Latest news with #fee
The Independent
2 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Trump's controversial $250 visa fee could cost the US economy $11 billion as tourists stay away, research finds
Research suggests President Donald Trump 's new $250 'visa integrity fee' could cost the United States $11 billion — a much larger figure than the Congressional Budget Office previously estimated, according to a report. The fee, packed in Trump's so-called 'Big, Beautiful Bill' that he signed into law last month, applies to all visitors traveling to the U.S. on a non-immigrant visa. The fee doesn't apply to countries on the Visa Waiver Program, which includes most Western European nations and some Asian countries. By 2034, the 'visa integrity fee' would bring in more than $27 billion, the Congressional Budget Office estimated. Said differently, the office is predicting the U.S. will rake in $2.7 billion from 11 million foreign travelers paying the fee each year. While the language of the law makes the fee sound like a win for the U.S. economy, it may actually become a major loss, as the cost could deter visitors. That loss could be as high as roughly $3.6 billion per year, or $11 billion in three years, according to a Tourism Economics analysis seen by Forbes. A decline in travelers could lead to a dip in visitor spending and job losses in the tourism industry. In 2022, the travel and tourism industry contributed $2.3 trillion to the U.S. economy, according to the International Trade Administration. The CBO appeared not to have taken these potential drops into account. 'By longstanding tradition, the Congressional Budget Office does not incorporate macroeconomic feedback effects into its traditional cost estimates,' a CBO spokesperson told Forbes. 'We didn't specifically do a dynamic analysis of this provision.' The Independent has reached out to the CBO for more information. The fee, which will take effect in October, was introduced before the U.S. is set to host events which tend to draw large crowds from around the world, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics. Even before Trump's mega-bill was passed international tourism was down. The U.S. was the only country of the 184 economies analyzed by the World Travel & Tourism Council forecast to see international visitor spending decline in 2025, a May report found. At this rate, the U.S. is on track to lose $12.5 billion in international visitor spending this year, according to the report. 'This is a wake-up call for the U.S. government,' the organization's CEO Julia Simpson warned in a statement. 'The world's biggest Travel & Tourism economy is heading in the wrong direction, not because of a lack of demand, but because of a failure to act. While other nations are rolling out the welcome mat, the U.S. government is putting up the 'closed' sign.' Outside of Canada and Mexico, the United Kingdom, India, Brazil, Japan, and Germany comprised the top five countries with citizens that visited the U.S. this year as of May 2025, according to the International Trade Administration. Of these nations, the fee would only apply to citizens of Brazil and India, which could pack a punch to the U.S. economy. In 2022, for example, Indian tourists visiting the U.S. generated around $13 billion, according to the International Trade Administration. 'Congress made the mistake of assuming that this worldwide visa integrity fee would not have a big impact on visitors from countries like India or Brazil,' Erik Hansen, senior vice president of government relations at the U.S. Travel Association, told Forbes. 'This is the exact type of armchair public policymaking that is going to get us into a big mess.'
CBC
27-07-2025
- Business
- CBC
B.C. wineries call out high fees imposed by Alberta
Premier Danielle Smith often says Alberta wants to lead the way in improving interprovincial trade, but a hefty new fee on wine has B.C. wineries calling out the high cost of selling in the neighbouring province.
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Buried in Trump's beautiful bill is a new $250 fee on travelers to the U.S. Estimates project it could cut the federal deficit by nearly $30 billion
A provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act states all visitors who need nonimmigrant visas to enter the U.S.—tourists, business travelers and international students, to name a few—must pay a 'visa integrity fee,' currently priced at $250. Travelers who comply with their visa conditions will be eligible for reimbursement. The provision is estimated to bring in $28.9 billion over the next decade. Visitors to the United States will need to pay a new fee to enter the country, according to the Trump administration's recently enacted bill. A provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act states all visitors who need nonimmigrant visas to enter the U.S.—tourists, business travelers and international students, to name a few—must pay a 'visa integrity fee,' currently priced at $250. The fee cannot be waived or reduced, but travelers are able to get their fees reimbursed, the provision states. All told, the Congressional Budget Office estimates the new fee could cut the federal deficit by $28.9 billion over the next ten years. During the same period, the CBO expects the Department of the State to issue about 120 million nonimmigrant visas. In 2023 alone, more than 10.4 million nonimmigrants were issued visas, according to DOS data. CBO expects a 'small number' of people will seek reimbursement, as many nonimmigrant visas are valid for several years. CBO also expects the Department of State would need several years to implement a process for providing reimbursements. Still, the fee could generate billions, the agency estimates. The fee is set at $250 during the U.S. fiscal year 2025, which ends Sept. 30, and must be paid when the visa is issued, according to the provision. The secretary of Homeland Security can set the current fee higher, the provision states. During each subsequent fiscal year, the fee will be adjusted for inflation. Those eligible for reimbursement are visa holders who comply with conditions of the visa, which include not accepting unauthorized employment or not overstaying their visa validity date by more than five days, according to the provision. Senior Equity Analyst at CFRA Research Ana Garcia told Fortune in an email she expects the 'vast majority' of affected travelers to be eligible for reimbursement, as historical U.S. Congressional Research Service data indicates that only 1% to 2% of nonimmigrant visitors overstayed their visas between 2016 and 2022. 'The fee's design as a refundable security deposit, contingent upon visa compliance, should mitigate concerns among legitimate travelers.' Garcia wrote. Reimbursements will be made after the travel visa expires, the provision said. Any fees not reimbursed will be deposited into America's Checkbook, or the General Fund of the Government. What's unclear is the effective date of the 'visa integrity fee.' 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 the fee's 'specific start dates have not yet been confirmed.' Brown points out that the fee is an add-on to others already required by U.S. travelers. '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,' Brown wrote. Most travelers are also required to pay a fee that comes with submitting a Form 1-94 arrival and departure record. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act increased this charge from $6 to $24. CFRA's Garcia expects demand to be unmoved by the fee, considering 'higher-income' consumers comprise the majority of international leisure and business travelers to the U.S. 'For affluent travelers, the additional $250 represents a manageable increment relative to overall trip costs,' Garcia wrote. 'The fee structure appears strategically designed to enhance compliance rather than broadly restrict travel.' This story was originally featured on Solve the daily Crossword
CBS News
18-07-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Millions of travelers to the U.S. could be charged a new $250 "visa integrity fee"
Many travelers to the U.S. are now subject to a new $250 "visa integrity fee," part of the tax cuts and spending law signed by President Trump on July 4. The fee is effective in the current federal fiscal year, which began on Oct. 1, 2024, and ends on Sept. 30, 2025, according to the text of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. For subsequent years, the amount will be adjusted for inflation, the law states. The fee applies to visitors who come to the U.S. on nonimmigrant visas, such as foreign students attending American universities or workers who receive temporary work visas such as the H-1B, which is often used by tech companies to hire foreign engineers or other skilled workers. In 2023, the U.S. issued more than 10 million nonimmigrant visas, according to data from the U.S. State Department. Visa holders subjected to the fee may later be reimbursed as long as they comply with their visa's restrictions, such as leaving the U.S. within five days of the visa's expiration, according to the new law. However, the law doesn't specify how visa holders may apply for reimbursement of the fee, nor how the fee will be collected. "The visa integrity fee requires cross-agency coordination before implementation," a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security told CBS MoneyWatch in an email. "President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill provides the necessary policies and resources to restore integrity in our nation's immigration system," it added. Given that fee isn't yet set up to be collected, it's unclear whether the visa integrity fee will be retroactive. The Department of Homeland Security didn't immediately respond to a question about whether the fee would be collected retroactively. The new fee will add to the hurdles facing immigrants, according to the American Immigration Council, a nonpartisan think tank focused on immigration issues. It noted the new bill also includes additional new charges, including a new $100 fee for people applying for asylum. "These fees, many of which are authorized to be layered on top of existing fees, are largely mandatory, effectively putting legal pathways out of reach for thousands of people," the group said in a July 14 statement. For instance, student visa applicants already must pay an $185 application fee and a $350 fee for the Student and Exchange Visitor Program. The additional $250 fee will bring their total cost to $785. People seeking asylum in the U.S., who previously could apply for that designation for free, could face total filing fees of more than $1,150 under the new law, according to the American Immigration Council. Many tourists to the U.S. don't require visas due to the Visa Waiver Program, which allows residents of more than 40 nations — ranging from Australia to the U.K. — to enter the U.S. for fewer than 90 days without a visa.
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
US Will Begin Charging Some Tourists a $250 ‘Visa Integrity Fee'
AaronAmat/Getty Visiting the United States is about to get significantly more expensive thanks to a new US visa fee increase. Federal lawmakers have approved a hefty new visa fee that will soon apply to a large number of tourists entering the US. As part of the Trump administration's One Big Beautiful Bill Act that was signed into law on July 4, a new $250 'visa integrity fee' will be charged to any US visitor who needs a nonimmigrant visa. According to the bill's language, the fee will apply to 'any alien issued a nonimmigrant visa at the time of such issuance.' That means anyone applying for a nonimmigrant visa in any category that requires issuance for entry into the US should expect to pay the $250 charge, according to immigration legal firm Envoy Global. When officials begin collecting the fees (the start date of which remains in question), the money will go to the US Treasury Department's general fund. Travel industry experts are worried that the new fee could potentially further curtail US tourist numbers, which have already dipped in 2025. Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the US Travel Association, called the new fees 'foolish' in a statement released after Congress passed the bill on July 3. 'Raising fees on lawful international visitors amounts to a self-imposed tariff on one of our nation's largest exports: international travel spending,' Freeman said. 'These fees are not reinvested in improving the travel experience and do nothing but discourage visitation at a time when foreign travelers are already concerned about the welcome experience and high prices. As Congress begins work on FY26 appropriations, it must … ensure visitor fees are lowered, if not eliminated, wherever possible.' The new fees are being implemented just before the US is set to host major global events like the World Cup in 2026 and the Summer Olympics in 2028, which could throw a huge wrench in the plans of both potential visitors and travel companies. Here's everything travelers need to know about the new $250 fee. Jump to Who will need to pay the new visa fee? Will the fee be reimbursable? Which countries are exempt? When will the 'visa integrity fee' go into effect? Who will need to pay the new visa fee? Any non-immigrant travelers from countries that are not on the US visa waiver list will need to pay the fee in order to enter the US. That means most tourists coming from Africa, Latin America, and South America, as well as select countries in Asia and the Middle East, will be subject to the new $250 levy. Travelers from visa waiver countries who are visiting the US for a reason that requires a special visa will also be required to pay the fee. The fees will apply to all student visas, work visas, and other special visas, including: F-1 and F-2 student visas; J-1 and J-2 exchange visas; H1-b and H-4 temporary work visas, and other employment and visitor categories. What's more: the $250 payment will be charged in addition to other visa fees. That means visitors will need to pay it along with any other reciprocity fees, anti-fraud fees, and 'machine-readable visa' (MRV) application fees, the amounts of which can vary by visa type. Will the fee be reimbursable? The visa integrity fee will not be waivable or reducible. According to Envoy Global, the Department of Homeland Security may potentially reimburse visitors if they fully comply with the terms of their visa by departing the US promptly when their visa authorization period ends, extending their nonimmigrant status, or changing their status to lawful permanent resident. Which countries are exempt? The fee does not apply to tourists from countries who do not need a visa to enter the US. This includes citizens of countries that are part of the US visa waiver program, as well as most travelers from Canada and Bermuda. There are 42 countries and autonomous states that are part of the visa waiver program. That means their citizens will not have to pay the $250 fee if visiting the US for up to 90 days on visa-free tourism or business. The exempt countries include: Andorra Australia Austria Belgium Brunei Chile Croatia Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Ireland Israel Italy Japan Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Monaco Netherlands New Zealand Norway Poland Portugal Qatar San Marino Singapore Slovakia Slovenia South Korea Spain Sweden Switzerland Taiwan United Kingdom When will the 'visa integrity fee' go into effect? So far, the fee's start date has not been officially announced. However, it could go into effect with the start of the new fiscal year in the US, according to Paul Saluja of Saluja Law, a firm that handles immigration law. That date would be October 1, 2025. Another component that remains to be seen is which agency will be responsible for collecting the fee. 'Given its connection to visa issuance, the Department of State may be involved in the collection process during the consular visa appointment process,' according to Envoy Global. The Department of Homeland Security could also be the one to collect the fee. However, it is likely that travelers will need to pay the $250 charge upon issuance of their visa. This is a developing news story and will be updated with information as it becomes available. Originally Appeared on Condé Nast Traveler The Latest Travel News and Advice Want to be the first to know? 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