymore Over the past year, waves of H1B layoffs have pushed thousands into a similar race against time. Many have already packed up and left. Like, one shared on Reddit, 'I was laid off in October 2024 (when my STEM OPT expired) and been jobless since.' 'I'm currently on an F1 visa doing my second Master's mainly to maintain my status (day 1 CPT). I'm 31 years old with quite a bit of my student loan left plus credit card debt that I am using to survive and continue studying after being laid off.'
NBC News
12 hours ago
- Business
- NBC News
Travelers to the U.S. must pay a new $250 ‘visa integrity fee' — what to know
Visitors to the United States will need to pay a 'visa integrity fee,' according to a provision of the Trump administration's recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The fee applies to all visitors who need nonimmigrant visas to enter, and cannot be waived. However travelers may also be able to get the fees reimbursed, according to the provision. Details about the new requirement are scant, which has resulted in 'significant challenges and unanswered questions regarding implementation,' a spokesperson from the U.S. Travel Association told CNBC Travel. However, here is what is known thus far. How much is the fee? The fee will be at least $250 during the U.S. fiscal year 2025, which runs from Oct. 1, 2024, to Sept. 30, 2025. However, the secretary of Homeland Security is free to set the fee higher, according to the provision. Thereafter, the visa integrity fee will be adjusted for inflation. Who must pay the new fee? The 'visa integrity fee' applies to all visitors who need nonimmigrant visas, which includes tourists, business travelers and international students. When is the fee paid? The fee is paid when the visa is issued, according to the provision. Thus, visitors whose visa requests are denied will not be charged. Does the fee replace other visa fees? No, the provision states that the new fee is 'in addition to' other fees, including regular visa fees. 'For example, an H-1B worker already paying a $205 application fee may now expect to pay a total of $455 once this fee is in place,' Steven A. Brown, a partner at the Houston-based immigration law firm Reddy Neumann Brown PC, wrote in a post on his firm's website. Additionally, the fee must be paid on top of a 'Form I-94 fee,' which the One Big Beautiful Bill Act increased from $6 to $24. That fee must be paid by anyone who is required to submit a Form I-94 arrival and departure record, which applies to most travelers. How can travelers get reimbursed? To get their money back, visa holders must comply with the conditions of the visa, which includes 'not accept[ing] unauthorized employment,' and not overstay the visa validity date by more than five days, according to the provision. Reimbursements will be made after the travel visa expires, it says. What isn't known The fee has not yet been implemented, according to Brown. It is not clear when it will begin. 'I believe it would need a regulation, or at least a notice in the Federal Register, regarding implementation on collection,' said Brown. It is also unclear how travelers will pay the fee, the U.S. Travel Association told CNBC. 'The bill directs the DHS Secretary to charge the fee, but DHS does not own the visa application, issuance or renewal process — so where and when would DHS collect the fee?' the spokesperson said. In response to CNBC's enquires, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said: 'The visa integrity fee requires cross-agency coordination before implementation.' More questions surround how and when the reimbursement process kicks in. Since many visas are valid for several years, the U.S. Congressional Budget Office said it expects 'a small number of people would seek reimbursement.' Moreover, 'CBO expects that the Department of State would need several years to implement a process for providing reimbursements. On that basis, CBO estimates that enacting the provision would increase revenues and decrease the deficit by $28.9 billion over the 2025‑2034 period.' Brown said he is advising clients to treat the fee as nonrefundable. 'If you get it back, great. But it is usually difficult to get money back from the government,' he said. 'I would rather them view it as a 'bonus' if they get the refund.' The purpose of the fee 'President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill provides the necessary policies and resources to restore integrity in our nation's immigration system,' a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told CNBC. Data shows most visa holders comply with their visa terms. For the fiscal years between 2016 and 2022, between 1%-2% of nonimmigrant visitors overstayed their visas in the United States, according to the U.S. Congressional Research Service. However, an estimated 42% of the approximately 11 million unauthorized population living in the United States entered the country legally, but overstayed their period of admission, the data shows. Effect on incoming travelers Brown said the visa integrity fee will likely impact B visa holders — or leisure and business travelers — and international students more than other types of travelers. 'For B visa holders, they may not want to add an additional $250 per person to their trip costs,' he said. The new fee, plus the I-94 fee, come as the United States prepares to host several major events in 2026, including the 'America 250' celebration, in honor of the country's 250th anniversary, and parts of the FIFA World Cup. These hurdles are compounded by problems at Brand USA, the destination marketing organization that promotes inbound travel into the United States, which saw the One Big Beautiful Bill Act slash its funding from $100 million to $20 million. The cuts came after the U.S. Commerce Department fired nearly half of Brand USA's board members in April. In a statement, Fred Dixon, the organization's president and CEO, said it is 'disappointed' with the cuts yet hopeful that the funds will be restored for the fiscal year 2026. 'We remain focused on growing legitimate international inbound travel and the vital boost it provides to the U.S. economy,' he said. Ahead of the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman praised the bill's contributions to U.S. infrastructure, air traffic control and border security.
Observer
13 hours ago
- Business
- Observer
US non-immigrant visa may cost more: Report
Muscat: Visitors to the US with non-immigrant visas will need to pay a 'visa integrity fee, making travel expensive under the new 'One Big Beautiful Bill' Act. The fee has not yet been implemented, and it is not clear when it will begin, according to the CNBC Travel report. Visa applicants would need to pay $250 in the fiscal year 2025 from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025. The fee is expected to be hiked after the fiscal year or adjusted for inflation, the report said. Currently, the cost for a US B1/B2 visa issued by the US Embassy in the Sultanate of Oman is over RO70. Applicants of tourist/business (B-1/B-2), student (F/M), work (H-1B), and exchange (J) visas will have to pay the integrity fee, and if the visa is denied, then there is no need to pay the fee. It will need to be paid once your visa is issued. Visa holders must comply with the conditions of the visa and not overstay the period. Once the visa validity date expires, the reimbursements will be made. To get their money back, visa holders must comply with the conditions of the visa, which include 'not accepting unauthorized employment' and not overstaying the visa validity date by more than five days, according to the provision. Reimbursements will be made after the travel visa expires, according to the CNBC Travel report.
Time of India
14 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
H-1B visa: US considering 'weighted selection process' for hiring foreigners, DHS drafting new rule
No lottery for H-1B? New rule may add weightage on the wage offered for a position. The Donald Trump administration is considering introducing a new process for H-1B hiring under the capped part of the system. The Department of Homeland Security sent the proposal to the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs for review. The capped part of the system means the statutory cap decided by Congress for every year. The cap is 85,000 slots, including 20,000 reserved for workers who have a master's degree. Universities and research institutions are eligible for cap-exempt visas. For 2026, the USCIS has already closed the process as they announced Friday that enough petitions had been submitted to reach the annual cap, which means there will be no lottery for FY 2026. In the present system, there's a random lottery each year for visas subject to the cap. After the lottery, employers with winning entries submit petitions to sponsor workers who will join their companies around October. In Donald Trump's first term, the DHS came up with a selection process based on the wage offered for a position instead of the random lottery so that companies hire more high-skilled workers instead of filling their positions with low-wage foreign workers. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Struggling With Belly Fat? Try This at Home Home Fitness Hack Shop Now Undo That rule, one of several offered as part of a 'Buy American, Hire American' initiative, was later shelved by the Biden administration in 2021. The draft regulations drew more than 1,000 public comments, including many that argued it would drastically reduce the number of available H-1B workers, Bloomberg reported. H-1B: Lottery versus weighted selection process The lottery system was brought in so that no company or applicant would get any favor. But larger companies can apply for more visas resulting in such companies getting more H-1Bs. In January, the Institute for Progress, a nonpartisan think tank examining innovation policy, floated the idea of eliminating the H-1B lottery. It argued that the economic value of the visa program could be increased by 88 per cent of applicants were evaluated based on seniority or salary.
